Donald Stephenson's Arrest Puts OU's Line in Jeopardy

Stephenson has continued to have problems off the field, which could cause major changes along the Sooners' offensive line.

Thursday, May 26th 2011, 11:38 am

By: News On 6

Donald Stephenson's Arrest Puts OU's Line in Jeopardy

Originally Published: Apr 12, 2010 9:59 AM CDT

More on Oklahoma Sports:
-Willie Warren, Donald Stephenson Arrested in Norman
-OU 2010 Players to Watch, Day 12: Donald Stephenson
-View the police report on Warren and Stephenson

Corey DeMoss
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

NORMAN, Oklahoma – With the arrest of projected starting left tackle Donald Stephenson Saturday, the structure of OU’s offensive line might now be in question.

Associate Athletic Director Kenny Mossman said the team will handle the matter of Stephenson’s misconduct internally and did not comment on how his arrest could affect his standing with the Sooners. Regardless, off-the-field issues are seemingly becoming common for Stephenson.

After playing limited minutes as a redshirt freshman, Stephenson was supposed to see a sizable increase in playing time as a sophomore last year. But before the season began, OU suspended him for undisclosed reasons. At the time, head coach Bob Stoops called him one of the best blockers on the team and said his loss was one of the most damaging in a year ravaged by injuries.

With the departure of All-American tackle Trent Williams, Stephenson was expected to step into the starting lineup this year. But now, once again, off-the-field problems are calling his role into question. The Sooners’ offensive line was one of the biggest concerns heading into spring practice, and Stephenson’s problems only make matters worse.

If Stephenson is suspended again or removed from the starting lineup, Jarvis Jones would be his likely replacement. Jones transferred from LSU after his freshman season and played in nine games last year. He sustained a season-ending heel injury against Nebraska, becoming one of the many injury casualties along the Sooners’ line.

Jones performed well during the games he played last season, recording 71 knockdowns – the third most on the team – in 521 total snaps. However, that performance came on the right side of the line. A shift to left tackle, where he will be responsible for protecting the quarterback’s blindside from opponents’ best pass rushers, could present more of a problem.

Even if Jones is able to perform well on the left side, Stephenson’s absence would greatly diminish the depth at a position that was already a question mark. With Trent Williams gone, the unit lacks a dominant, experienced blocker.

The Sooners clearly focused on aiding the line’s depth with their recruiting, adding a total of five new linemen. None of them are ready to jump into the starting lineup, joining a long list of OU linemen with little to no starting experience.

With so many young players waiting in the wings, it is important to give them time to develop. They need time to get used to the college game, and forcing them into the lineup too soon could stunt their growth.

There is no way to know how Stephenson will be disciplined, but character issues are becoming a significant problem. Even if he is not harshly disciplined for this latest transgression, he will likely be on a short leash in the rest of his time at OU. And if he is unable to get on the field, his troubles could cause a ripple effect that damages the entire line.