With Gerald McCoy gone and Adrian Taylor injured, the defensive tackle spot is almost finalized, coach Bob Stoops said.

Stoops said the position assignment depends on how physically mature the players are.

“It’s just like a year ago, Gerald McCoy played 70 snaps, but look how physical, look how mature he is and that he can play hard 70 snaps,” he said.

“We don’t have guys that are that kind of physical nature right now, so they’re better off playing 40 and 30 to play at a high level and play the way we need them.”

Stoops named sophomores Casey Walker and Stacy McGee as the starters at tackle in Monday’s two-deep depth chart.

Adrian Taylor and Jamarkus McFarland will back up the pair, although Taylor admitted he did not know how certain his playing role is as he works to return from a leg injury.

“I have no timeframe or anything of when I expect to be back out there but I did make some strides that I’m liking,” Taylor said. “I have no timeframe or anything of when I expect to be back out there but I did make some strides that I’m liking. I don’t know if it’s going to be the first game or the second or the third or whatever it is.

“It just goes back to what I was saying, just being smart about my situation. I’m not going to do anything that’s going to set me back and not going to let me help them team at all.”