Oklahoma junior linebacker Shane Whitter is out for the season due to a left shoulder harm that may require surgical procedure, a supply confirmed to OUInsider on Thursday.
Whitter had tried to play by way of the harm during the last two weeks, however opted for a process after continued deterioration within the shoulder left his vary of movement severely inhibited. The loss of Whitter is a essential blow to an already depleted Oklahoma linebacker corps, particularly heading right into a must-win recreation within the Red River Showdown.
Thus far in 2022, the 6-foot, 225-pound North Carolina native had appeared in 4 video games, recording eight tackles. Since signing with the Sooners as a three-star recruit within the class of 2020, he’d primarily contributed in a reserve function, however had additionally been a key cog on particular groups for the Sooners. In gentle of the premature finish to his junior marketing campaign, Whitter will take a medical redshirt and retain a yr of eligibility, which can enable him to compete all through the 2025 season.
Oklahoma was already razor-thin at linebacker, a actuality that head coach Brent Venables underscored in his press convention final week. With Whitter now sidelined, the Sooners have solely 4 lively scholarship linebackers in Dashaun White, David Ugwoegbu, Danny Stutsman and Jaren Kanak. Redshirt junior Jake McCoy, a walk-on, has appeared in all 5 video games and did handle to file a career-high 5 tackles in Oklahoma’s loss to TCU. However, the loss of Whitter might lead the Oklahoma employees to take further measures to shore up the linebacker room. Venables had beforehand acknowledged his intention to redshirt Kobie McKinzie and Kip Lewis, however one or each of the true freshmen might even see their redshirts pulled within the wake of Whitter’s harm. Both McKinzie and Lewis had been four-star recruits within the class of 2022.
In phrases of linebacker depth, the Sooners had been behind the eight-ball even earlier than the season began — sixth-year senior T.D. Roof suffered a season-ending torn bicep throughout an August follow session, and redshirt junior Joseph Wete stop the group shortly earlier than Oklahoma’s season opener. Moreover, it has been a troublesome week on the harm entrance normally for Oklahoma, because the attrition goes far past Whitter and concussed beginning quarterback Dillon Gabriel. Several starters exited the Sooners’ 55-24 loss to TCU and did not return, together with broad receiver Theo Wease, operating again Eric Gray, safeties Billy Bowman and Damond Harmon, defensive finish Ethan Downs and offensive sort out Wanya Morris. In a presser Tuesday, Venables declined to deal with any injured gamers’ respective statuses, citing a need for “clarity” earlier than he commented. At the very least, the Sooners are doubtless to get again edge rusher R Mason Thomas and operating again Marcus Major for this weekend’s tilt with Texas, and Downs might be lively as nicely.
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