Bond's Time to Shine

In Oklahoma's thrilling 31-24, double overtime comeback last week at Tennessee, senior linebacker Devante Bond was making plays all over the field. He finished with five tackles, including a career-high two sacks, and a forced fumble. Given the hype surrounding him during fall camp, his performance shouldn't surprise many Sooners fans.

But to know that Bond played essentially one year of football in high school and received almost no attention recruiting-wise may make fans realize how remarkable his journey has been.

A native of Sacramento, Calif., Bond's football career started like it does for most kids: at the Pop Warner level. Once he got to high school, though, his football career took a detour when his team's freshman season was cancelled after just three games.

“We didn't have enough people with grades, so they cancelled the team,” Bond explained. “Sophomore year we didn't really have a team, and then I transferred to another school, a continuation school. So I had to go there and get my grades right because there were a lot of things going on in my life at that time. Then I ended up transferring to Foothill High School where I played a full season.”

We didn't have enough people with grades, so they cancelled the team.
— Devante Bond

Junior college was a necessary destination for Bond after high school, citing a need for development on the field and in the classroom.

“It was definitely a big step,” Bond said of the jump to Sierra College in Rocklin, Calif. “Even when I got there, I didn't know too much football, like X's and O's, things like that. I was just an athlete, kind of big, fast, and could kind of just play. Going there, they taught me a lot of football technique, and it just developed me to be a better player.”

After a sophomore campaign that saw Bond record 77 tackles, 27.0 tackles for loss and 17.0 sacks, he chose to attend the University of Miami. Plans changed again, however, in the summer before he was supposed to leave for Coral Gables.

bond

Bond had 77 tackles in his sophomore season, inluding 27.0 tackles for loss.

“There were just some problems we had figuring out what I needed to qualify,” Bond said. “Every school's different and there was one class I had to take, but I didn't know I needed it, and so that held me back.

“I opened my recruitment process again, and I still talked to Coach (Tim) Kish, I talked to him my freshman year, we stayed in contact. I ended up taking my visits here, and Nebraska, and some other place.”

After getting his academic affairs in order, Bond was bound for Norman after being sold on the school's tradition, and the rapport that Coach Kish had with Bond's coaches at Sierra.

Bond arrived at OU as a mid-year enrollee in January and was able to take part in spring practices. From there, he made his FBS debut for the Sooners in the season opener against Louisiana Tech. The bright lights may have fazed some, but thankfully for Bond, he got that out of the way already during the team's spring game.

“That was big enough for me,” Bond said of the 42,807 fans on hand in April. “I'm used to playing in front of 400 people, so that was a lot to me. And I remember that first time, I wasn't so much nervous; I was just more surprised. And then it was just a good experience. But when we came to the first game, I was more excited.”

Bond played in nine of the team's first 10 games, but an injury to starter Geneo Grissom at Texas Tech paved the way for Bond to make his first start against Kansas on Nov. 22. Bond made a career-high six tackles against the Jayhawks and matched that total two games later with six stops in the Russell Athletic Bowl against Clemson to close out the year.

Fast forward to fall camp this season and Bond and fellow senior Eric Striker formed a formidable duo as outside pass rushers.

bond action

Bond and teammates Eric Striker  joke with each other about who will get to the quarterback first.

“Those guys coming off the edge are quite a mess,” OU quarterback Cody Thomas said during camp. “I'm glad I don't have to go against them every Saturday. Those guys force us to get the ball out and move around in the pocket.”

Asked separately, both Striker and Bond joked that one asks the other who is going to get to the quarterback first.

“We both bring an edge to the team,” Striker said. “We've got speed off the ball and we're both physical. No fullback can do anything with us. No tight end can do anything with us because we have the speed advantage and all of that. So we're a mismatch for a lot of people. We're really aggressive, we're hungry and we're ready to get after it.”

We're really aggressive, we're hungry and we're ready to get after it.
— Eric Striker

Bond's plans for this season include doing whatever he can to help the team win and hopefully a championship. After this season he's hoping for a shot in the NFL, but Bond, a multidisciplinary studies major with an emphasis in enterprise studies, wants to go into real estate when his football career is over.

Not bad prospects for a player with one year of high school experience.

“I've come a long way, living where I did,” Bond said. “Thinking I had a Division III opportunity and being so happy to be at Oklahoma, it's just definitely an accomplishment. I'm blessed and I hope I can play some more football.”