Oklahoma Sooners Football: Caleb Kelly, Jordan Kelley to miss extended period of time with lower-body injuries

Per an OU press release, senior linebacker Caleb Kelly and redshirt freshman defensive tackle Jordan Kelley have both sustained “lower-body injuries” and will each be sidelined for an indefinite amount of time. Kelley (DT) has already undergone a surgical procedure, while Kelly (LB) still requires surgery.

Here’s Riley’s portion of the release:

“It’s a really tough deal for both Caleb and Jordan,” said Riley. “I guess if there’s a silver lining it’s the timing of the injuries with them occurring five months before the season. I know they’ll work their tails off to get back to the field as quickly as possible, and we’ll be there with them every step of the way”

It’s an unfortunate setback for both players, but particularly Caleb Kelly, who going into his senior season has yet to reach his potential after signing with the Oklahoma Sooners as a five-star high school recruit in 2016. At this point there’s no telling how quickly either one of them could return to the field given the undisclosed nature of the situation, but with the start of the season being just under five months away, I suppose the chance is there.

At the same time, it’s a huge blow to Kelly, as his effort to settle in under new DC Alex Grinch has now suffered a setback. Throughout this spring, Kelly had been working primarily at the WILL linebacker spot after moving around over the last year. That just makes the news of this injury so much tougher for him because in Grinch’s defense, there was a glimmer of hope that he would be utilized effectively. Now, this really opens up an opportunity for redshirt freshman DaShaun White to seize a spot at either the WILL or the MIKE LB spot, depending on where Grinch and ILB coach Brian Odom feel he and Kenneth Murray are best suited.

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