When 2017 began, Tre Norwood had plans to play football for the University of Louisville.

As a new year gets under way, Norwood instead ended up signing somewhere else, and has already made a name for himself. He has a chance now to win a national championship as a true freshman, and will spend his first day of 2018 playing in arguably the most legendary and historic bowl game.

Norwood, the former Northside multi-sport standout, is projected to start at cornerback today for the University of Oklahoma Sooners, who will be playing Georgia in a College Football Playoff semifinal at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.

“Tre’s a great kid, and it’s just unbelievable that he is getting this opportunity,” Norwood’s football coach at Northside, Mike Falleur, said. “We knew he had the talent to play there, and it’s amazing that it happened this fast for him.”

Norwood’s ascension to starter for a potential national championship team as a true freshman is the continuation of a series of events that unfolded for Norwood in 2017.

A shakeup of the defensive coaching staff at Louisville in the early portion of the year made Norwood decide to decommit from that school. He looked at several other schools, notably Notre Dame, before deciding to sign with Oklahoma in February.

Attempts to reach Norwood were unsuccessful, but he previously said the coaching staff at OU was a major factor in his decision, which he made even before taking his official visit there.

“It was (OU defensive backs) coach (Kerry) Cooks and (both former head coach Bob and defensive coordinator Mike) Stoops; they’re great coaches and great guys,” Norwood said when he signed with OU. “It’s a winning program, and it’s a place I felt comfortable with and it’s closer to home. I just felt like it was the best opportunity for me.”

Norwood also had the unique distinction of being the only player from the state of Arkansas to sign with OU under Bob Stoops, who suddenly announced his retirement in June.

But new coach Lincoln Riley, who was promoted from offensive coordinator the day Stoops retired, made the transition smooth, especially for the new players like Norwood.

Before Norwood arrived on the OU campus in Norman, he had unfinished business at Northside. Playing on the Grizzlies’ basketball team, he was a starter on a team that won the 7A state championship in March.

Last spring, Norwood competed on the Northside track team, where he finished third in the 7A state 100-meter dash. In June, he was selected as the Male Athlete of the Year as part of the inaugural River Valley Best of Preps banquet.

Norwood saw his first action for OU in the Sooners’ season opener against Texas-El Paso, where he recorded two solo tackles and broke up a pass.

He ended up starting OU’s last four games of the season, including the Big 12 championship game win against TCU. Norwood finished second on the team in pass breakups with seven and recorded 26 tackles, 22 of those solo.

His coming-out party came in the Sooners’ annual Bedlam rivalry game against Oklahoma State in early November.

Norwood ended up as the Sooners’ leading tackler with seven stops and also broke up two passes as OU held off Oklahoma State in a wild game, 62-52. He came into the game in the second quarter and ended up playing for most of the second half as the Sooners’ regular cornerbacks were either injured or were ineffective.

One of his tackles perhaps saved the game for the Sooners. With OU hanging on to a three-point lead (55-52), Norwood brought down OSU receiver Marcell Ateman at the OU 45-yard line after Ateman broke loose on a big gain. The Cowboys eventually turned the ball over on downs, and OU added a late touchdown for the eventual 10-point win.

The following week, Norwood got his first career start, a nationally network televised night game against TCU, in which he broke up two passes in a Sooner win. He recorded five tackles in the team’s next game, a win at Kansas, as well as the rematch against TCU for the Big 12 title.

Along the way, Norwood received more attention outside the state of Oklahoma for his sudden role on the defense.

“The Sooners’ uptick in defense seemed to coincide with Norwood becoming a starter in early November,” Adam Rittenburg wrote in a column on ESPN.com. “The freshman capitalized, recording seven pass breakups — second most on the team — and 26 tackles (22 solo) despite seeing his playing time spike only during the stretch run.

“Norwood should play a big role as Terry Godwin, Javon Wims and Georgia’s vertical threats test Oklahoma’s secondary.”

Falleur said he has exchanged several text messages with Norwood during the season. Norwood also returned to Northside to take in a Grizzlies’ game during OU’s bye week, and Falleur said Norwood was able to speak to the team.

“It was great to have him speak to our players,” Falleur said. “Some of the players, especially the younger ones, were asking him about what it was like to play for Oklahoma and playing in games like the Red River Rivalry (against Texas in Dallas).”

Falleur will be one of many area residents planning to watch today’s Rose Bowl. The Grizzlies’ coach is also very familiar with Georgia because of his many years coaching in that state prior to returning to Northside, his alma mater.

But there’s no doubt which team Falleur is rooting for today.

“I’m definitely rooting for Tre Norwood,” Falleur said.
