The defensive line was supposed to be one of Oklahoma’s question marks. Three starters are gone from last season and that includes one of the best defensive end tandems in school history.
How can that be replaced?
Well, it always helps to replace starters with more starters. Basically, that’s what the Sooners are doing in 2005.
OU had a great set of bookends last season with Dan Cody and Jonathan Jackson. Athletic and experienced, they were among the best tandems in college football.
They’re gone, but Larry Birdine was their equal in many ways last season. He played nearly the same number of snaps as last season’s starters and possesses an abundance of talent.
“He has a chance to be a great one,” defensive ends coach Chris Wilson said.
He was credited with seven sacks and 40 tackles last season and has already been honored as a preseason All-Big 12 selection.
Birdine will get most of the attention from the defensive end spot, but Calvin Thibodeaux rotated with Birdine at the other end position two seasons ago. He was doing the same thing last season until a knee injury forced him out after five games. Now, he’s back.
Birdine and Thibodeaux will join John Williams and C.J. Ah You, a mid-year junior college transfer, as the four-man rotation. Junior Leanar Nixon and sophomore Alonzo Dotson will also compete for playing time.
It’s a situation Wilson likes.
“I think we’ve got a chance to be a real good unit,” Wilson said.
Further, OU’s defensive line gets a major boost inside. The unit lost Lynn McGruder, but returns the rest of last season’s four-man rotation.
Sophomores Carl Pendleton and Steven Coleman and senior Remi Ayodele combined for 29 tackles and four sacks last season. All three will be in OU’s tackle rotation with redshirt freshman Cory Bennett seeing time, too.
But the biggest boost to this season’s D-line will be the return of former all-conference selection Dusty Dvoracek.
Dvoracek played in two games last season before being suspended for the remainder of the year. After being reinstated, he rejoined the team for winter conditioning.
His progress has been slowed by a torn biceps in his left arm. He suffered the injury in last spring’s Red/White Game. He has gone through preseason drills, but has been held out of contact.
He’s anxious to get back on the field and thinks he’ll be in the lineup when OU opens the season against TCU Sept. 3.
“I feel like I’m going to, but that’s going to be up to the doctors,” Dvoracek said. “I don’t see any reason why I wouldn’t be able to. I think I’m almost 100 percent.”
OU coach Bob Stoops said Dvoracek’s injury will be evaluated again this week.
“He’s still a few weeks away from what the book says, but strength-wise he appears to be solid,” Stoops said. “What’s the magical day is hard to determine. I think the doctors will evaluate him on (today) and see if he can’t start doing some work.”
Defensive tackles coach Jackie Shipp can’t wait to get Dvoracek back at full speed, but he also likes what he has practicing right now.
“We have four guys going right now and with Dusty we have five, but those four that are practicing are doing a heck of a job,” he said. “When Dusty gets back soon, that’s going to be a good group to work with.”
How long it takes Dvoracek to get back on the field is the biggest question for the defensive line. Once he finally returns, the unit might be one of the best on the team.
“When he’s out there, it makes us better,” Shipp said.
John Shinn366-3536jshinn@normantranscript.com
OU Sports
Related Photos
Discussion
D-Line should be a strength
- OU Sports
-
-
Sooners did not show up to play
Texas had something to play for. So there’s that. If the Longhorns are to receive an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament, this was just the kind of game they absolutely had to win....
-
With W.V. set free by Big East, Big 12 schedule’s out and it’s backloaded for Sooners
With West Virginia finally receiving its release from the Big East Conference on Tuesday, the Big 12 Conference was finally able to release its conference football schedule for the 2012 season....
-
Red River rut
The rut Oklahoma has been trying to escape for the last two weeks continued to grow deeper with a 69-58 loss to Texas Tuesday night at Lloyd Noble Center....
-
OU gearing up for Texas’ Brown
If Oklahoma guard Steven Pledger had his way, tonight’s meeting with Texas will come down to two players: himself and Longhorn guard J’Covan Brown....
-
Sooners will have a dramatically new look up and down the order, on the mound
The clubhouse at L. Dale Mitchell Park hasn’t changed over the last year. Just about everything else has since the 2011 baseball season ended. The locker stalls have 20 new nameplates. The coaches’ locker room has two new ones as well. ...
-
Despite hard fight, UConn wins big
By its own standards, the Connecticut team that took the floor Monday night at Lloyd Noble Center was not in the same class as its previous incarnations. But a down year for the seven-time national champions is still better than just ...
-
Believe it or not, OU women are progressing
Connecticut coach Geno Auriemma appeared plenty willing to embarrass Oklahoma for a third time in seven games....
-
OU reeling from stunning loss to Texas Tech
As Oklahoma’s players headed toward the exit at United Spirit Arena on Saturday night, most had dazed looks on their faces. The 65-47 loss to Texas Tech was something they didn’t see coming....
-
Husky challenge
No time might seem like a good time to face Connecticut. The Huskies are always terrific and this season will enter Lloyd Noble Center likely ranked No. 2 following Notre Dame’s Sunday loss to West Virginia....
-
Sooners put finishing touches on perfect opener
Oklahoma capped off a perfect opening weekend of softball on Sunday with an 11-1 victory over Kent State. The Sooners were led by another strong outing from pitcher Keilani Rickets and an offensive explosion by Allee Allen....
- More OU Sports Headlines
-
Sooners did not show up to play
