Ahead of the Oklahoma Sooners' fall camp, OU head coach Brent Venables said versatile defender Kendel Dolby could fill in at multiple spots for the Sooners this season.
Primarily used at Venables' hybrid cheetah position the past two years, Venables said during OU's pre-fall camp press conference on Wednesday that Dolby will also play some cornerback this season while still expected to play cheetah, as well. Dolby has always been listed as a defensive back on the Sooners' roster.
Brent Venables says Kendel Dolby could also play cornerback
Dolby played only three games last year before suffering a season-ending injury in OU's SEC opener against Tennessee. He had started all three games at cheetah to that point and also played in every game in 2023 while starting three times.
After two years at the junior college level, Dolby transferred from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M to OU after the 2022 season. He was a consensus top-10 cornerback as a JUCO prospect, but OU almost immediately converted him to play cheetah.
Venables' cheetah position is a combination between a defensive back and linebacker. He also used the role while he was the defensive coordinator at Clemson before bringing the position to OU as head coach.
Newfound depth at cheetah and lack of at cornerback sparked the possibility of needing Dolby at both spots in 2025 as a redshirt senior. Behind Eli Bowen, the Sooners are thin at cornerback and the other corner spot is wide open. However, Bowen won't be available at the start of fall camp, according to Venables, giving OU even more of a need there. Venables did praise corners Gentry Williams and Devon Jordan, though.
At cheetah, the Sooners added Oklahoma State transfer Kendal Daniels, who started at linebacker and safety for the Cowboys, so he was molded for the cheetah position. If Daniels is able to take over at cheetah, then that creates the option for Dolby to spend more time at corner if that's where the Sooners need him most.
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