The Oklahoma Sooners leaned on the best defense the program had put on the field in 15 years last season, but it ultimately wasn’t enough, as OU sunk to a 6-7 record in their inaugural year in the SEC. An offense that was stuck in the mud was primarily responsible for that, but Oklahoma will need to continue to improve defensively this season, as they face one of the toughest schedules in America.
One area where the Sooners had plenty of success last year was at linebacker. The middle of the defense was all over the field, and not much got by senior Danny Stutsman, who now plays for the New Orleans Saints. It’ll be tough to replace Stutsman’s impact, but there’s plenty of talent that returns to carry the torch.
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Former defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Zac Alley departed shortly after the bowl game to take the same role at West Virginia. This move prompted head coach Brent Venables to decide to take full control of the defense for this season. Defense is Venables’ calling card, and coaching linebackers is his specialty. However, he can’t do all of those things and be a head coach at the same time, so he made two hires to coach up the linebackers third this season.
The first was Nate Dreiling, who will coach the inside linebackers. He was briefly the defensive coordinator and then interim head coach at Utah State last season. The other was Wes Goodwin, who replaced Venables as Clemson’s defensive coordinator a few years ago. Goodwin will serve as the assistant linebackers coach and outside linebackers coach in Norman.
With plenty of returning production headlining the linebacker roles, let’s take a look at how the depth chart could shake out for the Sooners in 2025.
Oklahoma 2025 Positional Preview Series
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MIKE Linebacker
Oklahoma Sooners linebacker Kobie McKinzie (11) chases after South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback LaNorris Sellers (16) during a college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the South Carolina Gamecocks at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024.
Starter: Kobie McKinzie
Kobie McKinzie played significant snaps a season ago, due to Stutsman’s versatility to play either inside linebacker position. McKinzie is a thumper who will likely wear the green dot and get the play calls in his helmet from Venables. His development from rotational piece to full-time star is an underrated storyline this year, as he replaces Stutsman in the middle.
Backup: Owen Heinecke
Behind McKinzie, the Sooners don’t have a ton of depth or experience at middle linebacker. I’ll go with Owen Heinecke here, who has played in a reserve role since arriving in Norman. Dreiling has the ability to get creative with a lot of versatile pieces at the other linebacker spots, but this is probably the thinnest Oklahoma is at the second level of the defense.
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It’s probable Sammy Omosigho or Kendal Daniels see time at middle linebacker as well.
WILL Linebacker
Sep 21, 2024; Norman, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma Sooners linebacker Kip Lewis (10) reacts during the first half against the Tennessee Volunteers at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
Starter: Kip Lewis
Kip Lewis started for the Sooners at weak side linebacker for the back half of the 2023 season and all of last season. His speed and instincts are pivotal to his success at this spot. He provided two of OU’s biggest plays of the entire 2024 season with pick-sixes against Auburn and Alabama. He’ll also take on the role of one of the emotional leaders of a defense that lost plenty of veteran voices to the NFL.
Backup: Sammy Omosigho
Sammy Omosigho mostly played the Cheetah position a year ago, but he’ll reportedly be moving inside this season. He saw plenty of action in 2024 and projects to be on the field even more in 2025. He’ll be a great chess piece for the coaching staff to move around the field, which will hopefully let him play to his strengths. Known for his speed and his athleticism, Omosigho’s reportedly also bulked up this offseason, which could help him see time at both inside linebacker spots.
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Cheetah Linebacker
Oklahoma Sooners defensive back Kendel Dolby (15) brings down Houston Cougars wide receiver Mekhi Mews (83) during a college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Houston Cougars at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024.
Starter: Kendel Dolby
Kendel Dolby returned to the Sooners for his final season after a season-ending injury against Tennessee in Week 4 last year. He’s a playmaker who can wreak havoc in Venables’ patented cheetah spot, and he’ll be asked to step into a bigger role in 2025. Oklahoma wasn’t as good when he wasn’t on the field in 2024. With questions at cornerback, Dolby will be relied upon in the slot and may see time outside.
Backup: Kendal Daniels
Oklahoma State transfer Kendal Daniels gives the Sooners another starting-caliber cheetah in 2025. He’s a versatile player that Goodwin can move around to best suit what Venables needs against a given opponent. This position didn’t have ideal depth after Dolby went down a season ago, but this coaching staff has seemingly remedied that this season. Daniels’ experience at safety and linebacker will be huge for a unit that lost Stutsman and Bowman to the NFL.
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This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Oklahoma Sooners linebacker depth chart predictions
