Kennedy Brooks reportedly opting out of 2020 season

The Big 12 may be planning to play football this fall, but a key member of one of its leading teams isn’t going to be joining in.

Oklahoma running back Kennedy Brooks informed the team Sunday that he has opted out of the 2020 season, according to Jason Kersey of The Athletic. Neither Brooks nor the school has publicly confirmed thus far.

Brooks was set for a big role in the Oklahoma backfield in his junior year. After rushing for at least 1,000 yards in his first two years at school, he was set to get the bulk of the carries out of the backfield in 2020, at least early in the season with Rhamondre Stevenson suspended.

Only Jalen Hurts rushed for more yards on the Sooners in 2019 than Brooks did, so Oklahoma will have some work to do to compensate for this loss. As it stands, junior T.J. Pledger, who has only 40 carries to his name in his college career, would be the most experienced back available for the team’s opener.