How Caiden Woullard's 'Motor' Can Help Oklahoma's Pass Rush Improve in 2024

Caiden Woullard finished with 9.5 sacks in 2023 at Miami (OH), and now he hopes to help the Sooners rush the passer at a high level in the SEC.

Oklahoma defensive end Caiden Woullard (90) / University of Miami-Ohio Athletics

NORMAN — Caiden Woullard has kept his head down since arriving at Oklahoma. 

The Massillion, OH, product enjoyed a breakout season at Miami-OH in 2022, finishing the year with 29 total tackles, including five tackles for loss and four quarterback sacks while also forcing a fumble, and he only built on that in 2023. 

Last year he paced the RedHawks with 9.5 sacks, adding 12 TFLs, 41 total tackles and a pair of forced fumbles. 

In the offseason, he chose to test the transfer portal waters for his final season, where he then caught the eye of Oklahoma defensive ends coach Miguel Chavis. 

Woullard’s ability to get after opposing quarterbacks attracted the attention of many schools, not just the Sooners, but OU was ultimately the choice for the defensive end. 

Since then, he’s been focused on digesting the playbook and competing during every practice throughout spring practice and fall camp. 

“[Fall camp] went great. As expected,”  Woullard said Tuesday after practice. “The whole group had a great fall camp as D-ends. The whole defense had a great camp. It's definitely tough going from mid-major to SEC, Oklahoma, but it was a learning journey and a step-by-step process. It went great.”

There were plenty of experienced faces on hand this spring to help Woullard get acclimated to Brent Venables’ defense. 

Ethan Downs, who led the team with 4.5 sacks last year, returned alongside R Mason Thomas and Adepoju Adebawore from a year ago. Though Woullard is in constant competition for playing time with those guys, he’s paid close attention to every bit of information about the playbook that has been passed along. 

“They've helped me a lot because they know what they're doing a hundred percent of the time,” Woullard said. “They rarely ever mess up. … If I have any questions, they're on it.”

But there was still a learning curve at practice once the hard work truly began. 

“[There’s] a lot more physicality,” Woullard said. “Our O-line is great. The whole defense is great. And just going against better competition. Honestly, players are faster, stronger, and like I said, the physicality is different.”

Taking the step up from Miami to Oklahoma was always going to be a big hurdle. Still, the coaching staffs that reached out to Woullard after he entered the portal pointed to one aspect of his game that would translate to any level in 2024. 

“My motor, just how hard I play,” Woullard said. “Not everything is about stats.”

Every new defensive player, whether a freshman or an experience transfer, has to mentally get up to speed. That’s a given. 

Chavis has been working with Woullard to continue to improve his technique, which is something that immediately stood out to Woullard as he battled OU’s offensive line every day in practice. 

“You have to do the little things right,” Woullard said. “You have to do every little thing right.”

Oklahoma linebacker Danny Stutsman has enjoyed having Woullard around throughout the spring and summer, as the veteran defensive end’s positive attitude in meetings and at practice is contagious. 

“Every time he shows up, you know he wants to be there,” Stutsman said last month at SEC Media Days. “He loves the game of football. He loves the sport. He’s gonna do whatever it takes with coach Chavis. 

“He and Ethan are always doing extra, helping those younger guys. He’s a leader. That’s something that can really define this defense.”

OU’s season opener against Temple on Aug. 30 will offer the first peek into what the defensive end rotation will look like in 2024. 

Chavis has amassed a group that looks like it will have plenty of depth on paper, but the Sooners need more production rushing the passer to reach another level in the SEC. 

“I’ve been pleased with the progress, I've been pleased with the improvement,” Venables said Tuesday. “I’m looking forward to the challenge of the season and all the schemes that we're going to see that's going to really force us to earn it and decide on what we want everybody to write on us."

The battle for playing time will press on well into the season for all of Oklahoma’s defensive ends. Regardless of who takes the field, Woullard is confident his position group will deliver a positive impact to the defense as a whole. 

“Anybody can make a play,” he said. “All you've got to do is do your job. Just you do your 1/11th, and the rest will take care of itself.”