Who'll fill Lofton's shoes? The list is long
They might not be as good, but OU has plenty of linebackers
Who'll fill Lofton's shoes?

NORMAN — This past season, Oklahoma had college football's most productive linebacker in Curtis Lofton.

This spring, the Sooners won't be able to replace Lofton with anyone of his caliber.

But even without a playmaker like Lofton, OU's linebacking unit could be just as good.

And at the least, a whole lot deeper.

As many as eight players, including six who weren't on the field last year, will be competing for OU's two vacant linebacking spots to start alongside returning starter Ryan Reynolds.

That number grew last week when the Sooners added promising junior-college prospects Mike Balogun and J.R. Bryant.

Combine that with Austin Box and Travis Lewis — talented freshmen who spent last season redshirting — along with converted safety Keenan Clayton, Brandon Crow, Mike Reed and Lamont Robinson, and OU will have plenty of options at linebacker.

Last year, that wasn't so.

After Lofton, Reynolds and outside linebacker Lewis Baker, OU had little reliable depth off the bench.

Crow and Robinson played sparingly as Lofton, Reynolds and Baker rarely left the field in non-nickelback alignments.

This year, however, OU should be two-deep at all three linebacking positions, with Bryant, Lewis, Box, Clayton and Crow likely battling for the outside spots and Balogun, Reed and Robinson filling the middle.

The wild card this spring will be how OU defensive coordinator Brent Venables decides to use Reynolds.

The rising junior played outside last season in part due to the presence of Lofton in the middle.

Because of two knee surgeries, though, Reynolds' skills were better suited for the middle, where stopping the run is accentuated and covering speedier receivers is not.

With several viable options at outside linebacker now, OU could choose to move Reynolds inside and bring Balogun along slowly as a backup.

If Balogun proves to be a standout, OU could leave Reynolds on the corner — especially if he benefits greatly from working on his speed this offseason instead of rehabbing his knees for the first time in two years.

Either way, that kind of versatility and depth gives next year's linebacking group a chance to be just as good as last year's. Even without a superstar like Lofton.

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