By John Shinn
This is the year Oklahoma’s secondary has been waiting for. It wasn’t like the past two seasons weren’t met with anticipation. They were. The difference is the learning curve is no longer applicable.
The days of learning on the fly are over.
“We have experience now, the past couple of years we have been fighting that issue,” OU coach Bob Stoops said.
They’re are no unknowns in the secondary. Some places have changed. Reggie Smith is now a cornerback. D.J. Wolfe is now a strong safety. Lendy Holmes is both.
But the names have remained the same. That trio joins free safeties Nic Harris and Darien Williams, and cornerback Marcus Walker to make up the most experienced group on the field. Between them they have played in 156 games at OU.
“Everybody in the secondary has been playing for a while like D.J. Wolfe, Darien Williams and myself,” Walker said. “A lot of our guys have experience and that’s definitely a factor.”
It’s a factor OU hasn’t been able to bank on since 2004.
The question is can the Sooners put it all to use. The problems of 2005 had a lot to do with having Smith, Wolfe and Harris playing major roles. Smith and Harris were true freshmen. Wolfe was a sophomore who was playing in the secondary for the first time after being moved from running back.
Last season the edge was sharper, but early struggles were still a problem. The secondary didn’t really settle in until Walker and Holmes got comfortable at the cornerback spots.
There will be transitions this season as well. Both major ones date back to the spring. Smith is a cornerback again. The hope is his athletic ability will be best showcased when locked on receivers.
Wolfe struggled last season at cornerback. He was moved to strong safety late in the spring and has flourished since.
“We are really happy with that move,” defensive backs coach Bobby Jack Wright said. “He just really feels at home there, has some great awareness, is physical in the box, has some good punch and the more he is there every day he gets a little bit better.”
Stoops goes a step further.
“D.J.’s move to strong safety has been a huge boost for us. He has played really, really well,” Stoops said. “I don’t want to sit here and overplay it, but that is going to be a big factor for us. His play through spring and particularly here through the summer has just been outstanding.”
Walker and Harris both had solid seasons at their respective spots.
Harris could very well be OU’s best safety since Roy Williams. Just like Williams, he’s big enough to be a linebacker. He also has the coverage skills to matchup with slot receivers.
Walker was the final piece of the puzzle last season. The Sooner secondary was shaky until he soldified himself as a starter after three games.
Holmes is a wild card. He’s started at corner last year, but has been working at free safety since preseason practice began. Part of the reason for the switch was to add more depth while Williams recovered from an offseason foot injury. But there was another reason, too.
“We are looking for our best five guys to have on the field,” Wright said. “Lendy is certainly one of the best five guys we’ve got.”
There’s an aura of confidence where uncertainty once reigned. The players exude it and the coaching staff trusts it.
“They have really performed well in our camp and have been making a lot of plays and are more sure of themselves with their adjustments,” Stoops said. “You can just see the experience when we practice. We expect to see it on the field, and hopefully they will do it.”
John Shinn
366-3536
jshinn@normantranscript.com
