NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Last time Oklahoma's defense took the field, it got shredded during a national semifinal loss to Alabama.

It was an all-too-common occurrence last season — the Sooners' dynamic offense often pulled more than its share of the load while the defense struggled.

Enter new defensive coordinator Alex Grinch. The man who previously rebuilt Washington State's defense and more recently was co-defensive coordinator at Ohio State is bringing his aggressive approach to Oklahoma. His first step has been building confidence for a unit that ranked among the nation's worst last season.

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