All Sooners

Former Oklahoma DB Announces He Will Redshirt, Transfer Again

Key Lawrence, who started parts of three seasons for the Sooners before transferring to Ole Miss, intends to be on the move again.

John E. Hoover

Oklahoma Sooners defensive back Key Lawrence at Cincinnati in 2023
Oklahoma Sooners defensive back Key Lawrence at Cincinnati in 2023 / Katie Stratman-Imagn Images
In this story:

Key Lawrence’s latest stint in the Southeastern Conference was shorter than his first.

Lawrence, a talented defensive back from Nashville, announced Monday via social media that he intends to redshirt the remainder of the 2024 college football season so he can transfer one more time.

The 6-foot-1, 210-pound Lawrence began his college football career at Tennessee in 2020, then spent three successful seasons at Oklahoma, and this year played four games at Ole Miss, mostly on special teams, and contributed one tackle.

Lawrence was on the Rebels’ two-deep for the game at LSU last week, but did not play. As of Monday, Lawrence was no longer listed on the Ole Miss roster, and a school official confirmed to the Jackson Clarion-Ledger that Lawrence is no longer on the team.

Lawrence posted Monday night on Twitter/X, giving followers an update.

“Before y’all think the worse lol. I Red Shirted so I can play a complete year for my last opportunity of College ball,” he wrote.

Lawrence later reposted a post from Rivals’ NCAA Transfer Portal Twitter/X feed.

Lawrence was the No. 1 high school player in the state of Tennessee coming out of Ensworth High in Nashville. He played in 10 games as a true freshman for the Vols, then joined UT teammates Eric Gray and Wanya Morris as transfers to Oklahoma.

While Morris and Gray have begun their NFL careers, Lawrence next year will try to play his sixth college season.

He played in 36 games for the Sooner defense — two years under Lincoln Riley and Alex Grinch and one under Brent Venables and Ted Roof — and contributed 149 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss, one quarterback sack, 12 passes defensed, three interceptions and six fumbles forced.

Published
John E. Hoover
JOHN E. HOOVER

John is an award-winning journalist whose work spans five decades in Oklahoma, with multiple state, regional and national awards as a sportswriter at various newspapers. During his newspaper career, John covered the Dallas Cowboys, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Oklahoma Sooners, the Oklahoma State Cowboys, the Arkansas Razorbacks and much more. In 2016, John changed careers, migrating into radio and launching a YouTube channel, and has built a successful independent media company, DanCam Media. From there, John has written under the banners of Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Fan Nation and a handful of local and national magazines while hosting daily sports talk radio shows in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and statewide. John has also spoken on Capitol Hill in Oklahoma City in a successful effort to put more certified athletic trainers in Oklahoma public high schools. Among the dozens of awards he has won, John most cherishes his national "Beat Writer of the Year" from the Associated Press Sports Editors, Oklahoma's "Best Sports Column" from the Society of Professional Journalists, and Two "Excellence in Sports Medicine Reporting" Awards from the National Athletic Trainers Association. John holds a bachelor's degree in Mass Communications from East Central University in Ada, OK. Born and raised in North Pole, Alaska, John played football and wrote for the school paper at Ada High School in Ada, OK. He enjoys books, movies and travel, and lives in Broken Arrow, OK, with his wife and two kids.

Home/Football