NORMAN — Could the 2023 season represent a youth movement for Oklahoma?

There’s a lot of reasons to think it could be.

Sooners coach Brent Venables hinted as such during Big 12 Media Days last month, acknowledging that the Sooners should have relied on the young players a little more in 2022. He also expressed high hopes for the first and second-year players at OU Media Day earlier this month.

But mainly, the Sooners simply have too much young talent to keep them off the field for long.

Now, it’s possible that many young players — R Mason Thomas, Makari Vickers, Jasiah Wagoner, Robert Spears-Jennings, Adeopoju Adebowore, just to name a few — will see big roles as the season continues. But we’re looking for the young players who will certainly see heavy snaps right away.

With the season opener against Arkansas State just a few days away, here’s a look at the first and second-year players who will be on the field early and often in 2023:

Per Pro Football focus, Kanak saw just 139 snaps last season. That’s not going to be the case in 2023.

With the departure of David Ugwoegbu, the former four-star prospect has long been projected as the starting middle linebacker alongside Danny Stutsman. Venables didn’t pull any punches when asked about Kanak earlier this month, firmly stating the sophomore will have a “much more significant role” in 2023.

“He has such an amazing work ethic,” Venables said. “He's very hard on himself. He's never satisfied. He always wants to get better. He's got incredible humility and great toughness, so you can coach him hard. He's put the time in. He's always in the film room. He’s always working in the weight room and elite recovery and nutrition. He's a gym rat. He's always at the facility.”

Kanak showed his potential in limited minutes last season, totaling 10 tackles and a forced fumble. But he now has his chance to make a huge impact on the Sooners’ defense.

Venables made it clear that the talent has always been there for Williams, who made his first career interception in last year's opener against UTEP. Williams, who played just 60 snaps last season, just wasn’t ready yet.

Now, he is. Williams has been fighting for the starting cornerback spot in preseason practices, and everything indicates he may be named the starter for the Arkansas State game.

“​​He’s been on a mission, is the best way I can describe it,” Venables said. “He’s locked in and focused. It’s nothing he wasn’t as a freshman, but I think maybe it’s given him an appreciation of it… Incredible work ethic. Teammates love him.

“He’s got a great ceiling. His best football is in front of him. He’s long. He’s athletic. He’s tough as all get out. Really talented young player. Players really respect him. He’s kind of quiet by nature, but he’s got tremendous respect in the locker room.

Want more evidence that Bowen will see plenty of snaps in 2023? The freshman said he’s played at five different positions during preseason practices.

Venables had lauded the former five star prospect several times, particularly for his football IQ and his above-average skills and knowledge as a freshman. Bowen’s even taken snaps at cheetah, one of the toughest positions in Venables’ defense that combines linebacker and defensive back responsibilities.

With Billy Bowman and Reggie Pearson both taking snaps at safety, it’s possible the coaching staff will need to be creative with how they utilize Bowen. But the reality is that the freshman is too good to keep off the field.

This is no secret. The two young running backs have been projected as the top-two backfield players since last year’s Cheez-It Bowl, when they both rushed for over 100 yards and a touchdown.

Still, it’s pretty unique to see two second-year players control the backfield.

Now, there’s a couple of things that could throw a wrench in those plans. Redshirt senior Marcus Major has provided a much-needed presence the last few weeks, and Sawchuk struggled with an injury early in camp.

But make no mistake, Jeff Lebby’s run-heavy offense will feature the Barnes-Sawchuk duo quite a bit in 2023.

The former four-star prospect has proven he belongs on the field.

Pettaway has already established himself as one of the quickest and most explosive players on the team, and he’s stood out amongst a wide receiver group that’s filled with on-paper potential.

At 5-foot-10 and 185 pounds, Pettaway isn’t the biggest player in the group. But his speed and his pass-catching ability rank at the top of the wideouts.

“I love his speed and his agility,” OU receiver Jalil Farooq said. “He's very explosive off the line. He a lot of twitch. I can't wait to see him showcase his talent.”

There’s more than a few players that Pettaway will be competing with for snaps. But the freshman wide receiver is poised to make an impact right away.