Breaking down OU’s latest depth chart
Monday morning, OU released its latest two-deep depth chart, which featured a few surprising developments. A lot can change between now and the Sooners’ Sept. 4 opener against Utah State. But this serves as a good indicator of how certain players are performing behind closed doors.
Some observations:
1. The absence of Dejuan Miller and Jaz Reynolds in the starting lineup (Reynolds, the whole two-deep altogether). These two wideouts were supposed to be the future of the corps, considering how they closed so well last season. But neither is off to the camp the Sooners were hoping for. Miller has been good at times, but then disappears. Reynolds is no longer the only burner of the group, and will have to show more than speed to be a significant part of the rotation.
2. The emergence of Cameron Kenney and Joe Powell in the two-deep (Kenney, the starting lineup). We all wrote Kenney off after he fell out of the rotation late last season (coupled with the rise of Miller, Reynolds). But credit Kenney for hanging in there. The senior is having a solid camp, and if he can eliminate the drops that caused him to lose his starting spot last year, Kenney could be a bigger part of the offense than anyone could have imagined.
Powell has shown great speed, and is basically pressing for the role Reynolds held last year. Powell is only 162 pounds, but he has shown the fortitude to go up and get the ball downfield.
3. Clearly, the coaches weren’t blowing smoke about fullback/tight end Trey Millard. The freshman out of Columbia, Mo., has supplanted Marshall Musil as the starting fullback. I think both will play, but for a true freshman to be penciled in as a starter after being on campus for less than 3 months is saying a lot.
4. R.J. Washington is back from the abyss. We haven’t heard much lately about Washington, who was the No. 1 overall recruit for the class of 2008. But the fact he’s emerged in the two-deep is a positive sign the light may be beginning to flicker.
5. Jaydan Bird will be an important backup as Austin Box heals from a bum back. Bird may be listed as the backup behind Tom Wort in the middle, but I suspect should something happen to Travis Lewis, Bird would move back to the weakside, where he practiced until Box’s injury. Corey Nelson is a rising star, but linebackers usually don’t play as freshmen in Brent Venables’ complex system.
6. Talk about an influx of youth. Seven true freshmen (Joe Powell, Kenny Stills, Bronson Irwin, Trey Millard, Corey Nelson, Aaron Colvin, Tony Jefferson) in the two-deep. Contrast that with only 10 seniors (Brian Lepak, Eric Mensik, Cam Kenney, Brandon Caleb, DeMarco Murray, Mossis Madu, Adrian Taylor, Jeremy Beal, Jonathan Nelson, Quinton Carter). I doubt there’s ever been that many true freshmen on a two-deep heading into the opener since Bob Stoops has been at OU.
-JT
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Comments
Dear bury: I used to watch Coach Switzer’s practices from time to time pre-season and they didn’t look so hot either. But at season end, they had a dang good record.
This will be a very good year for the Sooners, maybe even special.
Yeah Bury, go find somewhere else to post your bull. Landry is way better, the line has to be better (cant be any worse) and the WRs are better or replaced. I just want to see some better place kicking.
Well Bury got what he was after. Now lets talk football…
It is somehwat concerning that the “veteran” receivers are being pushed and replaced by younger guys – especially since it is more due to the lack of quality exhibited by the vets than the brilliance of the young guys.
What about TE? Kicker? Do we have any snswers?
Who says the line will be any better? Do we have any depth?
We need to get off to a good start and build on it or we could be looking at a repeat of last year.
Having said that, I do have faith in the coaches and players. We were a lot close than people give us credit for last year. 4 or 5 plays go the other way and we’re in the Big 12 Championship and gong to another BCS bowl.
I think this just shows how good this recruiting class is! Let them play and this year will be better than the last…and our depth will continue to just get deeper! Boomer!
We would have won 10 games if we just had a kicker that could have made a 40 yard field goal. Add Sam and Gresham to that and there is no telling how well we would have done. We could have won 10 or 11 games real easily. I’m excited to see some of these new players hit the field. It appears this freshman class is extremely talented. I don’t think most of them are playing out of necessity. They are playing because they are good. The defense will be just fine and we do have some question marks but who doesn’t? Alabama is replacing basically their whole defense and they are rated #1.
Stoops has been known in the past to use pre-season depth charts to motivate players, with no intention of actually sticking to that depth chart once the season starts. Having said that, when the most talented players at their positions don’t earn starting jobs, it’s for one reason, and one reason only: They aren’t motivated or excited to play football. If you can name me the last championship team with a long list of disinterested, unmotivated players, I’m all ears.
Until we see the team play, there’s nothing to say that’s not pure speculation. Only a couple more weeks people.
GMD, David, go soak your heads. You are going to apply judgement to Coach Switzer whose one numerous national championships plus a Super Bowl. With your football knowledge, it’s better to walk quietly and say nothing rather than to shoot off your mouth and remove all doubt. Thank you Longhorn’s for paying us tribute by your presence. Now, go play in traffic.
This class last recruited excites the coaches so much they can hardly keep their mouths closed. What are you going to say Blake Bell starts for the Sooners. Laundry Jones has had a bad camp. If Stoops wanted to get the attention of his kids, he just accomplishe that feat “big time”.
as any player or coach with experience will tell you, deffense is always fresh outta the box while it takes offense weeks to gel and find its timing. Anyone else wanna comment of what DT’s McFarland and Taylor are doin at the 2 spot? where has Cory Brandon gone? Why does it seem that Justin McKay isnt living up to the recruiting billing?
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The release of the depth chart should scare the heck outa sooner fans. Many of the key pieces that were mentioned by those in the know are listed as second teamers or not mentioned. It’s going to be a long season for ou on D and l jones hasn’t looked good in the scrimmages.