Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin
The loss of starting defensive end Auston English for up to three games isn't good news for an Oklahoma defense that has been struggling to mount a decent pass rush in recent weeks.
English was expected to be one of the Big 12's most dominant players this season. But preseason surgery for the removal of his appendix kept him from reaching his peak after missing much of fall practice.
But some of the sting of his injury is taken away by the recent emergence of backup defensive end Frank Alexander, who missed five games after he was stabbed in an off-the-field incident after the Sooners' first game. Alexander has come on with two sacks in his last two games and has become a prime pass-rushing threat as a backup.
Finding some kind of replacement will be critical for the Sooners. Oklahoma will be facing talented Texas A&M quarterback Jerrod Johnson, who has thrown for seven touchdown passes in the last two games. The Sooners then will face Heisman candidate Graham Harrell of Texas Tech and then Zac Robinson and Oklahoma State in their final regular-season game.
It will be a big test for a Sooner offense that has been blistered for an average of 34.8 points per game in their last four games -- particularly against the challenging array of quarterbacks they will be playing.
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Tim Griffin
Griffin joined ESPN.com in February 2008. He has covered the Big 12 since its inception, among a variety of beats during a 24-year career at the San Antonio Express-News. Griffin, a Memphis State University graduate, lives in San Antonio with his wife and son.
