Oklahoma’s biggest question mark heading into camp
When you look at the Oklahoma Sooners football team ahead of fall camp as a whole, they are a loaded team. Perhaps the most talented roster since Lincoln Riley became head coach in 2017. They have an experienced quarterback in Spencer Rattler.
Rattler is viewed as a top draft pick and the heavy favorite to be the Heisman Trophy winner. Riley has seen plenty of success when he deploys an experienced quarterback. The expectation will be a return to the College Football Playoffs after a one-year hiatus in 2020. It isn’t only the quarterback that has fans and media alike excited about their potential.
The team brought in three big-time transfers from Tennessee. Kennedy Brooks, who has two 1,000-yard seasons under his belt, returns after he opted out in 2020. The offense has playmakers all over the field. There is a question of the center position and replacing the departing Creed Humphrey, who is now in the NFL. That isn’t their biggest question mark.
On defense, the front seven (six) is ready to make their mark on the upcoming season led by rush linebacker Nik Bonitto. Isaiah Thomas, Perrion Winfrey, and Brian Asamoah all expect to make their impact. The real question mark is in the secondary and replacing starters at all three cornerback positions.
Oklahoma fielded a strong secondary in 2020, paving the way for the Sooners to rank 17th of the 65 Power Five programs in unit coverage grade. But three of their five highest-graded defensive backs from that group have departed — safety Tre Norwood, cornerback Tre Brown and slot corner Brendan Radley-Hiles — and the secondary is now riding on unproven talent. There is certainly potential, especially in cornerback D.J. Graham, who earned a 72.8 coverage grade as a true freshman in 2020, but the group has a wide range of outcomes.
How concerned should Oklahoma fans be with the secondary in 2021? According to Anthony Treash of PFF, not that concerned.
Oklahoma also boasts a pass rush that is on par with Ohio State’s for the best in college football. A strong pass rush in the Power Five means more than in other levels of football, so if the secondary is nothing but average in 2021, this team can still easily take home its first College Football Playoff title.
Defensive coordinator Alex Grinch does have Graham, as well as Woodi Washington and Billy Bowman among others to deploy. It might take some time to gain traction but come playoff time they should be humming along.
