Sooners still sorting out deep defense
By GUERIN EMIG World Sports Writer
8/22/2006
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Sapulpa's Pendleton is a sure replacement for Dvoracek, Ayodele.
NORMAN -- How many Oklahoma defensive tackles does it take to replace Dusty Dvoracek? Would you believe nine?
"I want everybody to know how much I believe in this rotation, and it's set in stone that I'm playing nine," Sooner defensive tackles coach Jackie Shipp said recently, tongue buried in cheek.
Seriously, now. Dvoracek was a load. But worth the weight of nine 300-pounders?
"You can play four," Shipp said, this time straight-faced. "Sometimes you can play five."
Which begs another question: Which four or five? Who's ready to replace Dvoracek, now property of the Chicago Bears, and Remi Ayodele, another 2005 senior who started five games alongside Dvoracek at tackle?
"That's way too early to start worrying about," Shipp claimed.
Two more weeks of practice, the thinking goes, is enough time to flesh out a rotation. For now, the only safe bet appears to be Carl Pendleton, the Sapulpa junior who should make his 20th career start Sept. 2 against Alabama-Birmingham.
Steven Coleman, who has spot-played the past two years, started alongside Pendleton Aug. 12, the last time OU
opened a scrimmage for public viewing. Cory Bennett, a sophomore who started the '05 opener, and heralded redshirt freshman DeMarcus Granger were next, followed by two more redshirt freshmen, Cordero Moore and Claremore product Billy Blackard.
Sprinkle in true freshmen Gerald McCoy -- the USA Today Defensive Player of the Year at Oklahoma City Southeast last year -- and Adrian Taylor, and suddenly Shipp's joke doesn't sound as funny.
"It's incredible," Pendleton said when asked about defensive tackle depth. "It's the best it's been since I've been here."
That it's relatively unproven depth?
"I'm impressed with the young guys," Pendleton said. "When I came in, we kind of struggled for a long time to pick (the defense) up. These guys are not having that problem. These guys are going to be great players."
Both Shipp and OU defensive coordinator Brent Venables applauded Granger and Blackard last week. Venables added kudos for McCoy and Taylor.
At the same time, the two assistants stressed the need for the youth movement at defensive tackle to be just that: moving.
"We're still working to get better and need to get better between now and the first game," Venables said. "But progress has been made. I've been pleased."
"They all have great upside," Shipp said. "The bottom line is to get it out of them."
Shipp got it out of Dvoracek, just as he got it out of Tommie Harris, another Bear, before Dvoracek. Somewhere out of the mass of Sooner defensive tackles, he expects to get it out of someone else this season.
"I don't think players think, 'OK, Dusty's gone. Oh, I gotta do this,' " Shipp said. "I don't think it's anything they put on themselves. They just step into that slot. Happens every year.
"Every year somebody leaves and somebody steps up."
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Guerin Emig 581-8355
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