Sooner D-Line Should Dominate

With 6 tackles (2 for loss) and a sack the Big 12 Championship game was
Jeremy Beal's coming out party.

Among the linebacker and secondary positions OU is looking to fill five spots left vacant after the 2007 Big 12 Championship season leaving more than just a few question marks. However, the guys upfront should turn out to be one of the best defensive lines around. Inside Gerald McCoy and Oklahoma 's favorite coat grabber (DeMarcus Granger) have potential to be among the best defensive tackles in the conference and on the ends the Sooners could be among the elite in the country.

Auston English and Jeremy Beal have the best chance at being the starting defensive ends and behind them is depth, depth and even more depth. Bob Stoops and Brent Venables like to rotate their defensive linemen to keep them fresh and Oklahoma has an abundance of defensive ends. Behind English and Beal are John Williams, Alan Davis, Frank Alexander, Pryce Macon and incoming freshman R.J. Washington.

R.J. Washington’s quickness and ability to pressure the quarterback could
allow him to make his way on the field this fall as a true freshman.

If you're asking me to tell you now how the 2008 Sooner defense will fare...well...its still too early for that but if you want to know about the defensive line then I can go ahead and tell you that barring injuries they are going to be really good and that is where it all starts.

"With all defenses it starts up front," Beal said. "We open up holes for linebackers or pass rush for the secondary.

"Defensive lines carry the defense."