Oklahoma's Biggest Winner From the NCAA's New Eligibility Rules Believes It's a 'Game Changer'

NORMAN — Perhaps there’s no one more excited about the NCAA’s eligibility rules than Oklahoma special teams coordinator Doug Deakin.

Moving forward, student-athletes will have five years to play five seasons, removing the four-game cap on redshirts that was previously in place across college football.

Since his return to Norman, head coach Brent Venables has preached that special teams is a place where guys can help the Sooners win games.

Now, Deakin will have access to the entire roster without any concerns about maintaining redshirts.

“Game changer for a special teams coach because the four-game (rule) to, then you play your fifth, becomes a reality,” Deakin said on Tuesday. “Especially if the player is a depth player at his position.”

Deakin pointed directly to the offensive line as a unit where he had to have close conversations with position coach Bill Bedenbaugh in the past.

“You’re going to use a true freshman because he’s big enough, stout enough, strong enough on PAT field goal protection, but he’s a reserve interior offensive (lineman) or a reserve tackle for you,” Deakin said. “It’s like now all of a sudden Coach Bedenbaugh has three years moving forward with a player when he truly needs that player to develop. And goes for any other position.

“It is a game changer, especially here at OU.”

The ruling was especially sweet for freshmen receivers Manny Choice and Elijah Thomas, who both opted to continue to help on special teams last year instead of redshirting.

Oklahoma Sooners, Elijah Thomas — Oklahoma wide receiver Elijah Thomas makes a tackle on special teams against Alabama in the CFP. | Carson Field, Sooners On SI

“(Thomas) really created a role for himself (on special teams),” Venables said last December. “Not at receiver, but he's transitioning from high school to college. Doug's done a great job putting him in position to have him have real impact.

“… Doug Deakin has really done a great job as far as, again, continuing to build on the culture that we want there, create the buy-in, get guys excited to compete and impact and enforce the game through just having, again, a bad case of the want-to.”

But Deakin heaped all the praise on Choice and Thomas, as they were the ones who made the decision to continue to play on special teams.

“There was no reservation last year with (the five-for-five rule) not being officially passed,” Deakin said. “That was a conversation. I said, now legislation may — I won’t know. I’m not part of those NCAA meetings. But it is moving towards — so that was a thing I talked to them about. But that wasn’t necessarily — they came and were like, ‘How can I play more?’

“And it wasn’t, ‘Oh, I’m only on special teams. Please take me off. I’m here to play receiver.’ It was, ‘I’m here to help the team win.’ And those were two examples of how the team sentiment was and has been for my tenure here.”

Now, more young pieces like Thomas and Choice will be able to contribute to Deakin’s unit without mental reservations.

“What’s even better is their heart and why they’re here,” Deakin said. “… Again, why OU? It’s the people. It’s the players.”

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