A depth chart decided by Supreme Court or Boren
UPDATE: Coach Bob Stoops announced this week that Frank Shannon would not play Saturday in the Louisiana Tech game.
Few would have known at last year’s Sugar Bowl, when Frank Shannon was blowing up the Alabama offense, that his pivotal role at linebacker — and perhaps the success of the Oklahoma defense in 2014 — would be decided by nine Oklahoma Supreme Court justices.
Shannon is at the center of a legal battle that involves a federal government policy regarding sexual assault on college campuses that made headlines this year from the White House.
The case also risks the longtime symbiotic relationship between OU President David Boren and Coach Bob Stoops.
With less than a week before the opening 2014 game against Louisiana Tech, Shannon, a redshirt junior who led the team in tackles last year, remains on the team. But a decision by the Supreme Court on a request by Boren’s administration could effectively remove him from the team for the entire year.
This all began in the off season when Shannon was accused of sexually assaulting a female OU student. The Cleveland County District Attorney chose not to file charges against him. The complaining witness refused to press charges. But OU conducted a Title IX investigation, complying with federal Department of Education regulations that have gotten much national attention, especially since an accusation of sexual assault by Heisman trophy winner Jameis Winston was swept under the rug by Florida State officials.
