Parnell Motley Helping To Transform OU’s Defense

Parnell Motley has brought big play ability and trash-talking bravado to the OU defense.

But how did a guy who couldn't sniff playing time in a leaky secondary a year ago become one of the most impactful players on the Sooner defense?

Let's go back to that pick in the spring game.

"A lot of fans and coaches can see what I can do in a game momentum side, so that was very important, that determined a lot of things, even now,” Motley said.

Despite being listed as five pounds lighter on this year's roster, Parnell says one of the keys to his success has been losing fat and adding muscle to his 6-foot frame.

“He was really, really skinny when he got here, and that showed up, you saw the aggressiveness but at times people were able to just throw him around,” Lincoln Riley said. “He had a great off-season, he really bought into what Coach Schmidt and his staff were doing, and you can see the results."

The results have helped transform OU's pass defense from 119th last season to 7th so far in 2017.