NORMAN — It's that time of year for Oklahoma's coaching staff to evaluate the freshmen when it comes to the possibility of a redshirt.

True freshmen are able to appear in four games while still maintaining a redshirt, which gives them an extra year of eligibility. While the four-game limit obviously can keep freshmen from seeing significant playing time, coaching staffs can also make strategic decisions on when those freshmen see the field.

With just three games left, the Sooners have several freshmen who haven't played much this season and can contribute to end the season while still maintaining their redshirt. In this case, Xavier Robinson and Eddy Pierre-Louis fit that mold perfectly.

"We’re going to play those guys in four games," OU coach Brent Venables said. "So four (games) total and not burn their redshirt year. So we’re in a position to do that."

While Venables confirmed that Robinson and Pierre-Louis will redshirt, he also suggested those two could see some playing time to end the season.

Robinson has appeared in three games this season, per Pro Football Focus, with last weekend's game marking his third appearance. He saw eight snaps and was directly involved in six consecutive plays, finishing with six carries for 29 yards and a touchdown, and he added a 46-yard reception. While Robinson will almost certainly remain behind Jovantae Barnes and Taylor Tatum in the running back rotation, Robinson could still contribute in one other game this season.

Pierre-Louis is a particularly intriguing candidate. The freshman offensive lineman has appeared in just two games this season, and if the Sooners want to utilize him for the full four games he's allowed, then that would put him in position to play pivotal snaps in at least two more games. The Sooners may need that, considering Jacob Sexton, Jake Taylor and Michael Tarquin are all dealing with injuries, and they have a grueling three-game stretch that includes Missouri, Alabama and LSU.

Other notable freshmen who've yet to play in four games this season include OL Isaiah Autry-Dent, OL Daniel Akinkunmi, CB Reggie Powers, S Jaydan Hardy and DE Danny Okoye.

Johnson saw a huge increase in snaps against Maine. He started the game alongside Eli Bowen and logged a season-high 40 snaps, playing more snaps than Kani Walker, Dez Malone and Woodi Washington combined.

However, it was also notable that Johnson saw two snaps at receiver as he continues to balance back and forth between both sides of the ball. But it sounds like Johnson will continue to see more snaps on defense.

"Obviously he’s gotten the majority of his snaps since he’s been here on defense," Venables said. "And so that’ll continue to be the case. But (we'll) try to continue to get him involved as an additional receiver, a weapon. And hopefully that’ll happen sooner rather than later when it comes to creating some explosive opportunities for him, getting the ball to touch his hands. But he’s really had great focus, moreso even in the past with an enhanced role. The demands that that takes, the details and the investment on his part requires that. And he’s completely bought-in on doing that."

An under-the-radar subplot for the Sooners this season has been the cheetah spot, a hybrid position including linebacker and defensive back responsibilites.

It's been a revolving door since late September, when Kendel Dolby suffered a season-ending injury. Dolby had been arguably the Sooners' most productive and consistent defensive player, recording 10 tackles, a sack and a tackle for loss.

Without Dolby the Sooners have leaned on several players, including Sammy Omosigho, Dasan McCullough, Woodi Washington and even Hardy, who saw snaps there early against Maine. Omosigho was the primary option early after Dolby went down, but a lot of those snaps have gone to McCullough since he returned from a preseason injury.

But the Sooners are still working through options heading into the final three games of the season.

"I talked about Kendel Dolby as being one of our best defensive players because of his unique skill set, his ability to play big, his ability to fit the run game, to pressure, to cover," Venables said. "I think (that) group of players...have done a nice job, and we’re still trying to figure out that group of guys and continue to develop them. There’s only so many reps to go around when you look at a course of a week, so prior to him getting hurt, everybody wasn’t getting reps.

"Dasan wasn’t even back yet. Sammy, actually last summer and in the spring, we worked him a lot at inside linebacker and less outside linebacker. Woodi’s been a move-around-guy, corner and safety and the dime and the nickel, so I think that is still a group, a position rather, that has a chance to continue to improve, to be a little more detailed. But those guys have done a nice job. The body of work is good, and we’re working really hard and diligently to get it better. But they all kind of bring a little bit something different to the table."

The freshmen defensive tackle received an uptick in snaps against Maine. After playing just 31 snaps through the first eight games, he played 30 snaps against the Black Bears.

He also logged his first collegiate sack, which earned him the program's "12th Man" award this week.

“Hard thing to do for a freshman, a true freshman, this late in the year to continue to come in early and come after practice, know his new installation, be hard on himself," Venables said. "(He's) taking ownership of where he needs to improve and work diligently, fundamentally in that part of practice, coming down and working a little bit of scout team work and then coming back over to the varsity.

"I think that a little bit of success, an opportunity to get in the game a little more so will probably be kind of the wind that sometimes we all need in ourselves to keep that thing going in the right direction to finish the year out. But proud of David and his performance on Saturday and the work that he’s put in and the improvement that he’s made throughout the course of the year.”