Position Preview: Defensive Backs

NORMAN – Former All-Big Ten safety Kerry Cooks will coach the Oklahoma secondary in 2015 after joining the Sooners from Notre Dame. The veteran coach will oversee a unit that returns All-America candidate Zack Sanchez and is loaded with young talent.

Despite being banged up for most of the 2014 campaign, Sanchez was a consensus All-Big 12 first team choice at cornerback as he tied for first in the Big 12 and ninth in the FBS with six interceptions. He also led the Sooners with eight passes broken up. For his efforts, Sanchez was named a semifinalist for the Thorpe Award.

“Anticipation,” Cooks said. “I have been doing it for 15 years and he probably has the best anticipation of when to take a chance of any defensive back at any position. That is his advantage. And then he is a smart player. Plus he has ability. He has the full package.”

Striker fall camp

Redshirt junior Zack Sanchez led the Big 12 in interceptions with six in 2014. Sanchez has been named to watch lists for the Bednarik, Thorpe and Nagurski Awards.

With a full season of good health, the sky is the limit for the Keller, Texas, native and Cooks will look for him to be the vocal leader of the Sooner secondary.

“When I got here in the spring he was a guy who was kind of silent with how he communicated and how he demonstrated his ability,” Cooks said. “I had a conversation with him toward the back half of spring and told him that we need him to step up and take charge of this secondary. Now you can see when guys mess up, take a wrong angle or miss a big play, he is the first one on those guys about doing it right.”

Likely starting opposite Sanchez is sophomore Jordan Thomas. Last season Thomas started the final four contests for Oklahoma after then-starter Julian Wilson went down with injuries. Thomas made the most of his opportunity, recording 27 tackles and five pass break ups. The youngster from Klein, Texas, has continued to elevate his game over the offseason, and enters the 2015 season as an asset Cooks can rely on.

“From spring to now he is a different guy,” Cooks said. “He's competing at a high level. He is working his butt off to be the best player he can be. It's night and day from the spring to where he is now.”

OU has good depth at the cornerback position with juniors Dakota Austin and Stanvon Taylor, as well as junior college transfer William Johnson and redshirt freshman Marcus Green all pushing for playing time.

“Dakota is the ultimate competitor,” Cooks said. “He is a feisty cat. I see a very competitive spirit from Dakota. He wants to be on the field and not just at corner, but it also shows up when he is on special teams. That shows me that cares.”

“Marcus Green is night and day different than what he was back in the spring with his technique,” Cooks added. “His fundamental and his eyes, reading the defense, you see growth in those areas.”

“Will Johnson is another guy that we can play out there at corner,” Cooks said. “He played at junior college and he is a very smart player, a very patient player. So I like where the young guys are, but we still need to get them to play at a championship level.”

TOBY'S TAKE

rowland

I think Jordan Thomas holds a big key to OU's defensive success in 2015. Likely to start opposite First-Team All-Big 12 selection Zack Sanchez, Thomas has the opportunity to give OU stability at a spot that was porous a year ago. One year after being thrust into the fire midseason as a true freshman, Thomas has shown the potential to be a lock-down corner who could give the Sooners valuable bookends at that position.

It will also be interesting to see which of a talented stable of safeties emerge to be difference makers this season. Ahmad Thomas, Hatari Byrd and Steven Parker have had flashes of greatness. Is this the year they become stars, or will one or more of the highly heralded trio of freshmen safeties (Will Sunderland, Kahlil Haughton or Prentice McKinney) earn playing time right away? I believe the talent is there for OU to not just be better, but significantly better in the defensive backfield than a year ago.

Listen to OU play-by-play announcer Toby Rowland weekday mornings from 6-9 a.m. on the "T-Row in the Morning Show" on KREF 98.5 FM and 1400 AM.

Under Cooks, the Sooner defensive backs will all be in the same meeting room once again. Previously, the corners and safeties had been coached separately. Sanchez is happy with the move.

“It's fun that we are together now,” Sanchez said. “Everyone sees each other's mistakes. We all try to help each other and fix those mistakes. We aren't separated now, so we are on the same page. It's not the corners doing this and the safeties do another thing. We are all under one roof now.”

Leading the way for OU at safety is returning starter Ahmad Thomas. The junior from Miami, Fla., started all 13 games for Oklahoma a year ago and finished third on the team with 74 tackles. Junior safety Hatari Byrd should also play significantly into the safety conversation, having played in all 13 games a season ago.

“Ahmad is invaluable,” Cooks said. “He may not be the biggest, strongest, fastest but his a very cerebral player and he understands the defense. He can put himself in position to make plays by thinking before the play happens. Byrd brings more of a physical presence to his game. So it is a good combination of both.”

Sophomore Steven Parker was a bright spot in the secondary last season. As a freshman he played in all 13 games for Oklahoma and started at nickel in four contests. He earned All-Big 12 honorable mention honors and was named Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year.

“Steven had the ability to play a lot of different positions,” Cooks said. “He can probably play all five positions back there. Even if we needed him at corner I think he could play a pretty good corner.

“He can play nickel, he can play dime, he can be the field safety or he can be the boundary safety. He has intellect. Playing last year and that experience that he gained, it's really starting to pay off going into his second year.”

Parker spent time at both safety and nickel last year and will likely do the same in 2015.

“That is the versatility that he gives you,” Cooks said. “You can play him at a lot of different positions so him moving from nickel to strong or free safety—he can do it all. Throughout the season you will see him in a lot of different positions.”

anderson

Sophomore Steven Parker was named Defensive Freshman of the Year in 2014.

Perhaps what has fans most excited about the secondary is that head coach Bob Stoops has billed this year's class of incoming defensive backs one of the best he's seen.

Joining Johnson are freshman cornerback P.J. Mbanasor [em-BAN-uh-sore] and freshmen safeties Kahlil Haughton [kuh-LEEL HAWT-in], Prentice McKinney and Will Sunderland.

“They are competing at a high level,” Cooks said. “There is always an adjustment period from high school to college. They still have some levels to go, but they are competing enough to show that they are excited about being here and they are excited about learning.”

Haughton is a consensus four-star recruit and was rated as the No. 12 safety in the country according to 247Sports. Hailing from Waco, Texas, Haughton, who chose OU over Baylor, LSU, Notre Dame and Ohio State among others, posted 108 tackles, four interceptions, five forced fumbles and 12 pass breakups during his senior season as Midway High School.

Another youngster that could see action right away is Mbanasor. The Pflugerville, Texas, native, who attended the same high school as running back Samaje Perine, is also a consensus four-star recruit and is rated as the No. 74 player and No. 6 corner in the country by ESPN. Mbanasor racked up 47 tackles, one interception, four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and also scored two defensive touchdowns during his senior year. He was invited to The Opening showcase event and the Semper Fidelis All-American Game.

“P.J. is a freshman, but he has a lot of ability,” Cooks said. “He is long, has good speed and his development is a little bit different being that he just got here, but every day he makes progress.”

McKinney boasts an ideal frame for a safety at 6-2 and 180 pounds. The four-star recruit from Dallas was rated the No. 19 safety in the nation by Rivals and drew high praise from his teammates after summer workouts. He recorded 89 tackles, five interceptions, one fumble recovery and two defensive touchdowns as a senior at South Oak Cliff High School.

At nearly identical measurable is Sunderland. A local prospect, Sunderland hails from Midwest City, Okla., and is also a four-star recruit. Rivals listed Sunderland as the No. 109 overall player in the 2015 class and the No. 1 player from the state of Oklahoma. Sunderland was invited to The Opening showcase and the Semper Fidelis All-American Game. He chose OU over Ohio State and Nebraska among others.

No matter who takes the field in the secondary for Oklahoma this year, Cooks wants them to understand just how vital their role is.

“Understanding that when you take that field, the hopes and dreams of the offense, the defense, the team, the university and the community rest on your shoulders,” Cooks said. “I don't say that lightly. Everyone else can get exposed. The d-line can miss a block and then we get it down or the linebackers get it down. The linebackers can let a receiver behind them and we get them down. If something gets behind us, it is over with. You have to be willing to accept that pressure. I want them to understand that pressure when they walk out on that field.”

Players Mentioned

Dakota Austin

Dakota Austin

Hatari Byrd

Hatari Byrd

Marcus Green

Kahlil Haughton

Will Johnson

Will Johnson

Will Johnson

P.J. Mbanasor

Prentice McKinney

Steven Parker

Steven Parker

Samaje Perine

Samaje Perine

Zack Sanchez

Zack Sanchez

Will Sunderland

Stanvon Taylor

Stanvon Taylor

Ahmad Thomas

Ahmad Thomas

Ahmad Thomas

Jordan Thomas

Jordan Thomas

Julian Wilson

Julian Wilson

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