Danny Stutsman – Page 24 – Syndication Server

Freshman Jaren Kanak one of 247Sports’ freshmen to watch this spring

247Sports lists Jaren Kanak as a freshman to watch in the Oklahoma Sooners 2022 spring game.

There are still about three weeks separating the Oklahoma Sooners from taking the field for their first spring game under [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] but that hasn’t slowed the hype train.

There are a slew of new players that will make their Oklahoma debut in April’s spring game and 247Sports’ Sam Marsdale has their eye on a particular freshman on Oklahoma’s defense; linebacker [autotag]Jaren Kanak[/autotag].

Kanak was committed to Clemson but followed Brent Venables to Norman after he accepted the head coaching job with the Sooners. Track guy who has run as fast as 10.37 at over 200 pounds,” Trieu wrote in his evaluation of Kanak. “Multi-positional player in high school but future projection is most likely outside linebacker. An explosive player who has good burst, acceleration, and obvious speed to pursue on defense. Ball skills he shows on offense should translate to defense where he should be a strong coverage backer if that is indeed where he ends up playing. Times his blitzes well, and when combined with his quickness, that allows him to penetrate and make plays in the backfield.- Sam Marsdale, 247Sports

Kanak’s journey to Oklahoma was a bit of a crazy one. However, the bond he forged early on in his recruitment with Venables won out. Kanak joins one of Oklahoma’s most talented position groups at linebacker. [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag], [autotag]DaShaun White[/autotag], [autotag]David Ugwoegbu[/autotag], [autotag]Shane Whitter[/autotag], and four-star freshman [autotag]Kobie McKinzie[/autotag] all are competing for time at Oklahoma’s second level.

Kanak stands out as he may be the most athletic of them all and he’s only 18 years old. He will most likely see snaps in the spring game and it will be intriguing to see how he looks with those reps. How he diagnoses a play, reacts, what angles he takes, and how well he’s able to shed blocks are what to watch for as he tries to make a case for meaningful playing time in the fall.

While Kanak is the name that got highlighted, there are two other freshmen we look forward to watching on April 23; [autotag]Jovantae Barnes[/autotag] and [autotag]Nick Evers[/autotag]. Even though neither is projected to be a starter, both will play critical roles as depth should the upperclassmen and players in front of them go down with an injury. In essence, both players could be one play away.

Barnes, a four-star running back out of Las Vegas, figures to see plenty of snaps as the Sooners won’t run [autotag]Eric Gray[/autotag] and [autotag]Marcus Major[/autotag] too much considering they are their two top backs. Barnes will get the opportunity to run the ball and show what he can bring to the running game. He’s a few steps ahead of his fellow 2022 signee in [autotag]Gavin Sawchuk[/autotag]. Sawchuk won’t be joining the program until the summertime. Barnes can separate himself and earn the RB3 role with a great performance in the spring game.

Evers has an even more important role as he could potentially be the Sooners’ backup quarterback. He is a true freshman of course but with the Sooners not having another battle-tested scholarship quarterback on the roster that backup responsibility falls firmly on the shoulders of Evers.

The former four-star QB out of Texas is a talented dual-threat player that has already taken advantage of Oklahoma’s strength and conditioning program. Acclimating himself to the speed of collegiate defenses and reading defenses will be his biggest hurdle but he’ll get plenty of reps this spring and in the spring game to showcase how far he has come under Jeff Lebby’s tutelage. The Sooners hope he shows enough that they can trust him if need be to come in for starter Dillon Gabriel should Gabriel miss snaps at all this season.

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2022 Spring Preview: How does Oklahoma stack up at linebacker?

First-year head coach Brent Venables has a talented group of linebackers to begin his tenure in Norman. Here’s a look at the group entering the spring.

First-year head coach Brent Venables has a history of delivering aggressive defense. It’s why his defenses have led the nation in tackles for loss (1,159) and sacks (448) since 2012. One group that should benefit from that aggression are the Sooners’ linebackers.

As spring practices get underway on March 22, what do Venables, defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Ted Roof and Oklahoma have at linebacker?

CBS tabs Brent Venables’ return to Oklahoma as one of the top spring storylines

CBS Sports reporter Dennis Dodd writes that Brent Venables taking over at Oklahoma is one of college football’s top spring storylines.

For a long time, the prevailing thought was that Brent Venables was too happy as Clemson’s defensive coordinator to accept any head coaching position. Why take on the stress of being a head coach when Venables’ compensation at $2.5 million was tops among assistant coaches?

Plus, Clemson won a pair of national championships under Venables’ watch and the Tigers’ defenses under Venables boasted the most sacks and tackles for loss nationally with 448 and 1,159, respectively. It would have to be the perfect opportunity to pry Venables away from all of that at Clemson.

Ultimately, that’s precisely what Oklahoma wound up being for Venables. Now, CBS Sports reporter Dennis Dodd writes that Venables’ return to Oklahoma is one of the top spring storylines as the gear up for the 2022 college football season gets underway.

Oklahoma looked in disarray after Riley bolted for USC. Who would the Sooners get of substance who was available? It ended up being Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables, who had previously been unavailable to basically everyone. After turning down interest from several schools over the years, Venables came “home”. The former Sooners defensive coordinator under Bob Stoops inherits a football factory in full flower. Watch the defense this spring; Oklahoma will play it better than it has in years. Take a long look. Venables is the face of the franchise as it transitions into the SEC. – Dodd, CBS Sports.

That’s certainly the expectation and buzz around Norman with Venables taking over. Folks anticipate a different defense moving forward into 2022 and beyond.

One of the big pieces of news heading into the offseason was the return of senior linebacker DaShaun White who racked up 66 tackles and five tackles for loss. The North Richland Hills, Texas, native’s 66 tackles were good for third best on the Sooners last season. White will be joined in a talented linebacker group by returnees Danny Stutsman, David Ugwoegbu, Brynden Walker, Joseph Wete and Shane Whitter. OU also added Appalachian State transfer T.D. Roof to go along with linebacker signees Jaren Kanak, Kip Lewis and Kobie McKinzie.

Oklahoma also brings back defensive tackle Jalen Redmond who appears prepared to blossom into this defense’s star up front. Over the course of his career, Redmond has collected 21.5 tackles for loss and 10 sacks. The Sooners fortified themselves up front with the additions of Tulane transfer Jeffery Johnson and Hawaii transfer Jonah Laulu.

Plus, Isaiah Coe, Josh Ellison, Jordan Kelley and Kori Roberson return inside. There’s plenty of optimism at OU about the futures of Ethan Downs, Nathan Rawlins-Kibonge, Clayton Smith and Marcus Stripling, too.

In the secondary, the Sooners return their two starting cornerbacks in D.J. Graham and Woodi Washington. Key Lawrence played both corner and safety last season. It’s likely that Lawrence will start alongside Justin Broiles at OU’s two safety spots entering 2022. OU added competition on the back end via the transfer portal, though. Wyoming transfer C.J. Coldon, North Carolina transfer Trey Morrison and Louisville transfer Kani Walker will make things interesting for Oklahoma safeties and cornerbacks coaches Brandon Hall and Jay Valai during the spring and summer.

While it’s certainly a grand transition at Oklahoma, there’s plenty of reason to believe that Venables already possesses a roster capable of turning the corner defensively as soon as 2022. At Oklahoma, fans understandably don’t like to wait very long, so the Sooners’ expectations should be to redeem themselves by winning the 2022 Big 12 Championship and be back in the mix for a College Football Playoff berth.

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Brent Venables expected to have the biggest impact of new coaches in 2022 by ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg

ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg selected Brent Venables as his coach that would have the biggest impact among new coaches in 2022.

The same national media member that spent yesterday declaring that Oklahoma fans’ reactions to Lincoln Riley’s departure doesn’t jive with the fan base’s excitement for the start of the Brent Venables era is apparently a believer in Venables’ chances to deliver one of the biggest impacts among new head coaches in 2022.

Interesting point. Doesn’t match OU fan reaction to him leaving. https://t.co/eSQUmD0vxl

— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) February 24, 2022

The very same ESPN writer Adam Rittenberg picked Oklahoma head football coach Brent Venables as his new coach that would have the biggest impact on the 2022 college football season. Here’s what Rittenberg wrote in his ESPN roundtable thoughts on Venables.

Riley would be my pick, too, but in the interest of variety, I’m going with the man who replaces him at Oklahoma. Brent Venables generated a lot of immediate goodwill because he sees Oklahoma as a destination job, and because he’s not Riley, the scourge of humanity in the Sooner State. But Venables must show he’s not like Riley, at least when it comes to developing a championship-caliber defense. The Big 12 is changing to feature a more complementary, physical style of play, and the timing for Venables’ arrival couldn’t be much better.

OU’s ability to win this new version of the Big 12 comes down to improving talent and execution on defense, which is a reasonable Year 1 goal for Venables. The offense should still be dangerous with Lebby and Gabriel, but a drop-off is likely, which puts even more pressure on Venables’ defense to pick up the slack. – Rittenberg, ESPN.

With Venables grabbing the reigns, there’s reason for optimism that OU has the head coach to help Oklahoma turn the corner defensively and return to national prominence on the side of the football that has been littered with oftentimes embarrassing moments over the past decade. Since 2012—the year Venables first joined Clemson—Venables’ defenses have led the nation in sacks with 488 and tackles for loss with 1,159.

Oklahoma is replacing six starters on defense: defensive tackle Perrion Winfrey, defensive lineman Isaiah Thomas, outside linebacker Nik Bonitto, linebacker Brian Asamoah and safeties Patrick Fields and Delarrin Turner-Yell.

Up front, Jalen Redmond should be one of Oklahoma’s stars. Over the course of Redmond’s career, the 6-foot-2, 279 pound defensive lineman has registered 48 tackles, 21.5 tackles for loss and 10 sacks in 24 career games. OU also added Tulane transfer Jeffery Johnson and Hawaii transfer Jonah Laulu to its defensive line. Johnson had 44 tackles, five tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks last season with Tulane, while Laulu recorded 34 tackles, eight tackles for loss and four sacks.

At linebacker, OU got a nice boost when DaShaun White decided to return for another season. White was Oklahoma’s third-leading tackler with 66 last season. Oklahoma also brings back linebacker David Ugwoegbu who finished with 49 tackles.

Plus, there’s so much excitement about sophomore-to-be Danny Stutsman. Stutsman finished 2021 with 38 tackles in 10 games. The Sooners are bringing in Appalachian State transfer linebacker T.D. Roof along with four-star linebacker signees Jaren Kanak, Kobie McKinzie and Kip Lewis.

In the defensive backfield, OU returns its two starting cornerbacks in D.J. Graham and Woodi Washington. Key Lawrence played both cornerback and safety and appears like he will be a fixture in the Sooners’ secondary. Justin Briles enjoyed a breakout season for Oklahoma and he’s back as well. OU added transfer defensive backs C.J. Coldon and Trey Morrison who have extended playing time from their stints at Wyoming and North Carolina, respectively. Coldon racked up 68 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and had 10 pass breakups in 2021. Morrison ended last season with 47 tackles and four pass breakups.

Again, there’s been plenty of defensive personnel shakeup, but Oklahoma has made use of the transfer portal to replenish its roster to go along with the playmakers OU already had on campus. It may take the first month of the season for the Sooners to gel together defensively, but there’s reason to believe Oklahoma will be better defensively in 2022 and beyond.

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5 players the Oklahoma Sooners need a breakout season from in 2022

The Oklahoma Sooners have a ton of talent to mitigate the transfer portal and NFL draft departures, but which players are in need of a breakout 2022 season?

While there have been no padded practices, the Sooners’ coaching staff has already looked up and down this roster and is trying to decide which guys they can count on as they head into the 2022 season.

The Sooners lost a number of pieces to the transfer portal and NFL draft. The losses can be felt in all three phases of the game; special teams took a hit when All-American kicker Gabe Brkic declared for the draft.

To say there are holes to fill would be an understatement. However, this is Oklahoma, and Oklahoma has an incredible pool of talent that can rise and replace those who are no longer with the program.

Where will these stars come from, and why does their ascension matter? We’ve got that covered below as we compiled a list of five players the Sooners need a breakout season from in 2022.

Ted Roof embracing responsibility of leading Oklahoma’s defense

Defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Ted Roof said he’s ready to embrace the responsibility of coaching at Oklahoma.

Oklahoma’s new defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Ted Roof has been all over the map over the course of his 35-year collegiate coaching career.

He has been the defensive coordinator at Massachusetts, Western Carolina, Georgia Tech, Duke, Minnesota, Auburn, UCF, Penn State, North Carolina State, Appalachian State and Vanderbilt.

Auburn won the 2011 BCS national championship game 22-19 over Oregon with Roof pulling the defensive triggers. Before that, Roof was also Duke’s head football coach during the 2004-07 seasons.

So, why Oklahoma now? The biggest reason is Oklahoma head football coach Brent Venables. Roof said he’s known, respected and admired Venables for 10 years, but, after working directly with Venables last season as a defensive assistant at Clemson, he couldn’t say yes fast enough when the opportunity to come to Oklahoma presented itself.

“He’s a guy, again, that’s a very strong leader, has a great track record, but I wanted to be with great people and I am with him. He’s a guy that is going to touch, obviously as a head coach, is going to touch every part of our program, every aspect of it and do what he has to do to make this the absolute best experience he can for our players. At the same time, his passion, his energy, but his commitment because he knows what it’s like to hand kids off to somebody and the privilege and the responsibility that comes with it. I’m excited about that. I’m excited about being part of this staff, the group of men and women that he’s assembled,” Roof said.

Meeting with the media on national signing day, Roof talked about how proud he was to join the Oklahoma staff and what it meant to coach at a place that’s had Hall of Fame coaches like Bud Wilkinson, Barry Switzer and Bob Stoops.

“I have so much respect for the coaches and the players that have come through here before where we are right now. Wherever you go and whatever you do, you want to make an impact and you want to leave it better than where you found it. I’m certainly not critical of anything that’s gone on here and, at the same time, excited about the opportunity to try to make it better. Again, I know because of the history of Oklahoma and all of the great coaches, players, teams, tough-minded competitors that have built this place, there’s a responsibility that goes with it and one I’m ready to embrace,” Roof said.

Roof was familiar with the seven national championships and seven Heisman trophy winners Oklahoma has won and had in its history, but he said the 50 conference championships jumped out at him when he arrived in Norman and at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium for the first time.

Now, in order to add to the Sooners’ trophy collection, it’s about installing his and Venables’ vision and structure of this defense during the spring and fall before Oklahoma kicks off its 2022 season against UTEP. Roof described what he wants the Sooners to look like.

“Aggressive and attack. No matter what we’re doing, to do that above all else. Then, be multiple. Extremely multiple where you can get into some three-down structures, obviously four-down structures, some five-down structure. To continue on the attack, some simulated blitzes, things of that nature. You want to change the picture for the quarterback. Obviously, you’ve got to have the ability to stop the run, but the multiplicity of being able to change the picture for the quarterback and attack at the same time,” Roof said.

Again, the allure of continuing to work with Venables was too attractive to pass up. Over the 10 years since Venebles took over as Clemson’s defensive coordinator, the Tigers led the nation in sacks (445) and third-down conversion percentage defense (30.2%).

From 2013-16, Clemson led the nation in tackles for loss and were top 10 nationally in TFLs during the 2013-20 seasons.

Over that stretch, Venables’ defenses were second in opponent pass efficiency rating (111.1) and takeaways (244) and third in scoring defense (17.8 points per game).

“Again, attack, attack, attack in everything we do. Regardless of what the structure looks like, that’s what we hang our hat on. If you look at college football for the last 10 years, the amount of sacks and TFLs, it’s not even close. Clemson has led the country in both of those categories in the last ten years by a long stretch. That’s a combination of a lot of things, but certainly the mindset and the philosophy of the defense that coach Venables instilled. Players that are willing to do it and then players that have ability that can execute that as well, so it’s a combination of a lot of things but it starts with a mentality,” Roof said.

Oklahoma addressed its transfer portal and 2022 NFL draft defections by adding players out of the portal and with its 2022 signing class.

OU signed defensive backs Jamarrien Burt, Robert Spears-Jennings, Jayden Rowe and Gentry Williams; linebackers Jaren Kanak, Kip Lewis and Kobie McKinzie; and defensive linemen and edge rushers Gracen Halton, Kevonte Henry, Cedric Roberts, Alton Tarber and R Mason Thomas in its 2022 class.

The Sooners also brought in defensive linemen Jeffery Johnson and Jonah Laulu, linebacker T.D. Roof and defensive backs C.J. Coldon, Trey Morrison and Kani Walker out of the transfer portal.

“The emphasis is get better at every spot, you know, because at a place like this, when you go through the grind of a season, you’ve got to have quality depth. One deep is not going to get it done. I know that we’ve got some guys that have started some games in the front, but we were able to address the defense at every level. Certainly, if you’re not winning up front on defense, you’re not going to win very many ball games. If you can’t get to the quarterback and you can’t stop the run, that’s going to be a long day at the office,” Roof said.

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Linebacker Oklahoma’s biggest strength heading into 2022 according to ESPN

Looking ahead to 2022, ESPN’s Chris Low argues that linebacker is the strength of the new-look Oklahoma Sooners.

The Oklahoma Sooners are in the midst of a transition. It’s arguably the first one that’s taken place since Bob Stoops took over for John Blake in the late 90s. While they experienced a coaching change going from Stoops to Lincoln Riley, the 2017 was pretty much set before Bob suddenly retired and handed the keys to the kingdom over to Riley.

Now, with Riley’s departure and those that left in the transfer portal, Brent Venables and his staff are having to retool the roster and remake it in his image. One could argue they’re getting more defensive, specifically adding bulk to the interior and big, fast, athletic linebackers to the second level. It isn’t so much about simply speed, but about being stout at the point of attack and letting his athletic linebackers run and hit. And it’s that linebacker corp that looks like a major strength heading into 2022.

According to ESPN’s Chris Low, looking ahead to 2022, it’s the linebackers that appear to be the Sooners greatest strength.

The Oklahoma roster will look almost completely different in 2022 under first-year coach Brent Venables, which includes having to replace six starters on defense. But the Sooners still feel good about their talent on the defensive side of the ball, particularly their depth at linebacker. Senior DaShaun White is returning for a fifth season after collecting a career-high 60 tackles a year ago. Senior David Ogwoegbu started at middle linebacker in the Alamo Bowl and returns along with junior Shane Whitter and sophomore Danny Stutsman, who showed great promise as a freshman last season but missed part of the year with an injury. In addition, Clemson transfer Jaren Kanak has the size and speed to be a hybrid-type player for the Sooners. Venables recruited Kanak to Clemson, and Kanak’s speed makes him a natural in Venables’ defense. – Low

Throw in Kobie McKinzie and Kip Lewis and the Sooners have an incredibly deep group of players that could contribute in 2022 under Brent Venables and defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Ted Roof.

White and Ogwoegbu will be the leaders at the position and likely play the most, but don’t sleep on Stutsman and Whitter to provide significant snaps for the Sooners. T.D. Roof, who transferred in from Appalachian State provides another experienced player to a group that lost Brian Asamoah to the NFL draft.

He mentions Jaren Kanak as a transfer, but the incoming freshman was one of the more significant recruiting flips of the 2022 recruiting class. His size and speed could provide a tremendous boost in certain situations even if he doesn’t work his way onto the field for a full snap count. Particularly as a special teams player, a guy like Kanak could make a significant contribution in year one.

While the rest of the roster seemed to take hits to their depth, the linebackers stacked talent on the depth chart through the 2022 recruiting class and the transfer portal with a guy like T.D. Roof.

It’s as deep a position group as there is for the 2022 Oklahoma Sooners and that group is deep for the future as well. If the defensive front looks as stout as it should with the additions of Jonah Laulu and Jeffrey Johnson, added to an already impressive Jalen Redmond, the linebackers should have a blast running free and chasing down ball carriers.

‘Unfinished Business’: DaShaun White returning to the Oklahoma Sooners for the 2022 season

After losing 6 defensive starters, the Oklahoma Sooners got some good news with DaShaun White’s decision to return for the 2922 season.

The Oklahoma Sooners have seen a ton of turnover this off-season, particularly on the defensive side of the ball where they’ve lost six starters (5 to the NFL, 1 grad transfer). At the same time, the Sooners are bringing in an entirely new defensive staff.

With Brian Asamoah one of the NFL draft declarations, the Sooners lost a veteran leader and one of their more important second level defenders. The Oklahoma Sooners have options to replace him, but thankfully they won’t have to replace both of their starting linebackers heading into 2022.

DaShaun White announced via social media that he’s got “unfinished business” and will be with the Sooners for the 2022 season.

Unfinished business. pic.twitter.com/Fv92pDRkt5

— DaShaun White (@Demoeto) January 14, 2022

White returns to the Sooners after a nice 2021 season. He set career highs in tackles with 60 after playing in 12 games for Oklahoma. Over four seasons, he’s played in 41 games (five his freshman season). With 4.5 tackles he was half a tackle shy of his 2020 total, which is a career high for White.

DaShaun White returns to a linebacker room that is as deep as any position on the Oklahoma Sooners heading into 2022. David Ugwoegbu, Shane Whittier, and Danny Stutsman figure to lead the way for the Sooners linebacker corps that will be joined by 2022 freshmen Kobie McKinzie, Jaren Kanak, and Kip Lewis.

As a fifth-year senior White will be the unquestioned leader on the defense, taking over for Caleb Kelly who graduated and is entering life after football.

With the departure of Asamoah to the NFL, having DaShaun White return is huge for continuity as the Sooners welcome new faces into the locker room and on the coaching staff.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions.

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Oklahoma Sooners land commitment from Appalachian State linebacker T.D. Roof via the transfer portal

The Oklahoma Sooners land a commitment from Appalachian State linebacker T.D. Roof, the son of co-defensive coordinator Ted Roof.

As the days continue to roll on, so does the transfer portal for the Oklahoma Sooners. In a move that only solidifies a stout linebacker room, linebacker T.D. Roof of Appalachian State announced via his Twitter account that he’s committed to the Sooners.

#BoomerSooner pic.twitter.com/CJX9vVpjPc

— TD Roof (@tdroof4) January 8, 2022

If the last name made you raise an eyebrow, it’s probably because Roof is the son of the Sooners’ new defensive coordinator Ted Roof. T.D will join the Sooners as a grad transfer, who began his career at Georgia Tech, playing eight games and recording 17 total tackles, two tackles for loss, and two sacks in 2017. In 2018, eight games for the Indiana Hoosiers, recording 39 total tackles, four tackles for loss, and one sack. He sat out the 2019 season because he again transferred, this time to Appalachian State. In two seasons with Appalachian State, he totaled 86 total tackles, including 67 in 2021 for the Sun Belt champs. Last year he also recorded 10 tackles for loss, three sacks, two interceptions, and one forced fumble.

Defense & Fumbles Table
				Tack	Tack	Tack	Tack	Tack	Def	Def	Def	Def	Fumb
Year	School	Conf	G	Solo	Ast	Tot	Loss	Sk	Int	Yds	Avg	PD	FF
2017	Georgia Tech	ACC	8	15	2	17	2.0	2.0	0	0		0	0
2018	Indiana	Big Ten	8	30	9	39	4.0	1.0	0	0		0	0
*2020	Appalachian State	Sun Belt	8	8	11	19	0.0	0.0	0	0		0	0
*2021	Appalachian State	Sun Belt	13	41	26	67	10.0	3.0	2	100	50.0	1	1
Career	Overall			94	48	142	16.0	6.0	2	100	50.0	1	1
	Georgia Tech			15	2	17	2.0	2.0	0	0		0	0
	Indiana			30	9	39	4.0	1.0	0	0		0	0
	Appalachian State			49	37	86	10.0	3.0	2	100	50.0	1	1

Provided by CFB at Sports Reference: View Original Table
Generated 1/7/2022.

He’s not an overly big linebacker but he has a lot of experience and has played in 45 career games.

Oklahoma marks the third different school where this father-son pairing will reunite as both were at Georgia Tech at the same time followed by their time spent with the Mountaineers in Boone, NC. Now they’ll continue to their time together as they join the Oklahoma Sooners with father Ted taking over the defensive coordinator job.

The Sooners have some intriguing names at the top of the depth chart with Danny Stutsman, David Ugwoegbu, DaShaun White, and Shane Whitter heading into 2022. This year’s recruiting class adds Kip Lewis, Kobie McKinzie, and Jaren Kanak providing a ton of young talent to a group that lost Brian Asamoah to the NFL draft. T.D. Roof brings experience and a veteran presence that should help provide leadership to a younger linebacker crew. As the coach’s son, he’ll be an asset bringing the rest of the linebacker room up to speed and will provide a playmaking ability when inserted into the lineup and on special teams.

Depth, production, and a veteran presence are never a bad thing to have in a locker room and T.D. Roof brings all three for the Sooners.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions.

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Oklahoma Sooners to Watch in the Alamo Bowl with opt outs and transfer portal departures

The Sooners have already seen several departures due to opt-outs and transfers, but opportunities abound in the Alamo Bowl for others.

While it’s a bummer to see your favorite Oklahoma Sooners transfer or sit out the bowl game in preparation for the NFL draft, on the bright side, it provides others an opportunity to get more significant snaps.

Nik Bonitto, Perrion Winfrey, Isaiah Thomas and Brian Asamoah are heading to the NFL.

Jadon Haselwood, Austin Stogner and Spencer Rattler are on their way to new schools for the 2022 season.

In their places, the Sooners will reallocate those snaps to players who will help them in the Alamo Bowl and the 2022 season.

As the Sooners take on the Oregon Ducks, who are some players to watch given the departures from their depth chart in the last month.