For years, the Big 12 has been known as a league full of high powered offenses.
With the slew of weapons on Texas' roster, TCU's skill position players and the number of other talented quarterbacks and wideouts in the conference, it is important for Oklahoma to have a strong defensive back group to combat some of the talented playmakers in the Big 12.
While the safeties on OU's roster are very experienced and could be a strong point of the Sooners' defense this year, the cornerbacks on Brent Venables squad are mostly unproven.
At Oklahoma's summer media day on Tuesday, the team's head coach pointed out that only one player on his team has made a start at corner in an NCAA contest. The player Venables was referring to is redshirt senior Woodi Washington.
"I'm really excited to see the competition at corner," Venables said. "Woodi Washington is the only corner that's started in a college game at the Division I level. I'm excited to expeditiously see those battles work out."
Washington will enter his third season as Oklahoma's starting cornerback in 2023, giving the former 4-star prospect a wealth of experience. Across his four seasons with the Sooners, Washington has played in 33 games, making 23 starts over the past three years.
As a sophomore in 2020, the Oakland (TN) High School product took over the starting job midway through the season. The following year, Washington was the team's starter for five games, dealing with injury issues for the majority of the season.
As a redshirt junior, Washington played in and started all 13 games for the first time in his collegiate career.
The 5-foot-11 corner recorded 67 tackles, six pass breakups, one tackle for loss, one interception and one forced fumble last year in his first season with cornerbacks coach Jay Valai. According to Pro Football Focus, Washington was the 45th-highest graded cornerback in FBS football in 2022.
Last year, C.J. Coldon was OU's other starting corner, giving Washington another veteran presence in the position group.
This year, however, Washington will have to anchor the defense with a much less experienced option in the other cornerback spot. While many of the players in the Sooners' cornerback room have plenty of potential, their lack of in-game reps could be challenging for Oklahoma's defense.
Fortunately for Venables and company, Washington has reportedly taken on a leadership role in the Valai's corner group.
"100 percent," defensive coordinator Ted Roof said on Tuesday when asked if Washington had begun to mentor some of the younger defensive backs. "Another guy that has really grown as a leader. When he talks back there in the secondary, those young players are like, sitting on the edge of their seat listening to him because they know that he knows... He's been another guy that has made leaps as a leader, and need him to continue to do that."
If Washington is able to help some of the younger DBs on the roster adjust to college football and learn Venables defense, OU could have a number of solid options to choose from heading into the 2023 season.
Between sophomore corner Gentry Williams, redshirt freshman Jayden Rowe, Louisville transfer Kani Walker, junior college transfer Kendel Dolby and talented freshmen Makari Vickers, Jacobe Johnson and Jasiah Wagoner, there are a handful of players who could benefit from Washington's leadership and compete for the open spot in the secondary.
Wagoner spoke highly of his veteran teammate at OU Media Day, saying that Washington has taken the first-year player under his wing.
"I wouldn't say I'm like his little brother, but that's definitely a big brother figure that I look up to," Wagoner said of Washington. "Just his experience, and the fact that when I came on the team, when all the corners came on the team, he didn't really look at us as competition... He just worried about helping us out. I appreciate that."
Williams received his fair share of praise on Tuesday as well, with Venables discussing how the former 4-star prospect has improved over the offseason.
"He's been on a mission, that's the best way I can describe it," the Sooners' head coach said. "He's locked in, focused... Zoomed in, mature, driven, ambitious... That's what I've seen. Incredible work ethic, teammates love him. He's got a great ceiling, all of his best football is still in front of him. He's long and he's athletic, he's tough as all get out. Really talented young player. Players really respect him."
With one year in Venables' defense under his belt, Washington should perform even better in year two. The Tennessee native will need to play well in order for the Sooners' defense to be competitive, as he will regularly be lined up against the opposing team's No. 1 target.
If Washington has a good season and the Sooners are able to get solid play out of Williams, Dolby or one of the other young players in the position group, Oklahoma's defense should be much better than they were in 2022. Last year, the Sooners ranked 119th in passing yards allowed, a number that OU will need to improve before their jump to the SEC.
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