Oklahoma football: Breaking down the 2020 Sooner linebackers
By Chip Rouse
Continuing our Oklahoma football series examining the various position groups for 2020, we take a look at the linebacking corps.
The first consideration in previewing the Oklahoma linebacker situation for the coming season is replacing the Sooners’ best defensive player from last season and team leader Kenneth Murray. Murray was the first-round pick of the Los Angeles Chargers, the 23rd player selected overall, in this year’s NFL Draft.
It is always difficult to replace a person as talented as Murray, but Lincoln Riley and the Sooner coaches believe that linebacker is the deepest position group on the team coming into the 2020 season.
Junior DaShaun White is expected to move over from weakside linebacker to take Murray’s spot at the important middle linebacker position. White played in all 14 games a year ago and registered 52 tackles, fourth most on the team.
Some may have forgotten that Murray came to OU as an outside linebacker and moved inside in the 2017 season after an injury to Jon-Michael Terry. The transition should be easier for White because he came to Oklahoma as a natural middle linebacker.
Speaking of Terry, who has played both outside and inside in his OU career, he will probably either back up senior Caleb Kelly at the inside backer spot opposite White or sophomore Nik Bonitto, who replaced Terry on the outside at rush linebacker after he tore his ACL midway through last season. Bonitto had a big 2019 season, recording 43 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 quarterback sacks.
Sophomore David Ugwoegbu was defensive coordinator Alex Grinch’s first Sooner recruit and saw a lot of playing time in his freshman season, could spell White at middle linebacker. The Sooner coaches think highly of Ugwoegbu’s talent ceiling.
Sophomore Brian Asamoah also will be in the mix and competing for one of the inside backer positions.
Redshirt junior Robert Barnes and redshirt freshman Jamal Morris are converted safeties who are moving to linebacker this season..
Senior Bryan Meade is a former walk-on who hasn’t seen a lot of action in his three previous OU seasons but adds to the Sooner depth at the linebacker position. Another player to keep an eye on is true freshman Shane Whitter, who will start at least three down on the depth chart but could see more playing time as the season progresses.