The Oklahoma Sooners Defense Is Relying On One Starter To Step Up in 2026
PJ Adebawore is a key member of the Oklahoma defense and Oklahoma Sooners head coach Brent Venables knows he will have to take a big step in 2026 if the Sooners are hoping to make a deep playoff run. John Mateer will lead the offense, can Adebawore lead the defense?
Video Transcript
The Oklahoma Sooners are set to have a big 2026 season if all goes well, and last year we saw the defense carry this team to the College Football Playoff.
Will we see that happen again?
And if we do, you can bet that this guy, PJ Adeboye, is a reason why.
I'm Justin Church of AZ Sports Oklahoma, and the defense, they have the potential to be the best in the country again, and they did lose some guys to the draft.
But this time it's a guy that we haven't really seen a whole lot of.
The fans and the media have been waiting to see, and it's not a story of this guy hasn't put on the uniform yet or he hasn't played much yet.
It's more of we're waiting to see him break out.
And when you look at a guy like PJ Adeboye, you see the size and the physicality and you think there's no way that this guy isn't going to be good, and that's partly true.
He can be an elite run stopper.
He really can.
He can be an elite power rusher.
I don't know if the speed will ever be there.
Maybe it will.
But the Sooners are gonna need that opposite of Taylor Wine, and Taylor Wine got a lot of attention at the end of last year as teams started really preparing and game planning against him.
So the opposite side where PJ's gonna be at is going to be open at times and vice versa.
They're gonna have to play off each other well.
And if they can do that, and this depth is as, is, as advertised, and the offense is as advertised, and it steps up bit better than it was last year, there's no reason that this team can't make a huge step.
I mean, Brent Venables said, quote, "I think it's time for him to show us he can be a pillar for us."
And that's a really big quote because Brent wouldn't be saying that about PJ if he didn't believe in him.
He's projected to be the starter.
And so to me, that comes off as Brent Venables saying, "We know that this guy can do it, but let's see him do it."
And if he can, man, the sky's the limit for this team and for him.
The Sooners, they've got a really good roster.
Now they just all have to put it together and same goes for PJ Adeboye.
