Oklahoma football: Five Sooners to keep a watchful eye on in 2021
By Chip Rouse
LB Caleb Kelly
Caleb Kelly is entering his sixth season with the Sooners. He was a five-star recruit out of California in 2016 and played in 11 of OU’s 12 games that season as a true freshman, starting the last six games of the season at outside linebacker.
He ranked seventh on the team his sophomore season with 56 tackles, one interception and two forced fumbles. One of those forced fumbles came in the College Football Playoff game against Georgia. Defensive back Steven Parker scooped up the fumble off the Rose Bowl turf and returned it 46 yards for a go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter.
Kelly was fourth on the team in 2018 with 61 tackles. He registered seven tackles alone in Oklahoma’s Big 12 Championship win over Texas. But injuries in both 2019 and 2020 kept him off the field for most of the past two years. He tore his ACL in the 2019 preseason. Kelly missed most of that season, but did return for four games late in the season.
He was a projected starter coming into the 2020 season, but another knee injury forced him to sit out the entire season.
Needless to say, he is itching to get back on the field this season. Kelly told reporters during spring practice this year that he never considered stepping away from the game, despite all of his physical and emotional hardships the past two seasons.
His aggressive physical play and experience will give the second level of Alex Grinch’s defense an added lift in the coming season.
Since Oklahoma has won a Big 12 title every season Kelly has been at Oklahoma, he could become the only Sooner and Big 12 player to receive six conference championship rings.