Sooners' defensive back Dez Malone speaks to the media on March 6, 2024.
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01:00 >> Obviously, two time Mountain West Honorable mention.
01:03 From your perspective, what do you think you bring to Oklahoma's defense?
01:07 >> I think I bring a big, versatile, aggressive corner.
01:12 I can play the ball, I can cover.
01:14 I just feel like I bring some juice to this team.
01:19 And any team can use a little more juice, and
01:21 especially with the weapons we already have, I feel like it can be a big thing.
01:26 >> You and Woody Washington are obviously two veteran defensive backs.
01:29 How's your relationship been like with him since you got here?
01:32 >> Woody is one of my best friends for sure.
01:35 Me and Woody, we hang out every day.
01:37 He's took me under his wing, he's helping me with plays, just everything.
01:43 Everything that involves Norman, Woody's been right there.
01:45 If I got a question, that's probably the first person I'm gonna ask.
01:48 Woody, what's this?
01:49 So Woody, me and Woody, we're locked in for sure.
01:53 >> What about the rest of your teammates?
01:54 Have you been able to build a relationship with them?
01:56 >> Yeah, all of them.
01:57 That's one thing about this team.
01:59 This is probably the closest team I've ever seen.
02:02 This is a really, really close team.
02:04 And I don't know, it's like the brotherhood is unmatched.
02:07 We all hang out, we're all very close.
02:11 We're all speaking to each other.
02:12 You never walk by a guy in the hallway and not speak to him.
02:16 And that's one thing I love about this team.
02:18 No matter what, it's a real selfless team.
02:20 And I've been talking to even all the guys in here right now, all the freshmen,
02:25 the older guy, I've been talking to everyone, so I like it a lot.
02:27 >> So I know you grew up in Fresno, then you went to San Diego State.
02:31 Long ways from Oklahoma.
02:32 Had you ever been before you came here?
02:33 >> Never been to Oklahoma before.
02:34 I definitely heard about it, especially this program and stuff like that.
02:38 But I've never been to Oklahoma before this.
02:40 >> How's the transition been for you?
02:42 >> Transition's been good.
02:43 When I first came, it was a little rocky because it was a snowstorm.
02:46 So I didn't know, I was like, is this everyday Oklahoma?
02:49 But it's been real chill though, I like it.
02:51 Weather ain't too bad either, so it's nice for me.
02:54 >> Fresno, obviously, Caleb Kelly, who's a part of this program,
02:58 he comes from Fresno.
02:59 Did you have a relationship with him prior to coming here?
03:02 >> Definitely, so we have this seven on seven team in Fresno called,
03:07 it's our little own team in Fresno called DB Guru.
03:09 And a lot of great guys play on that team.
03:12 And when I was a young pup growing up,
03:14 Caleb Kelly was definitely one of the guys that coach told us to watch.
03:17 So he definitely has, he's another reason why I felt comfortable making this move.
03:22 Because I watched him do it, he's still here.
03:25 And it just feels good to see a familiar face around, and
03:29 it felt like home for sure.
03:30 >> So I talked to Coach Stamps, and
03:32 he said that in high school you played against some really high level competition.
03:36 How do you think that kind of prepared you for life in the SEC?
03:38 >> I think it prepared me well, because when you see,
03:42 when you're going against some good competition, it only prepares you for
03:47 the best.
03:48 Especially Fresno, California, you just look at our receiver list right now.
03:52 Coming out of college, still in college, it's a really, really good list.
03:56 We might have the best list, I think, in the country.
03:59 We got some really good names, and it definitely prepared me.
04:02 Because I know what it's like to go against a dog that's just as hungry as you.
04:06 So it definitely prepared me for sure.
04:09 >> Xavier Worthy, a name that a lot of OU fans are familiar with.
04:11 On the other side of things, obviously he's from Fresno too.
04:14 Did you ever have to line up against him?
04:16 >> Yeah, me, that's like, we definitely were teammates growing up at first.
04:19 And then when high school came along, he kinda went,
04:22 he went to our rival high school as well, which is funny thinking about it.
04:25 But definitely, me and Xavier Worthy, we've been knowing each other our whole
04:28 life, basically, especially with this football.
04:31 And he's definitely been great.
04:33 He's another great name that I was able to line up against,
04:35 play with as a teammate.
04:37 And I'm happy for his success, for sure.
04:40 >> So coming to play under Brent Venables, he's obviously a defensive minded coach.
04:43 Did that have any factor in your decision?
04:47 >> I think it had a factor, but more so,
04:49 cuz Brent Venables, if he was an offensive coordinator,
04:53 I probably still would wanna play for him.
04:55 So him just being a defensive minded head coach,
04:58 it kinda just, it made things that much more easier for me.
05:01 I'm like, man, this is just a perfect situation.
05:04 So I think that's just a cherry on top for me.
05:07 >> How's it been different from him recruiting you to now being your head coach?
05:12 >> It really hasn't been too different.
05:14 One thing about it, he told me how he was gonna be as a coach.
05:18 I see his approach, even when I came on my visit, he's the scout team quarterback.
05:23 That told me everything I needed to know about him as a coach.
05:26 So that's definitely something I wanted to be a part of and play for.
05:29 >> Does that make it easier to kinda buy into what he's telling you guys?
05:32 >> Definitely, definitely, cuz one thing, I don't know,
05:35 a hands on coach is something that can really help a player for sure.
05:40 I know he's serious about what he's doing, and I'm serious about what I'm doing.
05:43 So it's definitely perfect.
05:45 >> Soon as I have a new defensive coordinator, Zach Alley,
05:48 how's it been like getting to know him so far?
05:50 >> He's great.
05:52 He's a reincarnation of Coach Brent Venables.
05:55 When I hear him talk, I think it's BV talking.
05:58 They sound so similar, it's funny, but he's great.
06:01 I love the defense he runs.
06:03 He also has energy.
06:05 Everything about it, I just love, I think he was a great hire.
06:08 I know he's ready to play for me.
06:10 >> So are you excited to play in the SEC?
06:12 >> Definitely, definitely.
06:13 It's a dream come true.
06:16 As a kid growing up, especially as a kid that I definitely thought I've always
06:20 thought I've been good enough to play at the highest level.
06:22 So getting the chance to do it is just a blessing.
06:25 >> Did that factor into your decision at all, getting to play in the SEC?
06:29 >> Not really.
06:29 It was another thing where it was a cherry on top for me.
06:33 Because if BV was in our conference that I came from,
06:39 I probably would wanna play for him.
06:41 I love everything about the school, everything about the staff, BV and
06:46 Halai, and I think that wherever conference they're in, I would wanna play for them.
06:51 >> Do you have any games circled on the schedule this season?
06:52 >> I wanna, really all of them, because I know all of them are gonna be kinda crazy.
06:59 Definitely a home game here.
07:00 I know the players, I ask them all the time, how the games is.
07:03 They be like, man, the game is rocking.
07:05 So definitely probably our first home game, and then probably somewhere like,
07:09 I would say LSU.
07:12 Growing up, watching LSU and playing the boot, it's something big, and
07:15 I think that'd be fun for sure.
07:17 >> Did they tell you that usually there's about 50,000 people here for
07:21 the spring game?
07:23 >> They did, that's crazy.
07:24 >> You excited for spring ball, the spring game, stuff like that?
07:26 >> Yeah, for sure, that's gonna be fun.
07:28 This is probably one of the funner parts of the season, definitely.
07:31 Especially as a team, you get to get together and really see a glimpse of
07:36 what kind of team you got going into the season.
07:38 So I think it's gonna be real fun.
07:40 >> Coach Schmidt, obviously he has kind of a,
07:42 people talk about how hard his workouts are, things like that.
07:46 Is it living up to the hype since you got here?
07:48 >> Yeah, Coach Schmidt definitely, he's definitely enforcing that.
07:52 We're definitely putting in the work.
07:54 That's one thing about it.
07:55 That's one thing we're gonna do here at Oklahoma.
07:56 We're gonna put in some work.
07:58 And also, I can't even lie, we did the same thing at San Diego State with Coach Hall.
08:03 And I know that I knew when I seen Schmidt, I knew I was going to the right place.
08:07 Because I definitely didn't wanna go somewhere and
08:09 I wasn't still putting in that work in an off season.
08:14 So it definitely played a big factor.
08:15 Schmidt is great.