Before last season’s blowout loss to LSU in the College Football Playoff, Oklahoma’s impact defensive end Ronnie Perkins was suspended after failing a drug test. He has missed the Sooners’ first two games of the season and will not play on Saturday against Iowa State.
Head coach Lincoln Riley has been in the process of getting Perkins eligible and has pulled it off just in time for the Red River Shootout.
According to Jason Kersey of The Athletic, Perkins will be with the team in Ames on Saturday night and “should be ready for Texas next week.” Despite traveling with Oklahoma, the defensive end is in sweats and will be on the sidelines.
Perkins has recorded 75 tackles, 21.5 tackles for loss, and 11 sacks in two seasons for the Sooners. Widely considered Oklahoma’s best defensive player, Alex Grinch’s pass rush is getting an instant boost.
Against the Longhorns last season, Perkins recorded five tackles and one sack.
This was seen as impossible mere weeks ago. Something changed with regard to Perkins' appeal specifically within the last couple of weeks. The statuses of Trejan Bridges and Rhamondre Stevenson remain unchanged.
— Jason Kersey (@jasonkersey) October 3, 2020
Prior to Saturday night’s matchup against Iowa State, Oklahoma recorded five sacks, four of which came against FCS opponent Missouri State. Perkins will change the dynamic of the Sooners’ defensive line.
Texas will play in the annual Red River Shootout against Oklahoma in Dallas on Oct. 10. Left tackle Samuel Cosmi and right tackle Christian Jones’ job just became a whole lot harder.
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