Sooners Face Hurricane Minus Linebacker Austin Box

By Corey DeMoss, News On 6 Sports

NORMAN, OK -- The OU Sooners will be without linebacker Austin Box Saturday in their game against Tulsa.

Box is sidelined with a back injury, the severity of which is currently unknown. The Sooners' depth at linebacker will be even worse without Box, but they have been shorthanded at the position all season.

Freshman Tom Wort will miss the rest of the year with a knee injury and Mike Balogun has been decertified by the NCAA. Balogun is appealing the ruling and is still practicing with the team, but head coach Bob Stoops is not allowing him to play until a final ruling is made.

The injury to Box could give more playing time to true freshman Ronnell Lewis, who Stoops has consistently praised as one of the Sooners' most impressive freshmen.