The scoreboard read Alabama Crimson Tide 34, Oklahoma Sooners 24, but Owen Heinecke did not speak like someone defined by a final margin. In the aftermath of Oklahoma’s College Football Playoff loss, the linebacker reflected on a season built on leadership, resilience, and a defense that learned how to endure when momentum turned.
“Being able to contribute in a meaningful way this year was awesome,” Heinecke said. “It worked out in perfect timing, and I’m super grateful for everybody who has helped me along the way.”
Heinecke’s emergence mirrored Oklahoma’s rise. The Sooners were not carried by one voice or one player. Instead, leadership surfaced situationally, shifting from moment to moment based on who was needed most. Heinecke said that balance became one of the defining traits of the team.
“When somebody wasn’t having the best game, there were other people that would step up and take that role from him,” he said. “Having leaders all across the board is something that’s great in games where they’re super close and you’ve got to rely on a couple of people to come up clutch.”
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That mindset, he explained, was intentional. Under head coach Brent Venables, leadership is not assigned by seniority or snaps played. It is expected from everyone. Heinecke said that philosophy allowed quieter players to grow into vocal ones and created accountability across the roster.
“He doesn’t put you down based off age or how much you play,” Heinecke said. “He expects everybody to make an attempt at being a leader. It lets guys that probably wouldn’t be outspoken get to be vocal.”
Against Alabama, that culture was tested repeatedly. A pick six shifted momentum. Several contested plays fell the other way. Still, Oklahoma’s defense continued to respond. Heinecke acknowledged the moments left behind but emphasized the effort that never faded.
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“I thought there were a couple of plays that we left out there,” he said. “But it’s a testament to Alabama. They’ve got great players and great coaches, and they were able to execute on plays that really mattered.”
Even late, after a missed field goal, the defense answered with a three and out. To Heinecke, that sequence reflected the identity Oklahoma carried all season.
“We fought our ass off all night,” he said. “That’s kind of the mindset of the defense all year.”
The goal, he admitted, was a national championship. Falling short made the loss sting. But Heinecke did not hesitate when asked to evaluate the season as a whole.
“Our motto was hard to kill,” he said. “The team took that and ran with it. Did it end how we wanted it to No. But you can’t discount all the great moments and all the hard work everyone put in.”
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