Oklahoma football: Can Kenneth Murray live up to Bednarik hype?

Oklahoma football linebacker Kenneth Murray was named to Bednarik watch list, adding to a growing list of accolades that includes preseason Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, but is the the mercurial middle linebacker ready to live up tot hat hype?

Kenneth Murray is entering his third season as the Oklahoma football middle linebacker, but watching his film, it’s still hard to get a bead on exactly who he is as a football player.

Is he the monster middle linebacker that strikes fear into opposing quarterbacks on blitzes? Or is he the streak who sometimes flashes by after running himself out of the play?

The talented third-year starter looks like he could be ready to turn that corner and become the consistent force he seemed destined to be when he took over the OU middle linebacker job as a true freshman.

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So what’s so different about this season? Coaching for one. New position coach Brian Odom was one of the last Oklahoma linebackers to win a national championship and he appears to be bringing a play-by-play coaching and teaching style to the table.

Looking back at his film, so many of Murray’s problems seemed to arise from false steps right after the snap. When plays are unfolding so fast with so much ground to cover, it doesn’t take much more to find yourself out of position.

According to Murray, Odom has preached consistency above all else.

“That’s something we challenge ourselves every day to do as a defense is be more consistent,” Murray said during Big 12 Media Days.

If Murray can take heed of this preaching he has a chance to not only get noticed by fans of Oklahoma or the Big 12, but make a name for himself on the national scene as well.