Editor's note: With fall camp just a few weeks away, OUInsider will give an overview of each position group and where things stand. The fourth installment focuses on the defensive ends.
Brent Venables repeated it in Dallas last week. The battle in the trenches will be more important than ever in the SEC.
That puts a ton of focus on the Sooners' defensive line, particularly on the interior.
Even without the conference change, the interior would be somewhat of a question mark heading into the fall. Jonah Laulu, Isaiah Coe, Jordan Kelley and Jacob Lacey are no longer on the roster, and that quartet combined for 1,318 snaps and comprised nearly 74% of the interior snaps last season. That means it'll largely be a new platoon manning the point of attack for OU's defense this fall.
Fortunately for the Sooners, they've got options. They added several new players, including prized acquisition Damonic Williams out of TCU, and there's reason to be optimistic about several of the returners. Plus, it should be one of the key position battles to watch when fall camp begins.
Here's an overview of the group and the questions facing them this fall:
ROSTER
PROJECTED DEPTH CHART
DT — Da'Jon Terry, Jayden Jackson, Davon Sears
NT — Damonic Williams, Gracen Halton, David Stone
QUESTIONS
1. Can Damonic Williams be a star at Oklahoma?
There's no doubt that the Sooners have players with the potential on the defensive line. But the interior was a huge question coming out of the spring, and even Brent Venables said the lack of experience there was "concerning."
That, and many more reasons, is why landing Williams out of TCU was a true game-changer.
In one move, the Sooners landed a Day-1 starter with experience and size. He started all 27 games in his two seasons at TCU, totaling 60 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks and 1 forced fumble. His 27 career starts is significantly more than anyone else the Sooners have on the interior — the next closest is Da'Jon Terry with 13. Plus, he gives the Sooners much-needed size at 319 pounds, and he could give the Sooners more flexibility to run effective formations utilizing three-man sets. He played 297 of his 477 snaps last season at nose tackle, and could be the type of player the Sooners haven't had since Venables came to town.
That last point makes the question about who starts alongside him more interesting. Terry is the most experienced player outside of Williams and played a decent role last season for the Sooners, logging the third most snaps on the interior (306). He also could be a seamless fit as a defensive tackle next to Williams, having played 71% of his snaps there last season. But if Williams proves capable of steering the ship as a nose tackle in three-man fronts, that could make the rest of the defensive line more of a intriguing question.
2. Can Jayden Jackson and David Stone make an immediate impact?
It's been a long time since the Sooners had a freshman duo who had this much potential to play significant snaps right away.
Most of it is due to their natural ability and talent. Both of them, particularly Jackson, have the size to cause chaos. Stone, a five-star prospect, is already one of the quickest guys on the team, and the coaching staff has lauded his football IQ. Both of them were standouts during the spring, and those early practices were huge for their development.
But the other reason is that the Sooners may need them. Considering what departed during the offseason, the Sooner simply need bodies. There may not be as much patience for those guys to develop, particularly as the season drags on.
It's the mix of natural talent and need that could thrust Jackson and Stone into immediate roles. They will be two guys to watch during fall camp.
3. Could any of the returning guys break out?
Gracen Halton should be near the top of any list of Sooners who could have a breakout season.
Halton was one of the standouts of the spring and saw a lot of first-team reps. He's played just 165 snaps his first two seasons at Oklahoma, but his third season could be the springboard he needs to really make an impact.
But don't forget about guys like Ashton Sanders and Davon Sears. Sanders saw just 19 snaps last season as a freshman, but the former four-star prospect was highly touted coming out of high school. Sears didn't make a big impact last season in just 19 snaps, but maybe his second year as a Sooner could be a difference maker.
Regardless, the Sooners are going to rotate a ton of guys in on the interior. Todd Bates now has a group of mostly new faces to sift through, and it should be one of the top groups to watch in the coming weeks.
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