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WATCH: Oklahoma Legend Says 2023 Squad is 'The Foundation of What Our Future Looks Like'

The Sooners may have opened training camp with a shot of energy and a boost of confidence after some strong words following their 6-7 campaign a year ago.

John E. Hoover

WATCH: Oklahoma Legend Says 2023 Squad is 'The Foundation of What Our Future Looks Like'
WATCH: Oklahoma Legend Says 2023 Squad is 'The Foundation of What Our Future Looks Like' /
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Oklahoma officially opened camp for the 2023 college football season on Thursday, and the Sooners may have started practice with an added shot of energy and confidence.

OU legend Brian Bosworth dropped by to talk to the team on Wednesday, and afterwards posted a message on the OU football Twitter account.

“I got high expectations,” Bosworth said, “and I know what they’re gonna do. They’re gonna change expectations by going out and proving that this team is the foundation of what our future looks like.”

Bosworth was a two-time All-American in 1985-86 and a three-time All-Big Eight linebacker in 1984-86. He remains the only two-time winner of the Dick Butkus Award as the nation’s top linebacker — they essentially created the award for him, as he won the first two trophies — and is the most decorated linebacker and arguably greatest defensive player in OU history.

Sooners Rocky Calmus and Teddy Lehman also won the Butkus in 2001 and 2003, respectively.

Brian Bosworth
Brian Bosworth / OU Athletics

The Sooners will practice all month before opening the 2023 season at home on Sept. 2 against Arkansas State.

OU is coming off a 6-7 debut season under coach Brent Venables, the program’s first losing season since 1998. Last season went sideways in particular because of an OU defense that ranked among the nation's worst — a particularly bitter pill to swallow for Venables, an accomplished defensive coach, and Bosworth, one of the college game's all-time greats.

Bosworth, however, is excited to witness a turnaround this year.

“So you guys get ready,” Bosworth said, “because Boomer! is around the corner.”

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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.

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