Which Sooner Football Player(s) Will Show Up Big on Saturday?

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Every game in every season of Oklahoma Sooner football brings its share of highlights and a few lowlights, regardless of the outcome. It goes without saying that winning teams are flooded with highlights, but often times the featured performer in those highlights is someone other than you might expect.

Who are some Sooner players who could stand out in Saturday’s season opener with Akron and are worth keeping a watchful eye on?

Other than new starting quarterback Baker Mayfield, last season’s Big 12 rushing leader Samaje Perine, wide receiver Sterling Shepard and defensive stalwarts Eric Striker and Zack Sanchez, all of whom have drawn quite a bit of the preseason headlines and are expected to put in solid performances in the 2015 season opener, who else on the roster is going to step up and add his say to the in-game and post-game highlights?

Jan 4, 2014; San Antonio, TX, USA; West running back Joe Mixon (28) runs the ball for a touchdown during U.S. Army All-American Bowl high school football game at the Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

Redshirt freshman Joe Mixon has been waiting a year to get his opportunity to show what he can do on the field. Mixon and Perine were both members of the Sooners’ 2014 recruiting class, but Mixon was the more highly touted prospect coming out of high schools. Mixon was the No. 1 running back in the 2014 class and the No. 8-rated player overall; Perine was ranked No. 8 among the running backs in the 2014 recruiting class and No. 153 overall.

Perine clearly showed his talent a year ago, so it is exciting to ponder what the addition of Mixon could mean to the already high-powered Sooner running game. A California native, one of several talented players from the Golden State that Oklahoma has lured to the Sooner State in recent seasons, Mixon not only has great running ability, but he also has excellent pass-catching skills out of the backfield, which has to be an added bonus in new offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley’s Air Raid offense.

Dec 29, 2014; Orlando, FL, USA; Clemson Tigers wide receiver Artavis Scott (3) avoids the tackle of Oklahoma Sooners cornerback Jordan Thomas (7) in the first half in the 2014 Russell Athletic Bowl at Florida Citrus Bowl. Mandatory Credit: David Manning-USA TODAY Sports

Mixon could have memorable collegiate debut on Saturday, and definitely is someone to watch for.

The back end of the Oklahoma defense last season struck fear in the hearts of Sooner fans every time a ball was thrown deep. The OU secondary was plagued with injuries and inexperience, and it paid a heavy price in a conference dominated by pass-heavy offenses. The Sooners ranked 117th in the nation in pass defense in 2014.

Opposing quarterbacks directed their attention away from All-American cornerback candidate Zack Sanchez whenever possible last season, and with good reason, given that he picked off six passes in 2014. Instead, teams picked a lot on then-freshman Jordan Thomas, the corner on the opposite side of Sanchez.

Sooner coaches have been impressed with the improvements made by Thomas in the offseason and this preseason. So things should be a little different when Big 12 quarterbacks try to go Thomas’ direction again this season.

Junior Hatari Byrd, another California transplant, has earned the starting job at free safety.

Look for both Thomas and Byrd to make a bigger and better contribution on the back end of the Oklahoma defense in 2015, and that could well start in their 2015 season debut on Saturday against Akron.