Thirteen key contributors sat out OU's first open scrimmage Saturday, an 81-play workout dominated by a makeshift defense that kept the offense out of the end zone.
"I've never seen anything like it,” said defensive coordinator Brent Venables, who recently tore a ligament in his knee and was hobbling during the scrimmage.
Starting outside linebacker Austin Box joined the walking wounded late this week when he sprained his elbow, which coach Bob Stoops said would keep him out the rest of the spring.
Starting guard Duke Robinson, receiver Manuel Johnson and linebacker Ryan Reynolds all missed the scrimmage with ankle sprains, as did reserve defensive backs Jonathan Nelson (groin) and Quinton Carter (hamstring), who are battling nagging muscle strains.
On Monday, Stoops revealed that receiver Ryan Broyles would be out for the spring with a broken collarbone.
And OU entered the spring already knowing it would be without running backs Chris Brown and DeMarco Murray, defensive ends Auston English and John Williams, wide receiver Adron Tennell and safety Nic Harris, all of whom are rehabbing from surgeries.
The Sooners had so many players injured on the sidelines, they had a three-pronged rotation manning the first-down chains.
"You don't get a true look anyway with all the guys we got out,” Stoops said of the scrimmage. "But a lot of our young guys are getting good work.”
Keenan Clayton led the
