Lon Kruger cognizant of the challenges that COVID-19 will present: "You can only worry about what you can control"

Less than two weeks away from the dawn of basketball season, not much has changed since COVID-19 brought an abrupt halt to the 2019-20 campaign just days before Selection Sunday.

This spring, there were no brackets to fill out, no nets to cut down, no tears shed to "One Shining Moment." For the first time in modern history, there was no March Madness.

Now, as the college basketball world hopes to turn the page on a bizarre and anticlimactic season, Lon Kruger and his Sooners realize that they can't take anything for granted, especially now that the pandemic appears to have taken another turn for the worse. If there is to be an NCAA tournament in March 2021, safety amidst an ever-present health crisis must remain paramount.

“From July, when they first came back on campus, and even before that in conversations with our guys, we talked about [how] this year is going to be a lot dependent upon our attitude toward all the uncertainties," said Kruger. "Our guys have been really good in understanding all the things that are different, and how they have to respond and react to that.”

The Sooners boast elite talent and improved depth, as seniors Austin Reaves and Brady Manek both averaged north of 14 points per game last season. OU also signed freshman guard Trey Phipps, as well as transfers Umoja Gibson and Elijah Harkless. Meanwhile, seven-footer Rick Issanza will join the mix after redshirting last year.

In a year that promises a constantly shifting array of circumstances, Kruger is well aware that he's going to need contributions from everyone on the roster at some point.

"Each day is a new challenge, and one decision can knock you out, knock a few players out for a few days or a few games," Kruger noted. "Without question, there’ll be a lot of postponements in the season ahead. There’ll be Big 12 games postponed. We’ll be mixing and matching rosters from one game to the next.”

The 68-year-old head coach, well known for his jovial and upbeat demeanor, also acknowledged that there's only so much he and his players can do. With no end to the pandemic's reign in sight, Kruger has reconciled with the fact that attrition will come regardless of how well his program handles the virus.

“It’s not just dependent on our guys testing negative, but also the opponents," he said. "You can only worry about what you can control. We’ve got to have a good attitude about it all, and adjust as we need to.”

Part of that adjustment entails a deeper degree of preparation from Kruger and his staff. For example, what happens if COVID-19 depletes the Sooners at a specific position? Kruger says that he's drawing up contingency plans for such a situation.

“Take Jalen Hill, for instance — a guy who can play the 4, but wouldn’t be expected to play the 4 unless there’s a problem with who’s available," he remarked. "So people like that, you know, getting a few more reps at a position that maybe they wouldn’t normally.”

Kruger and Oklahoma will open their season Nov. 25 at the Lloyd Noble Center against UTSA. Big 12 play kicks off Dec. 22, as the Sooners will host Texas Tech.

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