Lack of linebacker experience a concern for Oklahoma State

STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) _ Oklahoma State has gone from having four senior linebackers with a combined 101 career starts to a group with only one start. <br/><br/>Coaches and players say yesterday during

Sunday, August 6th 2006, 1:58 pm

By: News On 6

STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) _ Oklahoma State has gone from having four senior linebackers with a combined 101 career starts to a group with only one start.

Coaches and players say yesterday during the Cowboys' annual Media Day that this season's group of linebackers might be inexperienced but they're bigger, faster and more athletic than those last season, when the Cowboys finished 4-7.

Junior middle linebacker Rodrick Johnson leads the group. He finished third on the team last season with 74 tackles and has the only career start among the six players listed on the two-deep depth chart at linebacker.

OSU coach Mike Gundy is excited about the athletic ability of the group but acknowledges that there will be a learning curve for most of the linebackers during the Cowboys' first few games.