The release of the first depth chart of the season not only added to our hype over the season returning, it gave us some clues about how things — particularly the defense — will look different on the Venables watch.
After all, what is a Cheetah position anyway?
Head coach Brent Venables announced that senior DaShaun White (No. 23) will start as the “Cheetah” in his 4-3 defensive alignment. Redshirt senior Justin Harrington will back him up.
White is a fifth-year player. He made 22 unassisted tackles last year.
To put it simply, this is the role that legendary College Football Hall of Famer Roy Williams played.
It is a combination of a linebacker and a defensive back. Maybe someone smaller than a Brian Bosworth, but bigger than a Derrick Strait.
A player who sometimes lines up as an outside linebacker and sometimes drops into pass coverage on shallow routes.
Most recently, Venables employed a “Cheetah” in his Clemson defense. Isaiah Simmons and Trent Simpson filled the bill very effectively, rushing the passer to defending against the run to protecting the middle of the field. That is a versatility the Sooner staff no doubt wants on this defense.
It will be a key to the defense’s success whether they can make that happen.
So, watch No. 23 (White), sometimes lining up over a tight end. Other times see him outside covering a slot receiver. And on a few occasions Venables has been known to drop his Cheetah back to the position of a safety.
The Cheetah will compliment the beefier middle linebacker David Ugwoegbu (6-4, 250, Sr.) and weakside linebacker Danny Stutsman (6-4, 240, So.).
This will be a linebacker-centric defense.
What else would you expect from Venables, right?
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