Oklahoma Position Battles: Cheetah
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Brent Venables’ defense is going to throw out plenty of looks at Oklahoma this year.
His personnel groupings will be multiple, meaning the nickel corner and sam linebacker have been combined to form the “cheetah” position.
Venables and defensive coordinator Ted Roof want the position to take on different shapes, but there’s one requirement according to cornerbacks coach Jay Valai — play fast.
It’s unlikely that only one player checks every single box Venables is looking for out of his cheetah, which is going to allow plenty of faces to get involved as the season presses on.
Last spring, secondary veteran Justin Broiles and true freshman Jaren Kanak got the first shot at playing cheetah, bringing two very different skillsets to the table.
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Broiles, a product of John Marshall High School in Oklahoma City, has played in 44 games over the past five years, starting 15 of those contests.
Throughout his career, Broiles has taken reps at every spot in the secondary, making him a Swiss-army knife at the cheetah spot.
The experience Broiles brings to the table is in direct contrast with the true freshman Kanak.
With just one spring and summer under his belt, the Hays, KS, product has drawn rave reviews around the program.
Billed as an athletic phenom, Kanak showed he’s more than comfortable playing in space during Oklahoma’s Spring Game. Though he only recorded on tackle, Kanak moved effortlessly sideline-to-sideline, showing he has no problem stepping up to play the run or dropping into coverage.
Despite the exciting skillset, Kanak still hasn’t gotten his first taste of college football, so it’s still to be seen how much Venables and the defensive staff will throw at him early on as he navigates his first year with the Sooners.
In a similar vein to Broiles, North Carolina transfer Trey Morrison could bring experience and versatility to the position.
A four-year contributor for the Tar Heels, Morrison started 41 games, logging 15 pass breakups while also pulling down a pair of interceptions.
Though only 5-foot-9, Morrison’s reading of the game allows him to be in the right place at the right time to make a play on the football.
A completely different body type in Justin Harrington could also be deployed at the cheetah.
Standing 6-3, Harrington’s frame allows him to matchup with tight ends who would hope to exploit the OU defense over the middle of the field.
After stepping back from the team last year to enter the transfer portal, Harrington has worked his way back into the program. His length and athleticism could provide a unique look to the Oklahoma secondary.
The Sooners will ask plenty from the cheetah position, allowing a diverse group of players to contribute throughout fall camp and into the season.
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