Beal steps into vital D-line role
Sooners' defense will rely on defensive end
OU's Beal steps into vital D-line role

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By Jake Trotter
Published: April 3, 2008

NORMAN — In the Big 12 Championship, Oklahoma's defensive pass rush needed a spark.
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Auston English's hairline fractured ankle was still healing.

And in the prior three games, which the Big 12 sack leader had missed, opposing quarterbacks had enough time to count the stars in the sky before flinging passes downfield.

That could've spelled doom for the Sooners against Missouri quarterback Chase Daniel, who made even the most ferocious of pass rushers look silly with his quick feet and savvy moves.

But Daniel couldn't bamboozle Sooner defensive Jeremy Beal, who harassed the All-Big 12 quarterback often to help OU hold the high-powered Tigers to a season-low 17 points en route to a second consecutive Big 12 title.

Beal finished the night with six tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack, but most importantly, forced Daniel to throw early, errant passes throughout the game.

"With the injuries, I began to get more reps in practice, and by the Big 12 Championship, I felt a lot more comfortable,” Beal said. "I felt like I did when I was in high school as a senior.”

Now, with Beal a season older and English working on becoming a season healthier, the Sooners are hoping to not only field the top defensive end duo in the country next season, but possibly the best overall defensive line in college football, too.

"I think we can be one of the best defensive lines in the nation,” said Beal, a sophomore, whose growth figures to be one of the keys to that prophecy coming true.

While the rest of the defense has holes to cork, the defensive line returns almost entirely intact.

Defensive tackles Gerald McCoy and DeMarcus Granger both boast first-team all-conference potential.

And by the fall, OU might be better than three-deep at defensive end, with Beal, English, Alan Davis, Frank Alexander, Pryce Macon, John Williams and incoming freshman R.J. Washington all expected to push for playing time.

For those reasons, OU will be counting on its defensive line to dominate up front while the back seven acclimates to five new starters and several inexperienced backups.

"With all defenses it starts up front,” Beal said. "We open up holes for linebackers or pass rush for the secondary.

"Defensive lines carry the defense.”

For that to happen, OU will need Beal to play like he did in the Big 12 Championship.

And spark the Sooner pass rush again.

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Comments

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Cant argue with anything said. I think the line has been the biggest weakness in the defense in the last few years. It was improved last year, but injuries, inexperience, and jacket theft cost us at times. DB's can realistically only cover for a few seconds, so its the line's job to give the QB less time than that. If they stay healthy, this should be our best line since '03 when we had Harris, Dvorcek, and a nice rotation of quality DE's.
matt, Moore - Apr 4, 2008 11:13 AM
• Report: Offensive language
agreed Cecil, with the amount of quality depth at DE, the sooners should take a page from the NYG playbook and pull one or both DT's and go with 3 or 4 DE's on obvious passing downs.
Mike, oklahoma city - Apr 4, 2008 9:24 AM
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Agreed, Kirby. We got our arses handed to us in an embarrasing way; thinking that we should concentrate on being better than last year without worrying about where we 'rank' among other college lines. (Unless they are handing a trophy out for that this year).
Lee, Euless - Apr 4, 2008 6:25 AM
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Well it certainly doesnt need them to play like they did in their bowl game. What happened there, never heard the inside scoopy dooopy.
Jonbonjovy, Oklahoma City - Apr 3, 2008 11:12 PM
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With Beal, English, and Williams, it gives the defense the option to go to a "speed rush" package, where you put all three in plus McCoy (Granger out) in obvious passing situations with long yardage (8+ yards). You turn those four loose and its going to get very interesting for the opposing offense: either they leave a back in to block, perhaps the tight end, or you risk a sack unless the QB gets rid of it quick.
CECIL, Encinitas - Apr 3, 2008 1:30 PM
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