Oklahoma’s secondary doesn’t have many soft spots, which is exactly why the open question at cornerback stands out. Eli Bowen, Courtland Guillory and Jacobe Johnson give Brent Venables and the Sooners a strong top three. The real debate is what comes after them.
That fourth cornerback job is there for the taking, and it became available when Devon Jordan transferred to Baylor in the winter after logging 232 snaps last season, according to Pro Football Focus. Now LaMar Morgan has to sort through a group that includes Trystan Haynes, Dakoda Fields and Prince Ijioma.
Morgan said the competition has already brought out plenty of energy.
"I think the guys are excited about the opportunity," Morgan said during Oklahoma's Media Day. "I think that's what you know about this place. If you put the work in and you do what you’re supposed to do, you’re going to have a lot of opportunity on Saturdays to showcase your skills in front of your friends and family."
Fields has been part of the conversation since spring. Morgan said he liked what he saw from the Oregon transfer and believed a fresh start could bring out more from him.
"I thought Dakoda has done a good job," Morgan said on April 28. "Sometimes, I think, a change of scenery makes you better, challenges you.
Opens you up to what you need to work on at a place like this. I would be very surprised if we don’t get the best version of Dakoda."
Haynes has pushed his way into the mix during Fall Camp, too. At 6-2 and 188 pounds, he has the frame to fit what Venables wants on defense. He played in one game last season before redshirting, and now he’s right in the middle of the battle for that fourth spot.
For Morgan, this is the first major test in his new role at Oklahoma, even if the room already comes with experienced pieces. He said part of coaching is finding ways to keep players improving, no matter how much talent they already have.
"I think that's why Coach V hires us as coaches," Morgan said during Media Day. "In my opinion I think that's what a good coach does.
Find different things each day that you can get better at. You can never master anything in football.
You can be the All-Pro, best player in the country and you're still going to have things that you can work on each and every day."
In Other News...
Oklahoma May Already Have Its Next Defensive Line Difference Maker
Oklahomas defensive line already has enough veteran presence to feel sturdy at the top, but the real intrigue is what happens behind the established starters at defensive tackle. Freshman James Tank Carrington has quickly become one of the more talked-about newcomers in that mix, and David Stone has singled him out for the kind of mental and physical tools that usually get a coachs attention long before they get a snap count. Stones praise centered on Carringtons ability to process what he sees and handle the technical side of the position, which is a strong sign for a player trying to carve out a role early.
For the Sooners, that matters because the line looks deep overall, yet there is still some uncertainty once the first wave of tackles comes off the field. Carringtons path will depend on how quickly he turns that early promise into reliable production, but the profile is there for him to become more than a developmental piece. If he keeps progressing, Oklahoma may not just have a freshman with upside. It may already have its next difference maker waiting in the rotation. [Read more 🡒]
Brent Venables Tried To Ease Oklahoma Fears After Early Camp Absences
Fall camp has brought a little extra attention to Oklahomas injury room, but Brent Venables offered a calm update on the situation as practices rolled on. The Sooners coach said the teams status is on schedule, and he framed the recent absences as the sort of cautious handling that is common this time of year rather than a sign of something more serious.
Michael Fasusi and Heath Ozaeta were among the players who did not take part in recent practices, even while suited up, which naturally drew a closer look from observers tracking the offensive line. Venables message was aimed at easing those concerns, with no major red flags attached to the current camp situation as Oklahoma continues sorting through its early August work. [Read more 🡒]
Ryan Fodje Is Giving Oklahoma Exactly What This Line Needs
In a fall camp that has asked a lot of Oklahomas offensive front, Ryan Fodje has kept showing why coaches trust him to plug whatever hole opens up. Injuries have pushed him across multiple spots along the line, but the sophomore has already built a reputation for being the kind of player who can handle the shuffle without making it someone elses problem. He logged all 13 games as a freshman, starting at right tackle and right guard, and that experience has given the Sooners a useful kind of stability even as the lineup has been in flux.
Fodjes value goes beyond just surviving the move-around. He has embraced the idea that he can help anywhere, and that willingness matters for an Oklahoma line trying to find its best five. It is the same sort of flexibility that once helped Febechi Nwaiwu boost his own profile in Norman, and it is easy to see why Fodjes coaches keep leaning on him. The Sooners may still be sorting out exactly how the front will settle, but they already know one thing: Fodje is the type who makes the whole operation easier. [Read more 🡒]