Transfer Tales: DB Reggie Pearson Already Had Meaningful Connections to Oklahoma

Pearson's big hit on Dillon Gabriel last year in Lubbock was one thing, but the profound relationship he forged with former Tech head coach Matt Wells brought him to Norman.

NORMAN — He’s got a new wide receiver, several new tight ends and a couple of offensive linemen to get to know.

But one of the first guys from the NCAA Transfer Portal that Oklahoma quarterback Dillon Gabriel wanted to meet plays defense.

Of course, Gabriel has already met Reggie Pearson. But their meeting back on Nov. 26 in Lubbock was all too brief — and way too one-sided.

It was Pearson who laid a monstrous hit on Gabriel on the first play of overtime in the Red Raiders’ wild, 51-48 victory in the 2022 regular-season finale, a legal, vicious tackle as Gabriel went out for a pass.

Gabriel made the catch, but laid on the turf in pain for a minute or so, then missed the next play recovering from the collision.

Dillon Gabriel and Reggie Pearson :: Annie Rice/Avalanche-Journal-USA TODAY NETWORK

No quarter was asked, and none was given, neither on that night, nor when Pearson transferred to OU.

In fact, Gabriel — ever the quarterback — saw it as an opportunity to create a new friendship.

“Yeah, definitely, me and DG got a good relationship because of that,” Pearson told AllSooners last week. “It’s definitely awesome to now be on the flip side.

“That was probably the first thing he said to me when I first got here, like, having a little conversation about it — he asked me why I had to hit him like that. It was definitely a good laugh and kind of like a relationship starter.”

Pearson is a two-time transfer, having begun his career in 2018 at Wisconsin. He played four games and redshirted that year, then was a Badgers starting safety in 2019. He sat out 2020’s shortened season with a medical condition, and Wisconsin reportedly declined to give him medical clearance to play in 2021.

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According to the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, medical scans found a condition called a brain cavernoma, which is described as a cluster of abnormal blood vessels.

Pearson told the Avalanche-Journal’s Don Williams he never experienced any symptoms from the abnormality, which was first discovered in a scan for a 2019 shoulder stinger and later again during a volunteer concussion study.

“Over the next year, Pearson said he received favorable second opinions from a neurosurgeon at the Detroit Medical Center and another at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston,” Williams told AllSooners. “They said he was OK to get back on the field, but UW continued to decline.”

Pearson last week called it a “medical fiasco.”

Reggie Pearson :: BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN-USA TODAY NETWORK

He entered the transfer portal and even committed South Dakota, an FCS program, in April 2021. It was then-Texas Tech defensive coordinator Keith Patterson who reached out and put Pearson in touch with former head coach Matt Wells.

Pearson said Texas Tech was his only FBS offer.

Last year in Lubbock, Pearson made 55 tackles with two interceptions and a fumble recovery. In 2021, he made 54 tackles with an interception and a forced fumble.

The 5-foot-11, 201-pound Pearson developed a reputation as a big hitter. Gabriel can attest.

But after Wells and his staff were fired in 2021 (Wells is now an analyst on Brent Venables’ staff at OU, while Patterson is head coach at Abilene Christian), and one season playing for new coach Joey McGuire, Pearson figured two years as a starting safety for the Red Raiders was enough. It was time for another change.

Naturally, he connected with Wells.

“Of course,” Pearson said. “Because that was really my only connection, my only person that I really knew. … He was the only person I could really trust here.

“Thats my guy. I still text him. … I still call him to check on him, check on his family. We’re super close. He's the reason why I’m even playing again. So, blessed to have ever met him, blessed to be a part of his journey, as well as he is of mine.

“It was just a blessing. Being able to get back into football after it was kind of taken away. … He was the main part.”

Pearson beat the Sooners just three months ago, but players recognize certain qualities they like about certain programs. So what was it about Oklahoma?

Reggie Pearson / Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

“Uh … it’s Oklahoma,” Pearson said. “Just being able to play under BV, his mindset is a blessing for me. … Me and my dad had a talk and he said, ‘When you were in high school, OU probably never would have even looked at you.’ So just jumping at this opportunity is always a blessing for me and my family for my career.”

Pearson actually has one other minor connection on the OU staff — cornerbacks coach Jay Valai was a star defensive back at Wisconsin, too, and he apparently doesn’t mind talking about it to Pearson or anyone else.

That’s not all they have in common.

“We actually have the same tattoo and everything, which was weird,” Pearson said. “ … Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.”

Despite his big-game experience, Valai, Venables and safeties coach Brandon Hall may have to work a little to find the ideal spot for Pearson. Key Lawrence and Billy Bowman are back at safety, and Woodi Washington and Jaden Davis are back at corner. The nickel spot is mostly open, but that’s a hybrid spot that could belong to linebacker Dasan McCullough in the cheetah role.

“At the end of the day, football is football,” Pearson said. “Concepts are always gonna be concepts as far as understanding what concepts they call and just understanding the terminology.”

“Pearson,” said Williams, “will have to be more consistent to be an All-Big 12 caliber player, and his size will work against him come NFL Draft time. But he makes the most of what he has physically. Plenty of guys with more measureables haven't started 34 games in the Big Ten and the Big 12, like he has. And the last 20 came on Texas Tech defenses that were getting a lot better during the time he spent here.”

As far as personal goals, Pearson said his own haven’t changed much whether he’s in Madison, Lubbock or Norman.

“Yeah, same as last: trying to get in that Jim Thorpe race, be All-American, make sure me and my team are flourishing into what we can be and what we’re capable of, winning a Big 12 Championship as well as get to the playoffs and possibly get in the natty run.”