Oklahoma Sooners offensive lineman Febechi Nwaiwu meets the press on Wednesday, March 6, 2024.
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00:00 >> What is it with Smitty?
00:02 >> Winter with Smitty is, it's been intentional, that's what I was saying.
00:08 I say we're very intentional with everything we do.
00:11 Smitty's an amazing coach, a legend in the game.
00:14 I'm honestly so blessed to work with him and his staff.
00:18 It's very intentional, that's what I was saying.
00:21 >> Yeah, I appreciate you.
00:23 >> Thank you.
00:24 >> What kind of expectations do you have for the offensive line this year as you
00:27 come in?
00:27 I know it's early, early type stuff, or middle of the year, but
00:30 what do you have expectation wise for the O-line?
00:32 >> I can't speak much for the guys, for everybody else, but I will say,
00:36 at least my expectation for myself is to do the very best I can in every play,
00:42 every rep, hustle, run to the ball.
00:46 Just the key things that make you a fierce offensive lineman.
00:51 >> What has this transition been like for Texas O-Line?
00:54 >> Honestly, I thought it was gonna be hard, but
00:57 the people here made it very easy, they're very welcoming.
01:00 It wasn't, I had any problem I had, I could ask.
01:02 Any problem that I had, they could help me.
01:06 And any questions, they helped me.
01:07 Very much family like over here.
01:10 >> What kind of player are OU fans getting?
01:13 >> I'm sorry, I said that one more time.
01:14 >> What kind of player are OU fans gonna get out of you, so they know?
01:18 >> OU fans are gonna get a player that's, hold on, let me think.
01:22 OU fans are gonna get a player that's going to play 100% every snap.
01:31 He's gonna play until he can't play anymore.
01:36 He's gonna play for his teammates, he's gonna play for the people,
01:40 for the fans out there, to make sure that we have the best season that we can.
01:45 >> How jacked are you to play in the SEC?
01:46 >> I'm very excited, very excited.
01:49 >> What's your relationship, I'm sorry, you've already asked this like 15 times.
01:51 >> No, no problem, no problem.
01:51 >> What's your relationship with Seth Luttrell like, and
01:53 how has that helped you in this process of getting to OU?
01:55 >> Seth Luttrell, he's a great coach, very close.
02:00 He's my coach at UNT for my first two years over there.
02:03 Just having him over here helped the transition even more because I had
02:10 somebody that could be a friend on the coaching staff already.
02:14 I didn't have to get to know anybody else.
02:16 I mean, I had to know everybody else, but I already knew Coach Luttrell, so
02:19 if I wanted to go talk to a coach, I can go talk to Coach Luttrell.
02:22 >> Yeah. >> And that just felt amazing.
02:24 >> What can we expect from a Seth Luttrell offense?
02:26 >> I can't say too much, but I'll say a lot of touchdowns.
02:33 That's the goal, a lot of touchdowns.
02:35 >> You're old enough now that when you started college football,
02:39 or when you committed, a transfer portal wasn't really a big thing yet.
02:43 >> No, sir. >> Now you step in here,
02:45 there's four guys from just on the offensive line for the transfer portal.
02:48 How's that gonna change your college experience?
02:54 >> I would say it made it easier for players to leave, and
02:58 I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing.
03:02 I think it's just a thing where each player has to
03:07 evaluate with their family and their religion.
03:12 Me personally, I had to evaluate with my family and God.
03:17 But I think each person has to go through their own trials, their own tribulations,
03:22 make their own decisions so that they can eventually make the right decision,
03:27 whether to leave or to stay with their school.
03:28 >> Yeah.
03:29 What were some of the motivations to leave and
03:31 some of the motivations to come to Oklahoma?
03:34 >> I would just say my motivation to leave was, first I wanted to say,
03:38 I love UNT, all the people, the coaches there, and a very great school.
03:43 But I'll say the motivation to leave, I just felt like it was time,
03:47 time to get out there, maybe try to go into a bigger conference,
03:50 play against some bigger D linemen.
03:54 And then choosing OU, it was the people here, the coaching staff,
03:58 I just felt really in tune with them, that their morals,
04:00 their goals are the same as my goals.
04:02 And that's pretty much it.
04:05 >> When you guys bring in four transfers on the offensive line,
04:08 this is everything that Oklahoma lost from last season.
04:11 I guess what are some of the challenges of trying to get you guys to mesh and
04:14 gel together as a group when you have so many newcomers in the fold?
04:17 >> I'm sorry, can I ask the question one more time?
04:20 >> I said, what are the challenges of trying to bring together an offensive
04:23 line that's got so many new pieces?
04:25 >> I would say the challenges would be having guys just get along with each other,
04:32 not get along as if we don't get along, but just hang out with each other,
04:35 really treat it like a family.
04:37 And I will say that that's a problem for most new people that come in.
04:42 I'll say that hasn't been a problem at OU from my experience.
04:47 I would say that whenever I got here, the other offensive linemen,
04:52 they brought me in like family, very helpful with everything.
04:56 I'll say that they treat you like family over here.
05:02 That's past offensive line as well, that's even down to the players, coaches.
05:06 There's very much love over here.
05:09 >> I know you and Jake were together at North Texas.
05:14 >> Yes, sir.
05:14 >> What can we expect from him at tie down?
05:18 >> Man, Jake's a monster.
05:19 I know he's been working his butt off to be the best he can.
05:26 Everybody else has too, so I can tell you guys you can expect great things from Jake.
05:31 >> I think you had already committed by the time he hit the floor with the soft