Kip Lewis returns as Oklahoma’s defensive heartbeat
In the 2025 season, Kip Lewis led Oklahoma with 76 tackles, added 10.5 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks, and 4 pass breakups, then chose to return for 2026 after starting 30 of his last 31 games. He’s the kind of linebacker coaches love: reliable, physical, and disruptive in both run support and pressure packages, with enough range to impact coverage too. Multiple reports describe him as Oklahoma’s emotional leader and one of the Sooners’ most important players, which is exactly the kind of tone-setter a contender wants.
