The injury bug has officially claimed its first victim here in fall camp in Norman, Oklahoma. On Tuesday, Brent Venables confirmed that transfer linebacker T.D. Roof would miss the the season with a bicep injury. It is unknown whether Roof will decide to medically redshirt, and they are reportedly taking a few days to “weight their options”. Venables reports that this is the only “major injury” so far in an interview after yesterday’s practice.
What Does This Mean for the Rest of the Linebacker Room After Roof’s Injury?
The unfortunate news of T.D. Roof’s injury brings many questions on the depth of the Oklahoma’s linebacker room. Roof had a ton of playing experience, and that is just something that few players on this roster have. Although Roof wasn’t projected to be in the starting lineup, he was was a valuable rotation player. If there is a silver lining to this, it’s the fact that the linebacker position is one that holds a good amount of depth this year. Even if he won’t see the field, Roof can still mentor the younger players from the sidelines. Only time will tell, but it would be interesting to see him join his father in picking up a clipboard and putting the coaching hat on.
Who Will be the Replacement?
When the topic of replacing the veteran linebacker comes up, a few names immediately come to mind. One of those names is freshman Kip Lewis. He has a smaller frame for a linebacker, weighing in at only 196 pounds, but he has a lot of the skills that are necessary to step into a role at the weakside linebacker position. He has great coverage skills, and is able to roam from sideline to sideline with ease. Lewis has taken a massive step forward over his first offseason with the Sooners, and Sophomore linebacker Danny Stutsman had high praise for him.
“They’ve made drastic improvements… They’re eager and they had their ups and downs but you know when summer came and spring ball — they kept making strides. And every single day they were committed to getting better and better.” – Danny Stutsman on Kip Lewis and Kobie McKinzie
Whether it’s Kip Lewis or someone else more experienced, the Sooners are still in great hands at the linebacker position. We’ll know in the coming days whether or not the freshman is up to the task.
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