Sammy Omosigho finding rhythm at inside linebacker
NORMAN — It’s hard for Sammy Omosigho to believe he’s heading into his third season at Oklahoma.
The Heartland, Texas native was still learning the ropes last season behind veterans like Danny Stutsman, Kendel Dolby, Kip Lewis and Kobie McKinzie. Now, he’s an upperclassmen expected to both contribute and lead the younger guys.
With Stutsman gone, he’s quickly become one of the veterans and one of the more knowledgable players in Brent Venables’ defense.
“That feels weird,” Omosigho said when asked about his veteran status. “In my head, I’m still a little bit of a younger guy. But now that the roles have changed and (I’m) in my third season, classified as an older guy.
“I have to step up in that role. It’s been a good transition.”
Omosigho hasn’t just transitioned to being an older guy. He’s fully transitioned to a new position in the defense.
He played almost exclusively at cheetah last season, and he was thrust into action after Kendel Dolby’s season-ending injury. Omosigho appeared in all 13 games — even starting three of them — and logged 301 snaps. Despite logging the 18th-most snaps on the defense, Omosigho finished fifth on the team with 39 tackles to go with five tackles for loss.
But the Sooners moved him to inside linebacker during the spring, and that position has stuck. With players like Kendal Daniels and Reggie Powers seeing things at cheetah, Omosigho has been fully focused on learning WILL linebacker.
“I still have a lot of learning to do,” Omosigho said. “Still trying to learn a bunch. Of course, I’m making some moves. It’s been a good fall camp, a lot of reps, a lot of experience I’ve gained. It’s been good to get better and get more comfortable myself.
It’s been an intense battle between Omosigho and McKinzie for that spot. But even in that competitiveness, McKinzie has been telling Omosigho to earn the starting job.
“Kobie did say that. What he was talking about is we’re going to make each other better,” Omosigho said. “Me and him battling out, of course, but it’s about making each other better. Every time before the drive, he’d be like, ‘C’mon, (No. 7), make a play. Same thing with me. ‘C’mon, 11, make a play.’ Both working together to make us both the best players we can possibly be.”
Omosigho’s growth has been on display for his teammates.
“I’ve seen a lot of growth in Sammy,” Lewis said, “as a player and also just as a leader. Just being vocal, pouring into guys. Being more precise in the playbook. It’s great to see.”
Still, Omosigho knows there’s a lot to learn, and the Sooners are going to need him to play a big role this year regardless of whether he starts. Outside of Omosigho, Lewis and McKinzie, the Sooners have a lot of underclassmen in the linebacker room who are largely unproven.
Omosigho credits inside linebackers coach Nate Dreiling with helping him find his footing, as well as his previous experience playing the position in high school.
“It was more of a mental battle, getting with the coaches more, watch more tape to understand the game of football from multiple aspects, from the outside and inside to get a better feel of the game,” Omosigho said. You have to be more physical inside because you’re in the trenches.
“Football is a physical sport so everywhere you go, you have to be physical.”
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