The Oklahoma Sooners defense has been the strength of the roster through three games in 2024. If there was a question heading into the season, it was at cornerback, with stars present in the front seven and at safety.
There was a good experience with Woodi Washington, and OU has a talented playmaker in Gentry Williams. However, the Sooners’ defensive staff has made a point to move Washington around this year, and Williams has been dealing with a shoulder issue for much of the last year.
On Saturday, with Williams out, Oklahoma leaned on a couple veterans to play the majority of the snaps on the outside, and they were really good.
[autotag]Kani Walker[/autotag] and [autotag]Dez Malone[/autotag] were targeted 11 times and allowed just two receptions for 14 yards, according to Pro Football Focus. Both Walker and Malone each had a pair of pass breakups. Walker’s PBU in the fourth quarter led to Billy Bowman’s first interception of the season and ultimately allowed the Sooners to pull away from the Green Wave.
Malone was Oklahma’s second-highest-graded player on defense behind R Mason Thomas and was the highest-graded player in coverage.
As the Sooners enter SEC play and face even better offenses than Tulane, they’ll need complete performances from their cornerback groups. And if Walker and Malone can continue to play at a high level, it will create more opportunities for the Sooners pass rush to get home. .
Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on X @john9williams.