Oklahoma football: Injury report includes pair of Sooner defenders out for season
By Chip Rouse
At his weekly press conference on Tuesday, head coach Brent Venables updated reporters on Oklahoma football injury status, including season-ending injuries for two Sooner defensive players.
Venables informed reporters attending the press briefing that redshirt freshman defensive back Jayden Rowe and true freshman linebacker Phil Piciotti would have surgery and were out for the season. He did not elaborate in the nature of the injuries but a source close to the situation indicated to FanNation OU insider Ryan Chapman that Rowe had dislocated his kneecap and would have surgery this week.
The Sooner head coach said he was hopeful for the return of senior safety Reggie Pearson, freshman defensive back Jasiah Wagoner, sophomore offensive lineman Savion
Byrd and sophomore defensive lineman R Mason Thomas.
Venables was asked about the status of redshirt senior defensive back Justin Harrington, who started the season at the Cheetah position (a hybrid linebacker/defensive back in Venables’ defensive system). Harrington suffered a knee injury in the win over SMU in Week 2. He was seen on the sidelines in last Saturday’s game at Tulsa in street clothes and wearing a knee brace.
Venables said Harrington was “evaluating his options,” which is all he shared on the status of the former junior-college transfer.
The night before during his weekly Coaches Show, Venables shared more good news on the injury front. He said that sophomore Cheetah linebacker Dasan McCullough, one of the most highly touted defensive players in the transfer portal this past offseason, was set to return in the Big 12 opener against Cincinnati on Saturday. McCullough transferred to OU from Indiana after last season. He reportedly was the highest ranked recruit in Indiana football history.