Three ‘ifs’ for the Oklahoma Sooners in 2021 to overcome to become title contenders

What is standing in the way of the Oklahoma Sooners being title contenders in 2021?

If a remodeled secondary remains nasty

Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

What ESPN Says…

OU allowed just a 106.1 passer rating over its final eight games. The pass rush helped, but six OU DBs defensed (intercepted or broke up) at least four passes. Three of those — corner Tre Brown and safeties Tre Norwood and Brendan Radley-Hiles — have departed after combining for six INTs and 12 breakups.

Safeties Pat Fields and Delarrin Turner-Yell are back, and sophomore corner Woodi Washington is a future star. But depth was a strength last season. Is that still the case?

Replacing three starters at cornerback is never an easy task but the team has two prime candidates to continue their trend of taking the ball away. D.J. Graham and Woodi Washington did see plenty of playing time a season ago to replace Tre Brown and Tre Norwood. The real question is who will fill in at nickel corner? Jeremiah Criddell and Billy Bowman are a pair of candidates to replace a transferring Brendan Radley-Hiles. Another freshman corner who could get in the mix is Latrell McCutchin as well as Jaden Davis.

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