The cornerback soap opera at Oklahoma has gotten a lot of attention this week but the Sooners may be in better shape than the Ducks who lost their best corner, Jackie Bates, to a broken leg.
Behind Bates are four players who until 10 days ago never had played in a Division I football game. Ducks defensive backs coach John Neal says the plan is to forget positions and just put the four best defensive backs on the field.
Two redshirt freshmen and a junior college transfer are competing this week to replace Bates.
The first choice appears to be redshirt freshman Jairus Byrd, who last week was listed on the depth chart as the backup rover behind Patrick Chung.
There are three players listed at Bates' left cornerback position on this week's depth chart: Redshirt freshman Willie Glasper, or junior college transfer Jameel Dowling, or Byrd.
However, when ranking the defensive backs, Neal said Byrd is fourth behind free safety J.D. Nelson, Chung and right cornerback Walter Thurmond III, a redshirt freshman.
"Jairus is going into this game as my next best corner," Neal said.
I hate to second guess coaches making a ton of money at a successful program on the Division I level but does anyone else see this as a possible recipe for disaster?
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