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NORMAN — Oklahoma defensive coordinator Brent Venables gambled before last season, converting safety Keenan Clayton into an outside linebacker.

By doing that, Venables sacrificed depth in the defensive backfield and a year of Clayton's eligibility as he stood on the sidelines learning the new position.

But Venables had a method to his madness, recognizing a significant trend over the last few years in the evolution of college football.

Last season, the Sooner defense faced an offensive formation that used three or more receivers 85 percent of the time.

OU saw empty backfields four times more often than it did just five seasons ago.

Gone are the days of playing three bulky linebackers specializing in pounding opposing running backs.

Developing "hybrid” outside linebackers — good tacklers who can also defend the pass — is the answer to containing this new wave of spread offense.

Enter Keenan Clayton.

The rising junior dominated OU's winter conditioning testing, posting the best results for linebackers in nine of the 10 events, including running the 40-yard dash in 4.5 seconds.

This spring, Clayton has earned the starting nod at one of the outside linebacker spots after only playing the position for six months.

"I was kind of blindsided by the switch,” Clayton said. "But coach Venables knows what he's doing.

"I feel real good, real natural here.”

Clayton has the speed and versatility to hang with a range of passing weapons from Missouri slot receiver Jeremy Maclin to Oklahoma State tight end Brandon Pettigrew, something that old-school outside linebacker Ryan Reynolds couldn't do last year.

"We're hoping Keenan can really make a difference,” coach Bob Stoops said. "He has the ability to.”

With speedy redshirt freshman Travis Lewis rotating in at the other outside linebacker spot, Venables won't have to stay in his nickel-and-dime packages on every play against teams like OSU and Missouri.

That means the Sooners should be tougher against players like Dantrell Savage and Tony Temple — who rushed for a combined 381 yards and five touchdowns in the two teams' bowl victories — without giving up anything in defending the pass.

"Keenan has hung in there. He's kept an upbeat, positive attitude and he understands now what he's supposed to do,” Venables said. "Will he strike people? Will he make tackles? Will he make the plays when we need him to? We really don't know yet. But he looks good so far.”