Brent Venables’ protection goes to throw out loads of appears to be like at Oklahoma this 12 months.
His personnel groupings can be a number of, which means the nickel nook and sam linebacker have been mixed to type the “cheetah” place.
Venables and defensive coordinator Ted Roof need the place to tackle totally different shapes, however there’s one requirement in response to cornerbacks coach Jay Valai — play quick.
It’s unlikely that just one participant checks each single field Venables is on the lookout for out of his cheetah, which goes to permit loads of faces to become involved because the season presses on.
Last spring, secondary veteran Justin Broiles and true freshman Jaren Kanak acquired the primary shot at taking part in cheetah, bringing two very totally different skillsets to the desk.
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Broiles, a product of John Marshall High School in Oklahoma City, has performed in 44 video games over the previous 5 years, beginning 15 of these contests.
Throughout his profession, Broiles has taken reps at each spot within the secondary, making him a Swiss-army knife on the cheetah spot.
The expertise Broiles brings to the desk is in direct distinction with the true freshman Kanak.
With only one spring and summer season beneath his belt, the Hays, KS, product has drawn rave evaluations across the program.
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Billed as an athletic phenom, Kanak confirmed he’s greater than comfy taking part in in area throughout Oklahoma’s Spring Game. Though he solely recorded on sort out, Kanak moved effortlessly sideline-to-sideline, displaying he has no drawback stepping as much as play the run or dropping into protection.
Despite the thrilling skillset, Kanak nonetheless hasn’t gotten his first style of faculty soccer, so it’s nonetheless to be seen how a lot Venables and the defensive employees will throw at him early on as he navigates his first 12 months with the Sooners.
In the same vein to Broiles, North Carolina switch Trey Morrison might deliver expertise and flexibility to the place.
A four-year contributor for the Tar Heels, Morrison began 41 video games, logging 15 cross breakups whereas additionally flattening a pair of interceptions.
Though solely 5-foot-9, Morrison’s studying of the sport permits him to be in the proper place on the proper time to make a play on the soccer.
A very totally different physique sort in Justin Harrington is also deployed on the cheetah.
Standing 6-3, Harrington’s body permits him to matchup with tight ends who would hope to take advantage of the OU protection over the center of the sphere.
After stepping again from the crew final 12 months to enter the switch portal, Harrington has labored his means again into this system. His size and athleticism might present a novel look to the Oklahoma secondary.
The Sooners will ask a lot from the cheetah place, permitting a various group of gamers to contribute all through fall camp and into the season.
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