T.D. Roof has lived in Georgia, Indiana and North Carolina as a college athlete. Before then, he lived in nine different states growing up.
The sixth-year senior linebacker, son of Oklahoma’s defensive coordinator Ted Roof, has lived a migratory lifestyle through 23 years. Ted has been at a different school each of T.D.'s six years of college, and held 17 different jobs in his 35-year coaching career.
“It’s just kind of routine a bit,” T.D. said of his childhood voyaging.
But now, T.D. has settled in Norman for one last go around. His entire family — mom, dad and twin brother Mic, an OU student — has made the move in support of his final season. T.D.'s collegiate career also ends the same place it started, on his dad’s defense. Ted was the defensive coordinator at his alma mater Georgia Tech in 2017 when T.D. was a freshman.
However, despite the unique experience of reuniting with his father, T.D. doesn’t expect to be treated any differently than his teammates.
“It’s special,” Ted said of coaching his son. “But when we’re out there, he’s jersey number 18 and I’m Coach Roof. He’s always my son, but when he’s on the field and I’m coaching, he’s number 18. And I’m going to coach him hard or harder than I coach anybody else. And at the same time, he enjoys that. He wants to be coached hard.
"But as far as the opportunity to coach your son at the University of Oklahoma, that’s a blessing, man. That’s a real blessing.”
T.D. transferred to Indiana in 2018 following his freshman season with the Yellow Jackets after his dad took a new job at North Carolina State. But in 2019 when Ted was hired at Appalachian State, T.D. reunited with his dad again.
Despite the obvious ties between the duo, T.D. said his dad didn’t play a role in his recruitment to Oklahoma. He said he received a call from OU head coach Brent Venables offering him a roster spot shortly after considering ending his football career after last season.
T.D. tallied 67 tackles with three sacks and two interceptions with the Mountaineers last season, but it has been speculated that he was added to the roster as a walk-on.
T.D. doesn’t have a clear path to playing time in 2022, as he likely sits behind veteran starters David Ugwoegbu and DaShaun White, and competes with others like Danny Stutsman, Shane Whitter, and perhaps even freshman Jaren Kanak.
Perhaps T.D. will make an impact on special teams next season, where he hopes to appear on all four units — kickoffs, punts, kick returns and field goals. Outside of his special teams prowess, T.D. will compete for snaps at strongside and middle linebacker.
“I think you can measure your football team’s effort on that,” T.D. said of special teams. “And I think that also, obviously, I’m not like a 6-4, 250-pound guy. If I want to have any shot at the next level, that’s where I’ve got to make my hay.”
Playing professional football may be a long shot at T.D.’s size — 5-foot-11, 216 pounds — but he hasn’t ruled out following Ted's footsteps and becoming a coach. While still unsure if he wants to continue making college football a family venture, or pursue a path with his political science degree, he knows his dad would support either decision.
“He’s very supportive of anything me and my brother do and is always willing to help us as much as he can,” T.D. said. “And I know he’s got a busy, busy schedule, but he always makes time to prioritize and really talk to me and my brother.”
Used to traveling from place-to-place as the son of a coach, T.D. said he was conditioned for the move to Norman. It definitely helped that Ted, and his family, were right by his side.
“It’s gonna be awkward for a couple days, but hey, that’s just what it is,” T.D. said. “You’re new, and everyone here has been so welcoming.”
T.D. noted it’s hard to decline an offer to be on OU’s roster. But it would potentially be even harder for T.D. to turn down a final opportunity to play for his dad, who T.D. said has “calmed down” since their first season together.
“Once we’re between the lines on the practice field, it’s all business,” T.D. said. “He’s there to get me better, and so I need to listen to him. And that’s my role is to listen to the coaches and do what they tell me to do.
“So that’s kind of how it gets broken down on the practice field, and then if we’re on the golf course, it’ll be a little different.”
