Ethan Downs’ Special Relationship With Miguel Chavis is Helping Him Blossom at Oklahoma

ARLINGTON, TX — Earlier than heading all the way down to Huge 12 Media Days, Oklahoma sophomore defensive finish Ethan Downs had an enormous life resolution to make.

The Weatherford, OK, product was serious about proposing to his girlfriend, and he turned to his new place coach Miguel Chavis for recommendation.

“I used to be speaking to Coach Chavis about it,” Downs mentioned on Thursday at AT&T Stadium. “I mentioned, ‘Man, is it too early? Is it the unsuitable time? Ought to I do it?’ And he just about mentioned, he is like, ‘Man, if you recognize she’s the one, why wait? If you happen to’re each believers, should you each have religion that God is the middle of your relationship, and you retain it that manner, and also you keep true to one another, then why wait?’

“So he is been in a position to give me recommendation and knowledge on so many points that I simply look as much as him.”

Chavis’ funding within the lives of his gamers off the sphere has been one of many fixed themes by way of the brand new teaching employees’s first offseason on campus.

“As quickly as he got here in, he launched himself to our defensive group, took us to dinner,” Downs mentioned. “I feel we ate Charleston’s, and over dinner, he simply just about flat out mentioned, ‘Hey, that is who I’m. I’ve a wonderful household.’ Mentioned, ‘I am a Christian, that is my religion, I’m not afraid of it.’ It’s modified my life. He mentioned, ‘I am gonna pray for you all. I will present you all the way it’s modified me, in order that I can change you, too.’

“And as quickly as these phrases got here out of his mouth, he was real about it, I knew that I used to be going to have a particular relationship with him, that he was going to be extra of a good friend than a coach, that I might be capable to look as much as him, to be mentored by him, to ask them questions once I’m struggling.”

All through spring apply, Chavis careworn how essential it was to him that his gamers knew how a lot he cared about them off the sphere. The primary-time place coach wasted no time constructing relationships together with his complete defensive ends group, and he’s already made loads of headway each on and off the sphere.

“He is simply given me all of the instruments for the toolbox,” Downs mentioned. “He is a younger coach. However he tells me on a regular basis he needs to be the most effective. He needs to be the most effective he might be. He’ll be the most effective d-end coach.

“And that is very admirable to see his willpower. His confidence. It is easy to resemble, to need to imitate.”

Chavis’ funding in Downs is already paying dividends on and off the sphere, as redshirt junior cornerback Woodi Washington thinks the sophomore can be important in changing the manufacturing of Nik Bonitto and Isaiah Thomas coming off the sting.

“He is grown right into a management function,” Washington mentioned. “For a younger man to be invited to this (convention media days) by the teaching employees is large. ED’s going to be nice for us this yr, on and off the sphere.

“He’s rising into a fantastic chief and he is gonna proceed to do this for the rest of his profession.”

The truth that Downs was picked to characterize the Sooners at Huge 12 Media Days is a credit score to the work Downs has put in all offseason, and that work began with shopping for into Chavis and what his new place coach brings to the desk.

“There are a couple of extra guys that additionally might have made the minimize,” OU head coach Brent Venables mentioned of his resolution to carry Downs. “I needed to make some choices for lots of various causes. It’s in regards to the work they put in, the consistency of the final seven months. It’s in regards to the buy-in, the buy-in to the tradition, the work they put in, the management. It’s about the way you play.

“… Every part issues. I do know I’ve mentioned that lots. If you happen to’re a man, a fantastic participant, you’ve made performs for us on each side of the ball and also you’ve been late 4 occasions, that’s unacceptable. … Your future is a every day resolution. So, in a broader sense, that’s how Ethan obtained right here.”

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