2022 Oklahoma Spring Preview: LB
Oklahoma’s linebacker room will undergo a facelift in 2022.
Brian Asamoah and Nik Bonitto have moved on to the NFL Draft, but the arrival of Brent Venables represents a major change for the players still on the roster.
Throughout his career as a defensive coordinator, Venables was notorious for holding his linebackers to incredibly high standards, as the coach formerly played the position himself at Kansas State.
OU's linebacker unit will no doubt get special attention from both Venables and defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Ted Roof.
The expected switch to an even front will also change things up for the linebacker corps, as Venables is likely to deploy a larger defensive end as the fourth down lineman as opposed to a hybrid rush linebacker.
2022 Spring Previews
- March 1: Offensive Line
- March 2: Defensive Tackle
- March 3: Defensive End
- March 4: Tight End
- March 5: Linebacker
- March 6: Running Back
- March 7: Safety
- March 8: Cornerback
- March 9: Wide Receiver
- March 10: Special Teams
- March 11: Quarterback
Venables will be able to rely on plenty of experience as he makes tweaks to the defense, as DeShaun White, David Ugwoegbu, Danny Stutsman and Shane Whitter all return after getting significant playing time last year.
White finished third on the team last year in total tackles with 61, which fell behind only Asamoah and safety Pat Fields.
As the player with the most experience returning to the room at Oklahoma, Venables and Roof will likely rely on White to anchor the position group as the starting middle linebacker.
DaShaun White
BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN-USA TODAY NETWORK
Behind him could be the guy with the second-most college football experience, and son of the defensive coordinator, T.D. Roof.
Oklahoma is the fourth stop in T.D. Roof’s career, as he previously played at Georgia Tech, Indiana and Appalachian State.
Roof has plenty of experience all over the field, as he played inside linebacker during the 2020 season for Appalachian State before getting bumped outside in 2021.
True freshman Kobie McKinzie projects to be a physical weapon, coming up to hit in between the tackles, but there will be no rush for him to play a massive role in Year One unless he outperforms his teammates at the heart of Venables’ defense.
Slotting in beside White at weakside linebacker likely will be last year’s freshman standout in Stutsman.
Though he missed time due to an elbow injury, Stutsman often made an impact when he was on the field for the Sooners.
Danny Stutsman
Ryan Chapman / SI Sooners
Stutsman’s frame allows him to step up and lay devastating hits in run support, but he’s also athletic enough to make plays in space, and he should be the perfect fit for Venables’ defense. In his freshman season, Stutsman racked up 38 tackles and a sack while also forcing two fumbles, proving he has a knack to make plays around the football from the moment he stepped on campus.
“Danny has some real toughness and has some grit,” Roof said during a Zoom press conference on National Signing Day. “I love that about him. That’s been what he’s shown so far.”
Whitter will also be a candidate to fill in behind Stutsman as a will linebacker, as he often drew rave reviews from his teammates for his speed last year.
After a shaky start to the year, Whitter continued to earn more and more playing time for himself, as he continued to flash the ability to play in space — a necessity in the Big 12.
“With Shane, the athleticism he has, the speed, he has some real mobility there,” Roof said. “Looking forward to working with those guys.”
True freshman Jaren Kanak has reportedly already turned heads since arriving as a mid-year enrollee, and his athleticism would be a great asset playing the will linebacker along with Stutsman and Whitter.
Much like Stutsman last year, Kanak won’t have to step in and be a major contributor early, but any contributions from the true freshman will help mold him into a key playmaker of the future for Venables.
The change in defensive system could benefit a guy like Ugwoegbu, who will be a candidate to bump back outside to strongside linebacker.
David Ugwoegbu
Ty Russell/OU Athletics
Ugwoegbu ended up sixth on the team last year with 48 tackles, and would have been a candidate to potentially slide back out to rush linebacker had Alex Grinch stayed aboard into 2022.
Instead, Venables and Roof could use his physicality to help step up and contain the run while OU’s defensive ends continue to put on mass to mirror how Venables’ front was deployed at Clemson.
On top of the physical tools Ugwoegbu brings to the table, Roof said he’s found his voice this offseason alongside White.
“DeShaun and David,” said Roof, “two of the older guys there that have played a lot of football who are doing a great job leading in the offseason program.”
Clayton Smith could also be a candidate to slide over and fill that role behind Ugwoegbu, though Sooner fans didn’t get to see a ton of him during his freshman season last year.
Another massive athlete who can move in space, Venables will have plenty of options to find a spot for Smith between deploying him at outside linebacker or as an undersized defensive end.
Kip Lewis is another true freshman Roof will get to develop, and he said he’s looking forward to getting to work with him alongside McKinzie.
“Kobie McKinzie has a really high football IQ,” Roof said. “Again, understands concepts and things of that nature. Kip Lewis has got a huge upside. A guy with a lot of ability and a lot of want-to.”
Plenty of unknowns lie ahead in how the Oklahoma linebackers will line up in 2022, but Venables’ track record is as good as any, and he’s sure to have the unit playing at a high level by the end of the year.
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