Oklahoma Sooners: Is it Time to Worry About Offensive Line Depth?

By David Blum
Featured CFB Writer

Big, powerful offensive lines have always been a staple of Bob Stoops‘ Oklahoma Sooners teams.

Populating NFL rosters with alumni like Jammal Brown, Trent Williams and Davin Joseph, Stoops’ offenses have consistently been centered around protecting the Sooners’ quarterback. This has led to Oklahoma quarterbacks becoming a sort of gold standard in the Big 12 during his tenure.

Heading into the 2012 season, where the ESPN/USA Today Coach’s Poll recently ranked the Sooners as the pre-season No. 4 team, the offensive line was supposed to once again anchor the Oklahoma attack.

Now though, a strength might have become a weakness.

Last week, starting center Ben Habern announced that he was quitting football due to lingering back and neck injuries. Then on Monday, senior and projected starting right guard Tyler Evans tore his ACL.

This leaves the Sooners without two starters for their offensive line this upcoming season. However, this is not the only hit they’ve taken.

Standout high school offensive lineman Dylan Dismuke suffered a career-ending injury during bowl preparation last December after redshirting his freshman season. Austin Woods, a back-up center, was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in April and continues to fight the disease. Another reserve center, Nila Kasitati, will return to the team this week after undergoing minor heart surgery. And on Monday, high school All-American John Michael McGee quit the team via Twitter.

As a coach, Stoops is one of the best at recruiting undervalued high school talent and molding it into NFL-caliber players. The Sooners will still have Lane Johnson at left tackle, a converted tight end, as well as Daryl Williams on the right side. Gabe Ikard, a 2011 First Team All-Big 12 selection at left guard, will slide over to replace Habern at center.

That most likely leaves Adam Shead to take Ikard’s spot at LG and Bronson Irwin to replace Evans on the right. Stoops has been very high on Evans throughout the spring and summer practices, and both players possess the talent to succeed in the OU system.

Since Sam Bradford took over the starting quarterback job in 2007, Oklahoma’s offense morphed into an up-tempo, spread out attack. In the last two seasons, Landry Jones has averaged 43.67 pass attempts a game.

Jones struggled last season after his security blanket, Ryan Broyles, went down with a torn ACL against Texas A&M. Even with the stellar protection he enjoyed in the pocket, he failed to throw a touchdown pass in the Sooners’ final three regular season games.

Considered a first-round pick by most NFL Scouts, Jones will need to prove this coming season that he can thrive without an overwhelming offensive line in front of him. With the loss of Broyles, as well as a number of prime pass-protectors, OU could try and run the ball more.

Roy Finch is a smallish, elusive back who excels in open space. While there are reports that the Sooners are using him as a slot receiver in fall camp, he could see an increased role if the line struggles in pass protection early on. Dominique Whaley, an early-season star in 2011, returns to the team after a broken leg and could give the Sonoers the type of sustaining back they lacked for most of last year.

Given their past history with offensive line success, the Sooners should be able to weather the losses of Habern, Evans and others. However, for a pre-season No. 4 team expected to rely heavily on its offense, the injuries and lack of depth are definitely a cause for concern.

Follow David on Twitter: @TWT_DavidB

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