Norman, Okla. — Larry Birdine knows how to draw attention.



He has a mix of size and speed that makes him one of the top defensive ends in the Big 12 Conference. He knows how to make plays.



Yet those aren’t the only reasons Birdine draws a crowd.



Go to any OU football practice and a blind man can identify Birdine.



Just keep your ears open and you’ll hear him, too.



“He plays with a lot of intensity and he’s not going to back down from anybody or anything,” linebacker Rufus Alexander said. “And he’s going to say what’s on his mind.”



“With Larry, what you see is what you get,” added linebacker Clint Ingram. “How he acts out on the field on Saturdays is how he acts every day when he’s walking around.”



That means when Birdine has something to say, he’s going to say it. It doesn’t matter who might be listening. There is a downside to such honesty. Outside the Big 12, Birdine’s known more for running his mouth than running down ball carriers.



It was Dec. 22, 2004, when he walked into OU’s final media gathering before heading off to Miami to face Southern California in the Orange Bowl. He used the occasion to tell a group of reporters his assessment of the top-ranked Trojans. He called their offense “average.”



The statement drew the ire of Sooner coach Bob Stoops and it turned out to be a word that would haunt the Sooners after their 55-19 loss to USC.



Birdine didn’t run and hide from his statement. He took his lumps like the rest of the Sooners. When asked how angry Stoops was about his statement Birdine was honest.



“He just told me all the talk doesn’t go out there and win games,” Birdine said. “Obviously, I didn’t back up my words so whatever he said is the truth. He didn’t tell me I was wrong. He came at me head coach to player and told me to watch what I say.”



The statement put a stain on what was otherwise a breakout season for the redshirt junior from Lawton.



Last season, Birdine was part of a three-man rotation at the defensive end spots with All-American Dan Cody and All-Big 12 selection Jonathan Jackson. He proved he could play at their level by producing seven sacks, while 11 of his 40 tackles went for losses, ranking him second on the team.



Defensive ends coach Chris Wilson said the only thing missing is that little bit of polish that comes with the evolution of going from young player to veteran.



“He loves the game and he loves to play,” Wilson said. “The biggest thing with him is honing it in and keeping him focused. He has a chance to be a great one, but it’s going to come down to how well he is able to focus on the things that are really important.”



To Birdine, that means actions will speak louder than words this season. And for all the talking he does, it doesn’t mean he’s not listening. He wants to be known for producing on the field rather than off it.



“There’s a chip on my shoulder,” he said. “I want to go out there and prove to everybody that I’m not only the best defensive player in my league, but the NCAA.



“A lot’s being put on my shoulders. As a veteran, I have to go out there and lead by example. I have to go out there and execute the defense that’s called and be that steady player they can count on.”



Those are the words of mature player, one not afraid to have a whole stadium looking his way.



“This year, he needs to put up or shut up,” Alexander said. “I think he’ll put up. He likes that. He likes it when people are looking at him to play well.



John Shinn366-3536jshinn@normantranscript.com