Oklahoma’s linebacking corps primarily consisted of three major contributors in 2022.
A fall camp damage to switch T.D. Roof paired with the sluggish easing in of true freshmen Jaren Kanak, Kobie McKinzie and Kip Lewis meant DaShaun White, Danny Stutsman and David Ugwoegbu primarily needed to play each snap in Big 12 play.
On prime of carrying a significant load in a brand new defensive scheme, all three Sooner linebackers needed to alter to new roles.
White moved to outdoors linebacker, locking down the “Cheetah” place in Brent Venables’ protection.
Stutsman was elevated right into a beginning position after that includes primarily as a rotational piece in 2021, taking up a a lot larger process on the coronary heart of the protection, and Ugwoegbu entered the 12 months together with his coronary heart set actually on taking part in inside linebacker for the primary time in his profession.
The trio was productive, as all three completed within the prime 13 within the convention in whole tackles.
2022 OU Report Cards:
- Wednesday, Jan. 4: Defensive Ends
- Thursday, Jan. 5: Offensive Line
- Friday, Jan. 6: Defensive Tackles
- Saturday, Jan. 7: Tight Ends
- Sunday, Jan. 8: Linebackers
- Monday, Jan. 9: Wide Receivers
- Tuesday, Jan. 10: Cornerbacks
- Wednesday, Jan. 11: Running Backs
- Thursday, Jan. 12: Safeties
- Friday, Jan. 13: Quarterbacks
- Saturday, Jan. 14: Special Teams
- Sunday, Jan. 15: Coaching Staff
Stutsman led your complete league, ending with 125 tackles, Ugwoegbu ended fourth within the convention with 110 whole whole tackles on the 12 months and White rounded out the group with 90 tackles.
White additionally added a pair of sacks and his first two interceptions as a Sooner this 12 months, as he performed among the finest soccer of his profession at outdoors linebacker.
The unit — led by Stutsman — typically began out contests scorching.
Flying over the sphere, Oklahoma’s linebackers performed a few of their finest soccer within the first half.
But the shortage of depth behind them brought about the group to put on down in sure spots.
Tackling waned and psychological errors cropped up in fourth quarters in opposition to Kansas State, Baylor, West Virginia and Texas Tech because the protection as an entire struggled to get off the sphere.
The Wildcats transformed 10-of-19 third and fourth down makes an attempt whereas dashing for 275 yards, Baylor moved the chains on 3-of-3 fourth downs, the Mountaineers transformed 4-of-5 fourth down conversions and the Red Raiders discovered success on 8-of-18 third downs, conserving White, Stutsman and Ugwoegbu on the sphere as snap counts continued to skyrocket.
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Despite the wear and tear and tear, the group appeared to begin to actually flip a nook after the loss to Baylor.
Stutsman shined all through the primary three quarters in Morgantown, and your complete protection repelled drive after drive to seal a key Bedlam victory.
Oklahoma linebacker Danny Stutsman led the Big 12 with 125 whole tackles in 2022
NATHAN J FISH / THE OKLAHOMAN-USA TODAY NETWORK
By the tip of the Cheez-It Bowl, Stutsman seemed to be answerable for the Oklahoma protection, conducting his facet of the soccer as a center linebacker is predicted to in Venables-led protection.
Kanak’s exhibiting within the second half in opposition to Nebraska following a concentrating on penalty in opposition to White supplied a sneak peek at what the unit might be sooner or later as properly.
The true freshman stepped in and led the crew with 10 whole tackles in opposition to the Cornhuskers.
Lewis and McKinzie’s redshirt years ought to enable them to affix the rotation subsequent 12 months as properly, including recent legs to Stutsman and Ugwoegbu’s expertise on the coronary heart of the protection.
Grading the linebackers:
- Hoover: C
- Chapman: C+
- Callaway: C+
- Lovelace: B-
Linebackers GPA: 2.325 (C+ on a 4.0 scale)
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