Homegrown Overton Living a Dream at OU

Marquise Overton grew up watching Oklahoma football, rooting for the Sooners and watching videos of OU greats with his grandfather. Now, the Tulsa native has seen his life come full circle as he's become an imposing figure on the OU defensive line.

"I was born and raised an Oklahoma fan," the defensive lineman said of his Sooner roots. "Growing up, I used to watch Tommie Harris, Kelly Gregg, all those good players; Adrian Peterson, Gerald McCoy. My grandpa and I used to just sit there and watch videos, especially of Kelly Gregg, when I was little. (Gregg) wrestled here, too, so I've been a fan since I was a little kid."

The wrestling piece was important to Overton, who never limited himself to just one sport. He wrestled and played football in high school, and competed in both at Oklahoma in 2017 and 2018. He credits his training on the mat for giving him an edge on the football field.

"I've been a fan since I was a little kid."
- Marquise Overton

"Wrestling has always been a key factor for me," Overton said. "In football, especially as a defensive lineman, you learn leverage, speed, you're working with your hands a lot. When you're on the mat it's always who has the lower levels and working moves. That stuff crosses over with football."

Being an Oklahoma kid, there was never much question about where he'd play in college given the opportunity. Growing up, he admired OU players Harris and Gregg, making his commitment to OU somewhat inevitable. He always had a special affinity for the Sooners.

Along with fond memories of the Sooners from his childhood, a Sugar Bowl win in 2014 over Alabama helped seal the deal. After the 11th-ranked Sooners upset the third-ranked Crimson Tide, Overton knew where he wanted to be.

Overton, who always dreamed of being a Sooner, competed in both football and wrestling in 2017 and 2018.

"I've been a fan since I was a little kid, so when I got the offer, I kind of thought about it for a minute," Overton said of his decision. "After they beat Alabama, I committed and from that point on I was 110% (a Sooner)."

Overton's time at Oklahoma has not been without setbacks. After seeing action in eight games as a true freshman in 2015, he missed all but two contests in the 2016 season due to injury. He bounced back to turn in his best season to date in 2017, starting nine of 14 games and leading the defensive line with 43 tackles and adding 3.0 tackles for loss. He once again missed time in 2018 after an appendectomy sidelined him for three contests, and he was credited with 10 tackles in 11 games. Despite health issues, Overton remained focused on the team and his goals as a player.

"That's just something that's happened to me," Overton said of his missed time. "I can't help it, but nothing's better than helping your team win."

This year, Overton has been an imposing figure on the front line of OU's revamped defense. Rotating off the bench, the fifth-year senior has already set a personal season high with four tackles for loss among his 13 total stops. In the Sooners' school record-tying nine-sack effort against Texas on Oct. 12, Overton picked up his first quarterback sack since 2015. At Kansas State, he doubled his season total with two tackles for loss.

Oklahoma's defense has seen plenty of change since first-year defensive coordinator Alex Grinch arrived in Norman. In a system that has become known for rotating players, Overton has established himself as a point of consistency on the line. He credits the new defense with his success thus far, but more than that, it has allowed him to have a singular focus on every snap he plays.

"It's just one focus: beat the man in front of you and make plays."

"Getting in the backfield and making plays is pretty enforced," Overton said. "Causing havoc and destruction up front is the main focus for us on the D-line.

"We're not two-gapping anymore," he continued. "It's just one focus: beat the man in front of you and make plays."

Overton's experience has primed him to become a leader on the defense, and he hopes those skills become useful in the future as he pursues a career in coaching following his playing career. He has already graduated from Oklahoma with a degree in communication and is working toward a master's in human relations.

For now, though, only one goal fuels his fire.

"What keeps me going is being able to be here with my teammates and help win a national championship."