PROVING THE HYPE
Perrion Winfrey shows how to fill expectations for Sooners
The photo popped up on Scott Strohmeier's phone less than an hour after OU's four-overtime win against Texas.
Perri on Win frey, who blocked a field goal in the third overtime, was wearing the Golden Hat. Amid the celebration, Winfrey shared the moment with his former coach at Iowa Western Community College.
It was Winfrey's way of saying thank you.
“I mean you're at Oklahoma now, you just made a bigtime play in a big game, and you take a few minutes to text some of your JUCO coaches …I think that' s where it really hits,” Strohmeier said.
Winfrey, after two seasons at Iowa Western, has emerged as the starting nose guard on OU's defensive line. Winfrey arrived in Norman as one of the top junior college prospects in the country, and so far he's delivered on the hype.
“Winfrey just stands out every time you turn it on,”
former Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy said on the ABC broadcast last week. “By season's end, he'll be one of the best in the Big 12 at defensive tackle.”
Winfrey, set to make his fourth consecutive start
Saturday at Texas Tech, has recorded 10 tackles and 3.5 tackles for a loss as a Sooner.
The May wood, Illinois, native wasn't even a starter at Iowa Western two years ago.
He committed to the community college in Council Bluffs after not qualifying academically to play at a Division- I school.
Iowa Western has a tradition of developing defensive linemen — 13 at the FBS level in the last four years — so Winfrey fit right in.
“We knew he was an unbelievable talent,” Strohmeier said. “Actually freakishly at times.”
Win frey ,6- foot -3 and 297 pounds, recorded 9.5 sacks and 23 tackles for a loss in his two season sat Iowa Western.
“He's very quick off the ball and he's violent,” Iowa Western defensive line coach Aaron Terry said. “When you put those two things together, you get the No. 1 JUCO player in the country.”
Winfrey received scholarship offers from OU, Texas, Alabama, LSU, Florida State, Penn State, Nebraska and Oregon.
But qualifying to play at that level was still in question.
“Me and Perri on had numerous conversation sin my office,” Strohmeier said.
Strohmeier, the head coach at Iowa Western since 2008, used each incoming offer as motivation for Winfrey.
“It wasn't easy,” Strohmeier said. “There were times, and it was to the last minute, of making sure that he did what he needed to do academically to get it done… A lot of people questioned that he would even make it out of junior college. We just really stuck with him, and he deserves all the credit for putting in that time.”
Seeing Winfrey wearing the Golden Hat was validation.
“We don't have all the glamour that you get at a school like Oklahoma,” Strohmeier said, “but when they can leave here and they text you and let you know they were appreciative of the opportunity, I think that ultimately is what means the most.”