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Oklahoma football: Defensive class shows Grinch’s blueprint

By Christopher Dukes

NORMAN, OK - SEPTEMBER 28: Defensive coordinator Alex Grinch observers warm ups before the game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on September 28, 2019 in Norman, Oklahoma. The Sooners defeated the Red Raiders 55-16. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images)
NORMAN, OK - SEPTEMBER 28: Defensive coordinator Alex Grinch observers warm ups before the game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on September 28, 2019 in Norman, Oklahoma. The Sooners defeated the Red Raiders 55-16. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images) /
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Alex Grinch has helped orchestrate a dramatic turnaround on the defensive side of the ball for Oklahoma football, but if you really want to see his blueprint for the future, look no further than his first recruiting class.

Oklahoma football fans all got to see a glimpse of what Alex Grinch’s trademark “Speed D” looks like this season as the Sooners rose from the bottom of the barrel in defensive rankings a year ago to a top 25 unit this season, but looking at Grinch’s first recruiting class should have Oklahoma fans excited – because they haven’t seen anything yet.

Secondary

We throw this one out first because it’s probably the most dramatic change from what Oklahoma has done in the past. While the current crop of Sooner cornerbacks have come along in Grinch’s scheme and are miles ahead of where they were a year ago, looking at 2020 recruits Joshua Eaton and Kendall Dennis shows how different the position could look in a couple of years.

Eaton is a 6-foot-2, 175-pounder out of the Houston area who the Sooners were able to wrestle away from Texas. Eaton is 6-foot-2 and can play both press man and zone coverage.

Dennis is 6-foot and 174 pounds from Lakeland Florida. He has run a legit-timed 4.4 40-yard dash at The Opening.

The safeties seem to follow the same blueprint.

Justin Harrington is 6-foot-3 and 214 pounds, listed as the No. 1 junior college safety in the 2020 class by 247 Sports. Bryson Washington was a gem in this class for the Sooners and a big get out of the Houston area. He is 6-foot-2 and 196 pounds and rated the No. 19 safetey in the country by 247 Sports.

Overall: Notice a trend here? Every defensive back Grinch has signed in the 2020 class measures in at over 6 feet tall. Only one comes in under 6-foot-2 and of course, all four have track-style speed. Grinch is looking for guys who can line up on the other side of some of the monsters the Big 12 seems to find every year at receiver and hold their own. The days of 5-foot-10 corners covering 6-foot-4 receivers are going to come to a close at Oklahoma under Grinch’s watch.

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