Position Preview: Linebacker Depth Could Be an Issue for OSU in 2019

The Cowboys have a solid group of returning linebackers.

But behind that core of returners is a lot of unknown. It could be a case of true freshmen backing up starters in 2019. We’ll look at Oklahoma State’s linebackers next in our Position Preview series.

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The LB Room

Calvin Bundage (Sr.): OSU’s resident head hunter, Calvin Bundage had an up and down 2018. Bundage started in every game he played in last season, but he did miss the Kansas game and the Liberty Bowl with injuries. Despite missing games, he finished fourth on the team in tackles with 62. He had eight tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. He also had penalty problems last season, an issue Mike Gundy has been adamant on correcting for the whole team in 2019.

Amen Ogbongbemiga (R-Jr.): Amen Ogbongbemiga is expected to step into the Mike linebacker role that has been a strength of the Cowboys’ defense in recent seasons with Chad Whitener and Justin Phillips. Ogbongbemiga played in every game last season. He had a team-best six special teams tackles and 12 total tackles. His season highlight game when he sacked Kyler Murray in the Bedlam game. He also blocked a punt against Boise State.

Devin Harper (R-Jr.): Devin Harper picked up his first career start against Kansas last season. He played in every game, finishing the year with 44 tackles, five tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. He also had an interception against South Alabama.

LC Greenwood (R-So.): LC Greenwood came to OSU as a four-star receiver before switching to linebacker this spring. He got in three games in 2018 but hasn’t recorded any statistics yet.

Kevin Henry (R-Sr.): After playing in all 13 of OSU’s games as a redshirt freshman in 2016, Kevin Henry’s past two seasons have been riddled with injury. In 2017, Henry played in only the season opener (a game he had six tackles in). This past season, Henry played in 10 games, missing the Boise State, Texas Tech and Texas games. He started the Liberty Bowl and finished the year with 10 tackles.

Na’drian Dizadare (Fr.): OSU defensive coordinator Jim Knowles picked out Na’drian Dizadare as one of a few true freshman that could contribute in 2019. Out of Evangel Christian in Shreveport, Louisiana, Dizadare was the 90th-ranked outside linebacker prospect in the 2019 class.

Philip Redwine-Bryant (R-Sr.): A 2018 team captain and OSU Walk-On Award recipient, Philip Redwine-Bryant earned a scholarship entering his senior season. He played in every game last season, wracking up the first five tackles of his career.

Braden Spicer (R-Fr.): A walk-on out of Tulsa-Union, Braden Spicer is listed at 5-foot-11, 217 pounds.

Carson Kropp (R-Fr.): Carson Kropp is a 6-2, 230-pound walk-on from Owasso High School.

Kamryn Farrar (Fr.): Another true freshman who could contribute this season, Kamryn Farrar was the 61st-ranked outside linebacker prospect of the 2019 class. He is out of Dallas-Skyline and chose OSU over Colorado, Air Force, Illinois State and Jackson State.

Blake Barron (R-Fr.): Blake Barron missed his freshman season with a knee injury. Out of Rockwall High School (Texas), he had 104 total tackles as a senior, including 13 tackles for loss and five sacks. He picked OSU over Houston, North Texas and SMU.

Adam Martin (R-So.): A walk-on from Stillwater High School, Adam Martin is listed at 5-11, 217 pounds.

Relijah Sherman (R-So.): Relijah Sherman spent his freshman season at Southwestern Oklahoma State before walking on at OSU in 2018.

Matthew Werner (R-Fr.): Matthew Werner is a 5-11, 211-pound walk-on from Southlake-Carroll.

2019 Expectations

The four big names of this group are Calvin Bundage, Kevin Henry, Devin Harper and Amen Ogbongbemiga.

Ogbongbemiga is probably the least experienced of the group, but apparently he has been one of Knowles’ projects since the second-year DC got to Stillwater.

“Amen is a guy who I have been building since I arrived, knowing that Justin (Phillips) was only going to be with me for one year,” Knowles said at the media golf outing. “Amen is a guy who I have been building since I arrived. I’m pretty hard on him to pick up the system, to learn the system because I expect him to really be the quarterback of the whole defense. I have a lot of faith in him, too.”

Those four names are solid. With that said, Bundage and Harper each missed time in fall camp with injuries, and a few injuries in a group that has already been a bit injury prone (or a targeting penalty) would make things rather interesting.

Position Strengths

That group of four is a solid group. All are upperclassmen with experience, and if those four can stay on the field in 2019, the Cowboys probably won’t have a problem at linebacker.

Position Weaknesses

Jim Knowles said he is more concerned with linebacker depth that he is with his defensive line’s inexperience.

Knowles mentioned Na’drian Dizadare and Kamryn Farrar could play roles in their true freshmen seasons, so it could turn into a situation like with OSU’s safeties last season, where those two have to take some bumps.

“I’m very concerned about our linebacker depth,” Knowles said Aug. 6. “Na’Drian Dizadare is starting to step up as a true freshman. Another true freshman I think is going to have to play is Kam Farrar. We gotta get him ready. He’s got a lot of talent just to find the football. He doesn’t really know where to lineup or what to do, but he’s got talent to find the football. I think both those guys are gonna have to play because we have depth issues there.”