Oklahoma Coach Lincoln Riley Explains Sooners' Latest Depth Chart Maneuvers

Some players are returning from "medical issues," while others simply played their way into (or out of) a starting position last week against Tulane.

It might seem silly to read anything into changes on the Oklahoma depth chart from Week 1 to Week 2.

But it’s not, Sooners coach Lincoln Riley said Thursday.

A handful of changes on the OU depth chart between last week’s Tulane game and this week’s Western Carolina game show how the team is evolving in real time.

“We’re gonna evolve as we go on,” Riley said. “I mean, I think we're still in the stages of learning about our football team. You know, we've had one game under our belt. We learned some things, I think, there.”

Riley said he anticipates being able to play a lot of players again this week against the Catamounts from the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision. WCU was just 1-8 last season, lost its opener to Eastern Kentucky last week and, as an FCS program, has just 63 scholarships available. Cross-division games are usually blowouts, and the No. 4-ranked Sooners are 46.5-point favorites, according to OddShark.

COMPARE WITH OU's WEEK 1 DEPTH CHART

“I think we're still hoping to be able to play and evaluate and give opportunities to a lot of players,” Riley said, “but at the same time, you know, moves are being made — both up and down. That's the flow of it.”

First up, the Sooners get back two players this week they didn’t have last week. Riley said both wide receiver Drake Stoops and defensive lineman Jordan Kelley will be available Saturday after what Riley called “medical issues” last week that have been widely reported as COVID-19.

Stoops is a returning starter from last year at inside receiver, but as he’s been out an unable to practice, he’s currently listed at No. 3 on the depth chart behind Marvin Mims (who shifted inside to Y receiver this year) and Brian Darby.

Kelley, a top backup at noseguard last season, is back to on the depth chart this week at No. 4 (he was at No. 2 last week) behind Perrion Winfrey, Kori Roberson and Isaiah Coe. Roberson elevated himself this week after a strong game against the Green Wave with two tackles, including one in the backfield.

Also, walk-on H-back Jackson Sumlin is back this week as well, Riley said, though he’s not listed yet on this week’s depth chart.

Coaches having a better handle on their personnel is evident by an added degree of decisiveness to this week’s depth chart. Last week the word “or” was used 20 times in between players’ names. This week, that’s down to 15.

Marvin Mims :: Kevin Jairaj / USA TODAY Sports

At weakside linebacker, senior DaShaun White has jumped ahead of junior Brian Asamoah. White, a two-year starter at middle linebacker, was listed last week as the top backup at both inside spots and played heavy snaps in a steady rotation.

There’s movement at the other inside linebacker spot, too, where true freshman Danny Stutsman is now listed as junior David Ugwoegbu’s backup. Last week, Stutsman was the No. 3 behind Ugwoegbu and White.

Also at receiver, Arkansas transfer Mike Woods was the starter at the Z spot last week but now is listed as co-starter with true freshman Mario Williams, who led the Sooners with six receptions for 37 yards against Tulane. Woods had a solid game, too, with 36 yards on four catches.

Curiously, no changes were announced at any position on the offensive line. Riley previously said of the o-line that just about everything was on the table. Riley said sophomore and projected starting center Andrew Raym should be back, so that could change where last week's starter, Robert Congel plays, or it could not.

Robert Congel :: Kevin Jairaj / USA TODAY Sports

“We’ve been splitting those first- and second-team reps between he and Raym all fall,” Riley said. “All of a sudden when Raym wasn’t available, it allowed up to pump a bunch of reps to Rob. He handed it well. He did. He had a solid week of practice. He felt comfortable going into the game. He handled adjustments, he played well physically. You could tell it wasn’t his first game. He’s played a lot of ball.”

Riley said during his weekly press conference on Tuesday that there were “a lot of good individual things,” but o-line coach Bill Bedenbaugh always wants more. It’s a high standard at Oklahoma.

“Still trying to find that best five,” Riley said Tuesday. “And it wouldn’t shock me if that doesn’t evolve. Because we do have some good players that are right there that I think are going to push as the year goes on. … I think it’ll evolve a little bit. We’ll see if that same starting five is kind of what it ends up being.”

OU played seven offensive lineman last week, and Riley said that number should gain one this week as “Wanya (Morris) is starting to do some good things.”

Riley reiterated Thursday that the competition will continue, and the depth chart should evolve every week.

“That's always been our belief to maintain competition all the way through,” he said. “And so, there's competitions ongoing all over the place, all three sides, as we kind of try to whittle this down and find the best squad that we can.”Riley reiterated Thursday that the competition will continue, and the depth chart should evolve every week.

“That's always been our belief to maintain competition all the way through,” he said. “And so, there's competitions ongoing all over the place, all three sides, as we kind of try to whittle this down and find the best squad that we can.”

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