By John Shinn
The Norman Transcript
NORMAN — Trying to get Travis Lewis to sit still for 20 minutes was hard. His right leg was constantly bouncing. His hands were constantly moving and his voice could be heard above all others when he spoke to reporters last week at Big 12 Media Days.
He wasn’t nervous, he just had an abundance of energy that he couldn’t contain. Lewis didn’t see any reason to hide it.
“I’ve always been this guy. You can see it on the field,” he said.
Lewis might not be the official leader of the Sooners this season. Quarterback Landry Jones gets the role by his position. Defensive end Jeremy Beal is heading into his senior season and has been a consistent playmaker for Oklahoma since 2007.
But neither has Lewis’ personality changed. He is a constant ball of energy that bounces around with endless inertia.
“He doesn’t change. He never stops talking. He’s probably still talking right now. It’s just Travis,” Beal said. “I’m used to it.”
Players laugh about it because they adjusted to Lewis long ago. He broke into the starting lineup in 2007 as a redshirt freshman and quickly asserted himself as playmaker and, more importantly, someone you could count on to do his job.
Over the previous two seasons, he’s logged 253 tackles and pulled down five interceptions. Between plays he’s gained a reputation as the Sooners’ loudest mouth on the field. Opponents have done everything to quiet Lewis.
The game is full of brash talkers, but few have talent to match.
Lewis has no problem talking about his brash nature, but it has never overmatched his talent.
“I go out there every day with a chip on my shoulder. As soon as you forget to be that way or get satisfied with the accolades, that’s when you let your guard down and you’re not going to be a great player,” he said. “I don’t want to be good, I want to be great. I want to be one of the best in OU history.”
Longtime Sooner fans have heard players talk that way before.
Lewis reminds many of former All-American Brian Bosworth, who helped the Sooners win a national championship in 1985 and dominate the old Big 8 Conference from 1984-86. The only thing louder than Bosworth’s actions on the field was what he said off it.
Lewis can relate and feels a kinship with the former OU linebacker.
“Bosworth was the biggest character of them all. I loved his passion and I loved everything about him,” Lewis said. “I’m trying to be like anybody else; this is me. But I did like ‘The Boz.’”
Lewis and Bosworth are identical in that their mouths are constantly running. Some coaches wouldn’t tolerate it. OU coach Bob Stoops only allows it because Lewis’ actions are still able to top his words.
“He’s a great competitor, though. It’s one thing to be entertaining without being a great competitor. I’m not much for that,” Stoops said. “He’s what you want and how he works and his toughness and attitude in playing and taking it seriously.
“But he also, when it’s time for somebody to chuckle, he’s quick to do it. So he’s fun. He’s fun to coach, fun to be around, and fun in the locker room for the guys.”
That energy level will keep rising over the coming months.
The Sooners hold their first practice Thursday. It begins four weeks of long hot days as they prepare for the Sept. 4 season opener against Utah State and a grueling 12-game regular season.
Lewis can’t wait to get out there and let some of his boundless energy spread.
“Make players love football; that’s what I love to do,” he said. “I love doing what I do and I want to spread that around and make them remember why they’re playing the game.”
John Shinn 366-3536 jshinn@normantranscript.com
