How Oklahoma LB DaShaun White ‘Felt the Love’ From OU Fans After Saturday’s Win

NORMAN —Via Oklahoma’s many inconsistencies over the course of the season, linebacker DaShaun White has been a supply of reliability on and off the sector.

White, a fifth-year senior, has been by all of it throughout his time in Norman. He’s switched positions a number of instances and has been requested to fill quite a bit holes all through the defensive struggles beneath Mike Stoops, Ruffin McNeill, Alex Grinch and now Ted Roof.

Now, as soon as once more taking part in a brand new place, he’s having his finest yr at Oklahoma. White has transitioned to a linebacker/security hybrid position in Brent Venables’ cheetah spot and has been a constant contributor all season lengthy. He’s registered 76 complete tackles, good for third on the staff, and tied for first on the protection with 5 go deflections. White has additionally recorded two sacks and two interceptions.

Saturday night time in opposition to Oklahoma State, it was White saving the sport for the Sooners in his final sport in Norman. He notched a fourth quarter interception and a chasedown sack that helped seal the victory for OU.

“They had been fairly excessive,” White mentioned of his feelings heading into Senior Evening. “I’ve sort of been emotional a bit of bit for just a few weeks now. It is actually beginning to set in that we stroll in right here, it will be Monday and the board is gonna say 5 days left or 5 practices left this season. It simply sort of continues to settle in how surreal it’s that that is coming to an finish. Such an enormous, thrilling chapter of my life is coming to a detailed.”

As White’s chapter involves a detailed, his fourth quarter in opposition to Oklahoma State is the storybook ending he hoped for.

“It simply sort of felt … I recognize this fanbase a lot,” White mentioned. “I’ve all the time felt like this has been my residence, and I felt the love fairly a bit. Simply sort of felt good to have that second with the followers proper there.”

Oklahoma’s protection has struggled mightily over the previous 5 seasons, however Saturday, the script was flipped. The Sooners relied on the protection to win and the unit pulled by.

It’s additionally becoming within the sense that White is among the leaders of the protection that made cease after cease final weekend. At this level within the season, the Sooners’ protection is supplied with underclassmen and youthful gamers filling into greater roles. White continues to get higher week after week, although, and is main the gifted freshmen by instance. As an alternative of complaining about Oklahoma’s disappointing report, or turning his consideration to soccer on the subsequent stage, he has continued to be a powerful contributor for the Sooners’ protection.

“That’s what you wish to see trigger (generally) with older gamers, some guys plateau out — and he’s gotten higher and higher and higher,” Roof mentioned. “That’s what you need. You need your soccer staff to be taking part in within the month of November and also you need your older gamers to proceed to enhance. Pleased with him and happy with that with him.”