'He's playing free': How OU football's Key Lawrence emerged as a defensive playmaker

justin martinez, the oklahoman

Wed, Sep 27, 2023, 4:17 AM·5 min read

NORMAN — Key Lawrence is always charismatic when he talks to the media.

The senior safety will crack a smile and laugh. He'll compliment reporters on their hair and clothing. And when the interview is over, he'll shake hands with everyone in the scrum.

Lawrence exudes confidence. But that wasn't always the case, according to OU head coach Brent Venables.

"He'll be the first to tell you that there were always these seeds of doubt," Venables said on Tuesday. "Key was a guy that just kind of always worried about the externals, things that he can't control. Other people, environment and what you might be thinking about him."

That isn't the case anymore.

OU is 4-0 (1-0 Big 12) as it prepares for a home against Iowa State at 6 p.m. Saturday, and Lawrence has been one of the team's top contributors.

Lawrence boasts 14 tackles (one for loss) and team-highs of two interceptions and one forced fumble. It's a strong start for the veteran, whose confidence is growing every week.

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OU defensive back Key Lawrence (12) celebrates a turnover on downs by Cincinnati during the second half on Saturday.

"It's just the preparation," Lawrence said. "Coaches give us good schemes at practice week in and week out. ... I'm just doing my job."

Lawrence has contributed to a defensive takeaway in each of the Sooners' last three games.

He first made his presence known during OU's Week 2 win over SMU. Mustangs running back Jaylan Knighton broke free for a 23-yard run, but Lawrence forced a fumble that Danny Stutsman recovered.

Lawrence then recorded an interception in both games against Tulsa and Cincinnati, and his performance against the Bearcats was especially impressive.

Lawrence recorded three tackles and one interception in the 20-6 victory. That gave him a Pro Football Focus grade of 91.3, which was the highest grade of any safety in the nation for Week 4.

It's the latest example of the strides made by Lawrence, who Venables hopes will serve as a good example for the rest of the team.

"He's just had an amazing transformation," Venables said. "It's another reminder for all of us. That fourth year, fifth year (or) sixth year player, usually they have their best years of football on the back end, not on the front end. ... There's a developmental process.

"He’s playing free. To me, that’s because he quit worrying about things he can’t control."

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Oklahoma Sooners defensive back Key Lawrence (12) intercepts a pass intended for Cincinnati Bearcats wide receiver Evan Prater (3) in the second quarter of the NCAA Big 12 football game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Oklahoma Sooners at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati on Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023.

Notre Dame's debacle

It didn't take long for Venables to realize something wasn't right.

The OU head coach was off the clock Saturday evening following his team's 20-6 win over Cincinnati. Venables was with his family, and they were watching the conclusion of Notre Dame's home game against Ohio State.

The Buckeyes trailed by four points with three seconds left, and they faced a 2nd-and-goal situation inside the 1-yard line. It was a game-deciding play, but Venables quickly realized that Notre Dame only had 10 players on the field instead of 11.

"They don't have enough guys," Venables pointed out to his family. "They got a problem on that right side."

Sure enough, Ohio State's DeaMonte Trayanum took a handoff and ran into the end zone, sealing his team's 17-14 victory.

It was a crucial mistake by Notre Dame on a massive stage. An average of 10.5 million viewers tuned in, making it NBC's most watched regular season college football game since 1993.

One of those viewers was Venables, who praised both teams on Tuesday.

“You feel bad for them because that was an incredibly well-played game," Venables said of Notre Dame. "That was a fabulous football game. I admire both defenses, the quarterbacks. It was a great game.”

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Quick hits

Venables on OU's strong start: "I think there’s just more guys that are bought in. It’s a higher percentage. ... Practices have been more productive because we have more competition. More guys understand how practice should be run, the competitive strain and the toughness that it takes and all of our routines. There’s much more of a comfort zone in everything Year 2."
Redshirt freshman wide receiver Nic Anderson on having a team-high four receiving touchdowns: “I must be doing something right. It’s pretty easy when you got great balls being thrown by Jackson Arnold and Dillon Gabriel. The line is blocking beautifully, so they got all the time in the world. That all contributes to (it)."
Redshirt freshman linebacker Kobie McKinzie on the defense's improved tackling: "The mindset. The mindset. It's all about the mindset. You have to physically want to punish people, and you have to have that intent when you're attacking people. If you don't, it'll show."
Stutsman on receiving high praise from his teammates as of late: "I want to be respected. I really love the guys. I want to try for them every single day to be the same person and try lead them. At the end of the day, I wouldn’t be able to do anything without them.”
Redshirt senior cornerback Woodi Washington on not looking ahead to OU's game against Texas in Week 6: "It’s really hard. They are a huge rival. That’s always going to be a huge game for us. But with the team we have this year, they are focused on that moment and what we have coming up. I think guys are doing a great job preparing for Iowa State this week."