All Sooners

Oklahoma Camp Questions: Defensive Back

An obvious question about cornerback, a good problem to have at safety, and we take on the Justin Harrington question.

John E. Hoover

Oklahoma Camp Questions: Defensive Back
Oklahoma Camp Questions: Defensive Back /
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AllSooners breaks down the most important questions for each position going into 2023 training camp. Today: defensive back.

Q: Who lines up opposite Woodi Washington at cornerback?

A: Right now the two most likely candidates seem to be sophomore Gentry Williams and junior college transfer Kendel Dolby.

This could be a total misread on Dolby, as jucos tend to be way behind their new teammates in overall concepts and fundamentals and techniques. But Dolby’s video indicates he’s a fast learner and show what a fearless hitter and natural ballhawk he is. Not all jucos come in already behind. Dolby also had the benefit of spring practice at OU, and he looked ready to roll in the spring game.

Kendel Dolby
Kendel Dolby / Kendel Dolby via Twitter

That said, Williams would seem to be ahead because he’s been here longer and he had a good freshman season learning under Jay Valai. If he hadn’t suffered the exertional collapse episode right before spring practice began, he’d be that much further ahead.

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Don’t discount a couple of big-bodied corners for duty: Former Louisville transfer Kani Walker (6-2, 202) had a productive spring, and redshirt freshman Jayden Rowe (6-2, 224) is even bigger and hasn’t switched positions yet.

And don’t count out the two freshmen. Ideally, Jasiah Wagoner and Makari Vickers need time on task and would sit and learn, but in their respctive All-America games, both displayed a fearlessness, a love of contact and a confidence that will serve them well early in their college careers. Watch for them on special teams this year.

Q: What does Brandon Hall do with all the candidates he has at the safety position?

A: It’s probably the top competition in all of preseason camp this year, and the fact is it’ll probably continue throughout the regular season.

Two starters return in Billy Bowman and Key Lawrence, but Hall could have two or three newcomers who earn playing time as well — or even break into the starting lineup. In a perfect world, Bowman continues to grow into a star and Lawrence develops and every-down consistency to go along with his innate playmaking abilities.

Reggie Pearson
Reggie Pearson / Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

But here comes senior transfer Reggie Pearson, who was a starter previously at Wisconsin and at Texas Tech and appeared in the spring to have a real handle on his new duties. He’s vying to take Lawrence’s spot.

And here comes freshman Peyton Bowen, a 5-star stud who showed in the spring game he’s not just ready to play at this level, but ready to deliver game-changing plays.

And don’t forget sophomore Robert Spears-Jennings, who delivered some thunderous hits last year as a true freshman, looked like he was taking someone’s job in the spring before he hurt his shoulder.

It’s a good problem that Hall has. Depth and talent appears better at the safety position than it’s been in a long, long time.

Q: What is Justin Harrington, and will he finally make an impact this season?

A: He may be wondering the same thing.

Fans have been waiting three years to see something big out of the 6-3, 212-pound Harrington, a former junior college All-American safety. Alex Grinch moved him to corner, then he entered the portal, then he came back, then Brent Venables made him a cheetah linebacker.

FB - Justin Harrington
Justin Harrington / Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Harrington is essentially a nickel safety — still listed as a defensive back on the official OU roster — who practices with the linebackers. He’s in a unique situation of playing two hybrid positions, although the OU coaching staff insists there’s no real difference and that they’ll use whatever player fits their most pressing needs.

Harrington is now a fifth-year senior. He’s been through the wringer. He has obvious ability and maybe even pro potential (remember Devante Bond, a juco transfer who played a little Sam linebacker at OU before a solid NFL career?), but he needs to be in a situation that will allow him to just make plays and have success.

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John E. Hoover
JOHN E. HOOVER

John is an award-winning journalist whose work spans five decades in Oklahoma, with multiple state, regional and national awards as a sportswriter at various newspapers. During his newspaper career, John covered the Dallas Cowboys, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Oklahoma Sooners, the Oklahoma State Cowboys, the Arkansas Razorbacks and much more. In 2016, John changed careers, migrating into radio and launching a YouTube channel, and has built a successful independent media company, DanCam Media. From there, John has written under the banners of Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Fan Nation and a handful of local and national magazines while hosting daily sports talk radio shows in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and statewide. John has also spoken on Capitol Hill in Oklahoma City in a successful effort to put more certified athletic trainers in Oklahoma public high schools. Among the dozens of awards he has won, John most cherishes his national "Beat Writer of the Year" from the Associated Press Sports Editors, Oklahoma's "Best Sports Column" from the Society of Professional Journalists, and Two "Excellence in Sports Medicine Reporting" Awards from the National Athletic Trainers Association. John holds a bachelor's degree in Mass Communications from East Central University in Ada, OK. Born and raised in North Pole, Alaska, John played football and wrote for the school paper at Ada High School in Ada, OK. He enjoys books, movies and travel, and lives in Broken Arrow, OK, with his wife and two kids.

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