Brent Venables reveals that the Sooners could be getting some help from someone many thought was done playing for the year
Brent Venables and the Sooners could need Jovantae Barnes on Friday against Alabama.
The Oklahoma Sooners have had two weeks off before preparing for their College Football Playoff game against the Alabama Crimson Tide. They should be much healthier now than they were when they entered this two-week break. However, this is college football, and you never truly know the extent of the injuries that these players are dealing with and playing through.
Running backs Xavier Robinson and Tory Blaylock have been playing through some pretty serious injuries for some time now. They’ve had two weeks now to rehab, per se. If they cannot go or need to be restricted, OU may have someone available to help.
Brent Venables reveals there’s a possibility RB Jovantae Barnes plays vs. Alabama
Barnes sat out the rest of the season to preserve his redshirt status so that he could play another year, whether that’s elsewhere or back with the Sooners next season. However, when you make the playoffs, that postseason game does not count towards your redshirt eligibility. Venables was asked if there was any way Barnes could see the field on Friday.
“Potentially, we will see how that goes,” Venables said.
Barnes is a power back who’s very strong and great in pass protection. If the Sooners need that on Friday, he could see the field, that is, if he wants to. Many view his situation as Barnes giving up on his team. While the Sooners are holding on by a thread in the RB room, with the only guys able to play being Robinson and Blaylock, and even though they’re banged up, he decided to sit out.
But maybe we don’t know the entire story. We do know, though, that Barnes was seen at practice on Monday catching passes from John Mateer. Barnes isn’t to blame for any of this – this is the new age of college football. However, you have to kind of hope that if OU really needs him, he shows up.
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