The Oklahoma Sooners already proved last season that they can be one of the best defenses in the sport. The Sooners finished in the top-10 in several categories, including total defense, sacks and tackles for loss. The next step for them is to maintain that level of play, instead of taking a step back. David Stone will be one of the key players on the defense. The third-year defensive tackle had his breakout season last year. He finished with 42 tackles, eight tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks last season. He's expected to be a major cog in the middle of the defense. Stone told members of the media what exactly the defense will need to do to be. "The biggest thing is the maturity," Stone said via OU Insider. "It takes a lot of discipline to play this level of football at a high level. We want to be a team that goes to a playoff but makes a good run. So, discipline is what separates those teams at the top. So, I feel like our group has to have that." Oklahoma's defense has already shown that it can carry the Sooners into the College Football Playoff. Now, the standard has changed. Simply reaching the postseason is no longer the ultimate goal for a program that believes it has the talent to compete for championships. Stone's comments reflect that shift in expectations. The Sooners have the talent and experience to remain one of the SEC's better defensive teams, but their margin for error will shrink when they face the conference's best offenses and potentially the nation's top teams. If Stone and the rest of the defense can pair their physical talent with the maturity he believes is necessary, Oklahoma could have the foundation to make another postseason run. The difference in 2026 may not be whether the Sooners are good enough to reach the playoff; it could be whether they are disciplined enough to finally make their opportunity count once they get there.
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