Oklahoma
Oklahoma LB Kip Lewis Ready to ‘Fly Around’ After Building on Last Year’s Key Experience
NORMAN — Kip Lewis’ breakthrough into the starting lineup was a revelation for Oklahoma’s defense in 2023.
The then-redshirt freshman was a little light for the ideal linebacker, but it didn’t hamper his production.
Lewis, who was described as a “ball magnet” by OU head coach Brent Venables, ended last year with 66 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, one sack and a fumble recovery.
He blew up multiple plays on the goal line against Texas to help the Sooners get a key stop, which propelled him into a starting role down the final stretch of the year.
Now, as he enters his third year with the Sooners, he’s over 220 pounds and is ready to take on the SEC.
“I feel like it’s a good weight, being able to go fly around, hit people, knock people back,” Lewis said after Oklahoma’s practice concluded on Saturday night. “So it’ll be fun.”
Lewis brought stability alongside Danny Stutsman a year ago, and the duo is back again.
Though he performed well alongside the veteran linebacker, Lewis and the entire unit struggled to replace Stutsman’s production when he exited the second half against Kansas and then missed Bedlam due to an injury.
Venables brought Zac Alley in over the offseason to serve as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach in place of Ted Roof, and Alley’s introduction helped Lewis digest the defense to get even more comfortable in Year 3 of the system.
“We call [Alley] like the mini BV. He’s got tendencies of V,” Lewis said. “So he’s amazing. He really brings out the best in us.
“… Just learning, getting, schematically wise, the defense down. It’s been amazing.”
Though Lewis is more comfortable in the defense, he won’t have to digest opposing offenses by himself.
Stutsman spurned the NFL Draft to return for another year under Venables, and his experience is crucial for his fellow linebackers as well as the entire defense.
“He brings that leader mentality, that pushing, that edge that pushed,” Lewis said. “He will bring out the best in you, and that’s the best thing about Danny, is your gonna get his best and he’s gonna motivate you to do your best.”
Lewis is looking to take another step forward, too.
Though he’s not always been the loudest guy behind the scenes, Lewis said he gained confidence from last year’s game experience and it’s helped him take on a larger leadership role in the locker room.
“Getting snaps in general, it just helps you grow as a player,” Lewis said. “Game-speed wise, you can’t replicate that in practice. I was grateful enough to be put in that position and have the opportunity to go out and play and get experience underneath my belt.
“… Now [I’m] starting to step into trying to be vocal. Trying to become better and better at that every day.”
Like the rest of the defense, Lewis is ready to show just how much he’s improved this offseason once the season starts.
But in the meantime, he’s focused on making the most of every practice in fall camp leading up to the Aug. 30 opener against Temple in Norman.
“It’s really good to get back,” he said.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are taking on the Phoenix Suns in Game 2 of their opening-round series. The OKC Thunder are hoping that they can repeat their Sunday afternoon performance in this contest. Game 2 will be an interesting test with the Suns having more time to prepare.
Phoenix was up against a rock and a hard place in the series opener. The Oklahoma City Thunder not only have the talent advantage but the rest advantage as well. Phoenix punched their ticket to the NBA Playoffs on Friday night by staving off the Golden State Warriors on Friday night before landing in Oklahoma City on Saturday and playing on Saturday afternoon to the tune of a 119-84 blowout Thunder victory.
The NBA has seen plenty of upsets already. The Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers and Portland Trail Blazers have all stolen games from the higher seed. The Thunder know they have to keep the foot on the gas in this contest.
“These series are unpredictable. No 2 games are the same. The minute you make an assumption, you are overconfident, or the minute you go down and you’re overly urgent, that can impact your ability to be present in the next game,” Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said pregame on Wednesday night.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are seeing the Suns make an adjustment with their starting lineup by inserting Collin Gillespie to give Phoenix a trio of ball handling scoring options alongside Devin Booker and Jalen Green. This gives the Suns hope to be able to find better shot quality against this stifling Thunder defensive unit.
Oklahoma City is healthier now than they have been all season. The Thunder only are missing rookie Thomas Sorber (ACL) who is out for the year. This allows the Bricktown Ballers to roll out their traditional first five in this contest.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Phoenix Suns, Game 2 Starting Lineup
Oklahoma City Thunder Starting Lineup
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, G
- Lu Dort, G
- Jalen Williams, F
- Chet Holmgren, F
- Isaiah Hartenstein, C
Phoenix Suns Starting Lineup
- Devin Booker, G
- Jalen Green, G
- Collin Gillespie, G
- Dillon Brooks, F
- Oso Ighodaro, C
The series will shift to Phoenix this weekend as the Oklahoma City Thunder hope to head into Saturday afternoon’s Game 3 with a 2-0 advantage in the series.
Stay tuned to Thunder on SI for complete coverage of the NBA Playoff run for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
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OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLA (KOKH) — The Oklahoma City Fire Department responded to a home fire late Tuesday evening, around 10:42 p.m.
According to OKCFD, fire could be seen from a window of the home located in the 4200 block of N. Phillips Avenue.
Firefighters were able to rescue an adult female from inside the home. No injuries were reported in connection with the fire.
Investigators believe that the fire may have originated from an outlet near the refrigerator that had a power strip plugged in that was supplying multiple appliances.
There was also no smoke detector present within the home.
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NORMAN — The Sooners were behind the eight ball for much of Tuesday’s game against Oral Roberts.
But one swing of the bat got them in a more favorable position.
Shortstop Jaxon Willits blasted a grand slam in the sixth inning to give No. 14 Oklahoma its first lead before eventually winning 7-6.
The Sooners trailed by as many as five runs before they rallied late.
In the first inning, Oral Roberts’ Cooper Combs hit a two-out grand slam to give the Golden Eagles a comfortable cushion. OU infielder Deiten Lachance got the Sooners on the board in the second inning with a solo home run, but ORU responded with a solo shot of its own in the next frame.
The Golden Eagles made it a 6-1 run game in the top of the fourth, and they appeared to be on cruise control. But in the bottom of that frame, OU’s rally began.
Dasan Harris made it a four-run game again with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fourth before Camden Johnson hit a sacrifice fly of his own in the fifth.
Then, in the sixth, the Sooners took their first lead of the game.
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Harris singled before Kyle Branch and Connor Larkin walked to load the bases. Willits then swung at the first pitch he saw, sending it well over the right-center field fence.
Neither team scored after Willits’ home run, as OU relief pitcher Xander Mercurius retired nine ORU batters in a row to seal the Sooners’ one-run win.
Michael Catalano started on the mound for Oklahoma, but his outing was short-lived — he gave up four earned runs on two hits and five walks in 1 ⅓ innings.
After coach Skip Johnson relieved Catalano in the second inning, six different OU arms entered the game. Reid Hensley collected the win, while Mercurius got the save.
OU improved to 28-12 overall with the win, while Oral Roberts dropped to 23-15. The Sooners are 7-3 in midweek games this season, and they clinched the season sweep of the Golden Eagles on Tuesday.
Next, the Sooners will hit the road for a three-game series against Auburn. The Tigers, ranked No. 11 by D1Baseball, are 10-8 in SEC play and took two of three games against Florida over the weekend.
The series will open on Friday, and first pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.
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