Post by SCKSChief on Jan 26, 2022 15:23:06 GMT
Stole this from the other place. They deleted it, I'm going to post it.
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¡BOOM!er Alex • 4 minutes ago
theathletic.com/308...
I signed up for the Athletic last for $1/month to see what it was all about.
Defensive line
Starters: DE Marcus Stripling, Sr.; DT Jeffery Johnson, Sr.*; DT Jalen Redmond, RJr.; DE Reggie Grimes, Jr.
Backups: DE Ethan Downs, So.; DT Jordan Kelley, RSr.; DT Josh Ellison, Sr.; DE Jonah La’ulu, RSr.
Other scholarship DL: Isaiah Coe, Sr.; Kori Roberson, RJr.; Noah Arinze, RSo.; Nathan Rawlins-Kibonge, RFr.; Kelvin Gilliam, RFr.; Cedric Roberts, Fr.; Alton Tarber, Fr.
This is one of the hardest position groups to predict at this stage, just because we still don’t know exactly what the Sooners’ defense will look like under the new coaching staff. Former defensive coordinator Alex Grinch ran a three-man front, but Brent Venables has always been more of a four-down guy, with some three-man fronts sprinkled in.
Oklahoma loses mainstays Isaiah Thomas (defensive end) and Perrion Winfrey (nose guard) from last season’s team. Redmond, a former top-150 prospect who has started 10 career games, is set to return. He’s made 21.5 TFLs and 10 sacks during his career.
Grimes found a significant role for himself as a reserve defensive end last season and started in Thomas’ place after Thomas opted out of the Alamo Bowl. He should be a key piece moving forward.
Stripling will be an interesting player to watch moving forward. He came to OU as a four-star defensive end, but switched to Oklahoma’s rush linebacker position, where he started the Alamo Bowl in place of Nik Bonitto, who opted out. With Oklahoma’s move back toward a four-man front, will Stripling shift back into a position with his hand on the ground?
Another possible starter at defensive end is Ethan Downs, a Weatherford, Okla., native who saw lots of playing time last season as a reserve.
The Sooners also added some pieces to this group via the transfer portal. Johnson was a four-year starter at Tulane, where he recorded 135 career tackles, 15 TFLs and 10 sacks. La’ulu transferred to OU from Hawaii.
Oklahoma coaches also aren’t done here when it comes to high school recruiting. The Sooners are still pursuing multiple defensive linemen, including current Iowa State commit R. Mason Thomas (Cardinal Gibbons in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), as well as Thomas’ high school teammate Ahmad Moten.
Linebackers
Starters: DaShaun White, Sr.*; Danny Stutsman, So.; Clayton Smith, RFr.
Backups: Shane Whitter, Jr.; David Ugwoegbu, Sr.; T.D. Roof, Sr.*
Other scholarship LBs: Brynden Walker, Jr.; Joseph Wete, RJr.; Jaren Kanak, Fr.; Kip Lewis, Fr.; Kobie McKinzie, Fr.
White used the NCAA’s blanket waiver to return for a fifth season. He never redshirted and has been a starting inside linebacker the last three seasons. His decision to return gives OU strong experience in a position room otherwise lacking it.
Stutsman was one of the most exciting prospects in the 2021 class and showed flashes in his limited opportunities last season. All talk out of fall camp last August was that the Sooners had a potential breakout player in Stutsman, who was the Sooners’ third-lowest rated 2021 signee, according to the 247Sports Composite. He’s fast, athletic and smart, and here’s predicting that he begins to develop into a star as a sophomore. Whitter got the same kind of buzz as did Stutsman in 2020 but still hasn’t developed into a consistently reliable contributor.
Ugwoegbu is an athletic freak who was expected to become a clear-cut starter in 2021, but that didn’t happen. He began his career as an outside linebacker but moved inside before the 2020 season. It remains to be seen how Venables and Roof view him in their system.
It will be interesting to see how Venables and defensive coordinator Ted Roof choose to line up when it comes to a third linebacker or a fifth defensive back. The former regime typically lined up with three down linemen, three linebackers and five defensive backs. At Clemson, Venables would try to use a hybrid-type player in that nickel/Sam linebacker spot. A perfect example of that is the way he used Isaiah Simmons, who became the eighth overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Smith was one of the Sooners’ highest-ranked 2021 signees but didn’t see much of the field as a freshman.
The three freshmen signees — McKinzie, Lewis and Kanak — were all four-star prospects with loads of potential. Don’t be surprised if they get serious looks, especially Kanak and McKenzie, both of whom are early enrollees.
Defensive backs
Starters: CB D.J. Graham, Jr.; S Key Lawrence, Jr.; S Trey Morrison, Sr.*; NB Billy Bowman, So.; CB Woodi Washington, RJr.
Backups: CB Jaden Davis, Sr.; S Jordan Mukes, So.; S Bryson Washington, RSo.; NB Justin Broiles, RSr.*; CB C.J. Coldon, RSr.*
Other scholarship DBs: Jeremiah Criddell, RJr.; Joshua Eaton, Jr.; Kendall Dennis, RSo.; Damond Harmon, So.; Kani Walker, RFr.; Jayden Rowe, Fr.; S Robert Spears-Jennings, Fr.
Oklahoma hit the transfer portal hard in the defensive backfield, adding Morrison from North Carolina, Coldon from Wyoming and Walker from Louisville. Morrison was a four-year starter with the Tar Heels, playing every position in the defensive backfield at one point or another. Given Oklahoma’s needs, I expect Morrison to play safety, although he obviously could end up anywhere.
Coldon, a cornerback, started his last two seasons at Wyoming. It will be interesting to see where he fits in, given the Sooners return Graham, Washington and Davis — all of whom have extensive starting experience. Graham and Washington were the two best corners for most of last season.
The Sooners have lost safeties Pat Fields and Delarrin Turner-Yell, both of whom were three-year starters. Fields transferred to Stanford and Turner-Yell declared for the NFL Draft. Lawrence seems like a good fit to play one of the safety spots, although he also excelled at times playing corner last season. By the end of the season, Lawrence — who transferred from Tennessee in January 2021 — was arguably one of the best defensive players on the team.
Lawrence, like Morrison, could factor in just about anywhere in the defensive backfield.
Bowman began last season as the Sooners’ true freshman starting nickel and played pretty well. His season got derailed a bit, first by an injury and then with an emergency move to cornerback. The Sooners were short on bodies at corner and tried Bowman there for two games, but he struggled mightily and never managed to work his way back into the regular rotation, even at nickel. Broiles secured that job by the end of the season; Broiles is returning for his super senior season, but Bowman — one of OU’s highest-ranked 2021 signees — has the bigger upside if he can regain his confidence.
Some of the Sooners’ younger DB talent might get a shot this season, too. Mukes and Washington were each four-star prospects. Harmon was, too, in the 2021 class and could play multiple positions in the secondary.
Spears-Jennings, the No. 20 safety prospect for 2022, is an in-state signee from Broken Arrow, Okla., and could be a factor, too.
Specialists
Starters: K Zach Schmit, RSo.; P Michael Turk; RSr.*; LS Kasey Kelleher, RSr.*; H Michael Turk, RSr.*; PR Marvin Mims, Jr.; KR Eric Gray, Sr.
Gone is Gabe Brkic, who finished his career as one of the best kickers in Sooners history. He made five field goals of at least 50 yards last season, and made 82.6 percent of his career field goal attempts. The Sooners don’t currently have any scholarship placekickers, but Schmit — a walk-on from Oklahoma City — was Brkic’s backup last season and made a 46-yard attempt against Western Carolina.
The Sooners are also expected to add Gavin Marshall, a preferred walk-on commit from Frisco, texsa, who held scholarship offers from Air Force, Arizona State, Army and Florida State.
At punter, the Sooners return Turk, who averaged 51.2 yards per punt in 2021 — the highest single-season punting average in school history. Reeves Mundschau, who served as OU’s punter in 2019 and 2020 but backed up Turk last season, was on scholarship, hasn’t entered the transfer portal and still has eligibility remaining.
Kelleher has been the Sooners’ long snapper since 2018. Mims has a career punt return average of 10 yards.
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¡BOOM!er Alex • 4 minutes ago
theathletic.com/308...
I signed up for the Athletic last for $1/month to see what it was all about.
Defensive line
Starters: DE Marcus Stripling, Sr.; DT Jeffery Johnson, Sr.*; DT Jalen Redmond, RJr.; DE Reggie Grimes, Jr.
Backups: DE Ethan Downs, So.; DT Jordan Kelley, RSr.; DT Josh Ellison, Sr.; DE Jonah La’ulu, RSr.
Other scholarship DL: Isaiah Coe, Sr.; Kori Roberson, RJr.; Noah Arinze, RSo.; Nathan Rawlins-Kibonge, RFr.; Kelvin Gilliam, RFr.; Cedric Roberts, Fr.; Alton Tarber, Fr.
This is one of the hardest position groups to predict at this stage, just because we still don’t know exactly what the Sooners’ defense will look like under the new coaching staff. Former defensive coordinator Alex Grinch ran a three-man front, but Brent Venables has always been more of a four-down guy, with some three-man fronts sprinkled in.
Oklahoma loses mainstays Isaiah Thomas (defensive end) and Perrion Winfrey (nose guard) from last season’s team. Redmond, a former top-150 prospect who has started 10 career games, is set to return. He’s made 21.5 TFLs and 10 sacks during his career.
Grimes found a significant role for himself as a reserve defensive end last season and started in Thomas’ place after Thomas opted out of the Alamo Bowl. He should be a key piece moving forward.
Stripling will be an interesting player to watch moving forward. He came to OU as a four-star defensive end, but switched to Oklahoma’s rush linebacker position, where he started the Alamo Bowl in place of Nik Bonitto, who opted out. With Oklahoma’s move back toward a four-man front, will Stripling shift back into a position with his hand on the ground?
Another possible starter at defensive end is Ethan Downs, a Weatherford, Okla., native who saw lots of playing time last season as a reserve.
The Sooners also added some pieces to this group via the transfer portal. Johnson was a four-year starter at Tulane, where he recorded 135 career tackles, 15 TFLs and 10 sacks. La’ulu transferred to OU from Hawaii.
Oklahoma coaches also aren’t done here when it comes to high school recruiting. The Sooners are still pursuing multiple defensive linemen, including current Iowa State commit R. Mason Thomas (Cardinal Gibbons in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), as well as Thomas’ high school teammate Ahmad Moten.
Linebackers
Starters: DaShaun White, Sr.*; Danny Stutsman, So.; Clayton Smith, RFr.
Backups: Shane Whitter, Jr.; David Ugwoegbu, Sr.; T.D. Roof, Sr.*
Other scholarship LBs: Brynden Walker, Jr.; Joseph Wete, RJr.; Jaren Kanak, Fr.; Kip Lewis, Fr.; Kobie McKinzie, Fr.
White used the NCAA’s blanket waiver to return for a fifth season. He never redshirted and has been a starting inside linebacker the last three seasons. His decision to return gives OU strong experience in a position room otherwise lacking it.
Stutsman was one of the most exciting prospects in the 2021 class and showed flashes in his limited opportunities last season. All talk out of fall camp last August was that the Sooners had a potential breakout player in Stutsman, who was the Sooners’ third-lowest rated 2021 signee, according to the 247Sports Composite. He’s fast, athletic and smart, and here’s predicting that he begins to develop into a star as a sophomore. Whitter got the same kind of buzz as did Stutsman in 2020 but still hasn’t developed into a consistently reliable contributor.
Ugwoegbu is an athletic freak who was expected to become a clear-cut starter in 2021, but that didn’t happen. He began his career as an outside linebacker but moved inside before the 2020 season. It remains to be seen how Venables and Roof view him in their system.
It will be interesting to see how Venables and defensive coordinator Ted Roof choose to line up when it comes to a third linebacker or a fifth defensive back. The former regime typically lined up with three down linemen, three linebackers and five defensive backs. At Clemson, Venables would try to use a hybrid-type player in that nickel/Sam linebacker spot. A perfect example of that is the way he used Isaiah Simmons, who became the eighth overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Smith was one of the Sooners’ highest-ranked 2021 signees but didn’t see much of the field as a freshman.
The three freshmen signees — McKinzie, Lewis and Kanak — were all four-star prospects with loads of potential. Don’t be surprised if they get serious looks, especially Kanak and McKenzie, both of whom are early enrollees.
Defensive backs
Starters: CB D.J. Graham, Jr.; S Key Lawrence, Jr.; S Trey Morrison, Sr.*; NB Billy Bowman, So.; CB Woodi Washington, RJr.
Backups: CB Jaden Davis, Sr.; S Jordan Mukes, So.; S Bryson Washington, RSo.; NB Justin Broiles, RSr.*; CB C.J. Coldon, RSr.*
Other scholarship DBs: Jeremiah Criddell, RJr.; Joshua Eaton, Jr.; Kendall Dennis, RSo.; Damond Harmon, So.; Kani Walker, RFr.; Jayden Rowe, Fr.; S Robert Spears-Jennings, Fr.
Oklahoma hit the transfer portal hard in the defensive backfield, adding Morrison from North Carolina, Coldon from Wyoming and Walker from Louisville. Morrison was a four-year starter with the Tar Heels, playing every position in the defensive backfield at one point or another. Given Oklahoma’s needs, I expect Morrison to play safety, although he obviously could end up anywhere.
Coldon, a cornerback, started his last two seasons at Wyoming. It will be interesting to see where he fits in, given the Sooners return Graham, Washington and Davis — all of whom have extensive starting experience. Graham and Washington were the two best corners for most of last season.
The Sooners have lost safeties Pat Fields and Delarrin Turner-Yell, both of whom were three-year starters. Fields transferred to Stanford and Turner-Yell declared for the NFL Draft. Lawrence seems like a good fit to play one of the safety spots, although he also excelled at times playing corner last season. By the end of the season, Lawrence — who transferred from Tennessee in January 2021 — was arguably one of the best defensive players on the team.
Lawrence, like Morrison, could factor in just about anywhere in the defensive backfield.
Bowman began last season as the Sooners’ true freshman starting nickel and played pretty well. His season got derailed a bit, first by an injury and then with an emergency move to cornerback. The Sooners were short on bodies at corner and tried Bowman there for two games, but he struggled mightily and never managed to work his way back into the regular rotation, even at nickel. Broiles secured that job by the end of the season; Broiles is returning for his super senior season, but Bowman — one of OU’s highest-ranked 2021 signees — has the bigger upside if he can regain his confidence.
Some of the Sooners’ younger DB talent might get a shot this season, too. Mukes and Washington were each four-star prospects. Harmon was, too, in the 2021 class and could play multiple positions in the secondary.
Spears-Jennings, the No. 20 safety prospect for 2022, is an in-state signee from Broken Arrow, Okla., and could be a factor, too.
Specialists
Starters: K Zach Schmit, RSo.; P Michael Turk; RSr.*; LS Kasey Kelleher, RSr.*; H Michael Turk, RSr.*; PR Marvin Mims, Jr.; KR Eric Gray, Sr.
Gone is Gabe Brkic, who finished his career as one of the best kickers in Sooners history. He made five field goals of at least 50 yards last season, and made 82.6 percent of his career field goal attempts. The Sooners don’t currently have any scholarship placekickers, but Schmit — a walk-on from Oklahoma City — was Brkic’s backup last season and made a 46-yard attempt against Western Carolina.
The Sooners are also expected to add Gavin Marshall, a preferred walk-on commit from Frisco, texsa, who held scholarship offers from Air Force, Arizona State, Army and Florida State.
At punter, the Sooners return Turk, who averaged 51.2 yards per punt in 2021 — the highest single-season punting average in school history. Reeves Mundschau, who served as OU’s punter in 2019 and 2020 but backed up Turk last season, was on scholarship, hasn’t entered the transfer portal and still has eligibility remaining.
Kelleher has been the Sooners’ long snapper since 2018. Mims has a career punt return average of 10 yards.
