As the Oklahoma Sooners push through spring practice, redshirt sophomore Danny Okoye is finding his groove on the defensive line. After a developmental freshman year, Okoye is seeing the game slow down, which is translating into more consistent on-field production.
In 2025, Okoye made his presence felt in 11 games, racking up six tackles, including two for loss, two sacks, and a pass breakup. His impact was seen in bursts, with notable sacks against Kent State and Tennessee. However, he's still waiting for his first start after 13 career appearances.
Reflecting on last season, Okoye said, “I don’t even think I had a good year last year. This year, I really think I'm just trying to focus on the little things, making the game slow down and just focusing on the details. The standard is the standard.”
This attention to detail has been a cornerstone of his approach in spring practice. By honing in on fundamentals, Okoye is playing with newfound confidence.
“I’m feeling pretty good,” he shared on Monday. “We’re making leaps and bounds - a lot more progress than I thought we’d be making.
Playbook is finally clicking. Game is slowing down, and we’re making moves, getting some production.”
This growing comfort aligns with a renewed focus on technique within OU’s defensive line, led by defensive ends coach Miguel Chavis. Okoye emphasized the importance of refining pre-snap discipline and eliminating small errors that were evident on film last season.
“This first week of practice we’ve had, I’ve been trying to slow down my process, everything from my eyes to my stance to my alignments,” Okoye said. “Coach Chavis is doing a really good job of coaching that better. Even last year, I feel like we weren’t really taking those minute things as seriously as we needed to, and it showed on the film.”
Adding to the defensive line's support, OU welcomed assistant edge coach Aaron Cheatwood, who brings experience from Northern Arizona and junior college levels. His presence offers additional guidance, complementing Coach Chavis’s efforts.
“It’s been great having him in the D-end room,” Okoye noted. “It’s all moving pretty fast this time of year, and having someone there to back up coach Chavis whenever he’s busy or he’s teaching one of the new guys or something helps the older guys keep moving their progression upwards.”
With the spring game on April 18 looming, Okoye is focused on seizing every opportunity.
“Time’s going. I’m really feeling like I just got to maximize on what time I have,” Okoye said. “Don’t count your reps but make your reps count.”
As Okoye continues to refine his game, fans can look forward to seeing how his hard work translates when the season kicks off.