Torn ACL Will Sideline Linebacker Tom Wort For Entire `09 Season

Reports are coming out this morning that freshman linebacker Tom Wort has a torn ACL and will be out for the season. The good news for Wort is that he’s only a freshman and will be able to take his redshirt and then start over in the spring or possibly next fall.

For Oklahoma it means more shifting in a position that has suddenly become volatile. Thanks to a temporary restraining order Mike Balogun is still able to practice with the team but his future as a Sooner is still very uncertain right now. That means Austin Box will be back in the mix at middle linebacker after previously being moved over to backup Travis Lewis.

Other players to take an interest in are J.R. Bryant and Jaydan Bird. Bryant is a senior who could back up Keenan Clayton but has yet to insert himself as more than a special teams player. Bird is a freshman who was ranked as the nation’s 23^rd outside linebacker. While he hasn’t had the type of camp that Wort was having he has had his moments and could also become a suitable backup at the outside linebacker position. If either one of these guys, if not both, could be ready to step in on the outside linebacker positions it would help Box focus more on being the man in the middle if needed.