OU football: Takeaways from the Sooners' Week 1 depth chart

NORMAN — Oklahoma’s depth chart is here.

With just four days before the Sooners’ season opener against Arkansas State at 11 a.m. Saturday, the coaching staff released the official depth chart on Tuesday. While OU coach Brent Venables emphasized that several position battles remain ongoing, there’s plenty to analyze.

Here’s a few of the biggest takeaways from the Sooners’ depth chart:

For months, Jovantae Barnes and Gavin Sawchuk have been projected as the starters atop the running back depth chart. However, the buzz around Major grew as fall camp progressed.

Major's name being at the top of the depth chart isn't particularly surprising. The redshirt senior was the No. 2 running back last year before injuries derailed his season, and he's easily the most experienced player of the group. However, Walker being listed as a co-starter might be surprising.

Unless your Venables.

"He's been really consistent, physical, available," Venables said of Walker during Tuesday's press conference. "Which, your best ability is availability. He's just been a guy that you can count on. Been really dependable, tough, physical, does a lot of the little things right. He plays really strong behind his pads and is always falling forward. Those are the reasons why he's created opportunity for himself.

"We've had some guys limited, here and there. Nothing long-term, but that's created opportunity for him and he's taken advantage of it."

Walker, a junior, arrived last year as a walk-on and totaled 19 carries. But with Barnes missing much of the spring, and Sawchuk being limited early in fall camp, it's created an opportunity for Walker.

While OU offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby said multiple guys will see carries against Arkansas State, it appears Major and Walker will be first up.

Since the spring, it's been a battle between Harrington and sophomore Dasan McCullough for the starting CHEETAH position. But Harrington's consistency and experience has impressed the coaching staff in spring practices.

The fifth-year senior originally left the team before Venables allowed Harrington to come back last season. He played sporadically last season — he logged 154 snaps, per Pro Football Focus — but wasn't a consistent player in the rotation.

But things have clicked for Harrington, and Venables has noticed.

"He’s had some great moments and some great learning moments as well during camp, so again, he’s got some versatility that he can play multiple spots and continue to develop that part of his game. I think that will bode well for both him and for us.”

Harrington, who will also be a team captain on Saturday, has earned the right to start, but all indications are that McCullough will see the field plenty, too.

Earlier this month, Venables said the opportunity was there for Williams to earn the spot opposite Woodi Washington. It appears he earned it.

The sophomore earned the right to start among a crowded cornerback room that includes Kendel Dolby, Jasiah Wagoner, Makari Vickers, Kani Walker, Jayden Rowe and Jacobe Johnson. It's further evidence of Williams' growth as a player from a year ago.

But Venables made it clear that nothing is set in stone.

"I’ll be honest, it’s still really ongoing," Venables said of the cornerback battle. "I expect to play a lot of guys at the corner position. We got tremendous youth there and we gotta get these guys growing up quickly. But Gentry, he’s got tremendous work ethic, really smart. He cares, he’s passionate, he’s tough. He responds to tough coaching. He’s a great teammate. He’s willing to listen and learn. So he’s really humble. Players love him because he’s about his business, off the field and on the field. He’s a doer, not a talker and doesn’t say a whole lot, but when he does speak, he’s about the right stuff.

"So it’s been fun to watch these guys grow up and every one of ‘em could probably tell you some tough things they’ve gone through. I’m talking about all the young guys that we’re talking about. Whether it’s injury or it’s in failure, or the struggle to fight and compete, you know, to create opportunity for themselves. And so it’s been a fun group."

Andrel Anthony earns the third wide receiver spot: It was a competitive fall camp in the wide receiver room, with Anthony, Nic Anderson, Jayden Gibson, Jaquaize Pettaway and others vying for the starting spot alongside Jalil Farooq and Drake Stoops.

The transfer wideout from Michigan won the spot after several good performances in fall camp scrimmages.

Defensive line still being worked out: Of the 21 uses of "OR" on the depth chart — which indicates co-starters or co-backups — six of them were on the defensive line.

Rondell Bothroyd, Ethan Downs, Isaiah Coe and Jonah Laulu were atop the four DL spots, but only Bothroyd is listed as the surefire starter.

Offensive line starters are official: The depth chart solidifed the way things had been trending for weeks.

The official starters — Walter Rouse at left tackle, Savion Byrd at left guard, Andrew Raym at center, McKade Mettauer at right guard, Tyler Guyton at right tackle.

Only the left guard spot was realistically up for grabs when fall camp began, and Byrd showed enough on the field to earn it.