Oklahoma reserve safety Erik McCarty transferring

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Published Dec 9, 2024

Oklahoma reserve safety Erik McCarty transferring

Parker Thune • OUInsider

Co-Publisher

@ParkerThune

Hopes were high for Erik McCarty when he signed with the Sooners out of high school.

After all, the Oklahoma legacy commit had left his mark as one of the most dominant high school football players in recent memory within the Sooner State. He starred on both sides of the ball for McAlester (Okla.) High, and earned an offer from his dream school to play safety under Brandon Hall.

Unfortunately, McCarty sustained a severe knee injury in his final high school game, and the rehab process lingered into his freshman season at Oklahoma. Despite a strong spring camp in 2024, McCarty continued to battle injuries into his redshirt freshman year, and his lone appearance of the season came in the Sooners' season-opening 52-0 blowout of Temple.

Now, McCarty is headed for the transfer portal after the physical ailments simply proved to have set him too far back. As he struggled to stay healthy, Peyton Bowen and Robert Spears-Jennings worked their way into major roles at safety, while true freshmen Michael Boganowski and Jaydan Hardy flashed in limited action. Especially given the play of Boganowski and Hardy, it became apparent that McCarty would have a mountain to climb if he was going to see the field for Oklahoma in any significant capacity.

So he's headed elsewhere, and it's unclear whether he will stay at defensive back or perhaps transition back to the offensive side of the ball. McCarty was an outstanding running back in high school at McAlester, and had earned plenty of opportunities to play offense at the FBS level. Before committing to Oklahoma, he held offers from Nebraska, Kansas State, Baylor, TCU and others.

He will have three years of eligibility remaining at his next stop.

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