Senior defensive end Pryce Macon has had to spend time at defensive tackle recently due to team injuries, which he said has been a challenge because of his size.
Defensive tackles freshman Daniel Noble and sophomore Casey Walker have been hurt, shrinking the rotation and forcing Macon to shift from his natural position, where he is already somewhat undersized.
Coach Bob Stoops said Walker is still out, and Noble and sophomore linebacker Ronnell Lewis could possibly return this week, but they are still doubtful.
Stoops also said freshman defensive tackle Torrea Peterson is back for practice, but expectations for his impact are low.
“He’s a guy that hasn’t played yet, so I don’t see it as a huge boost,” Stoops said.
Senior defensive tackle Adrian Taylor said Macon has been a huge help, despite not necessarily being a huge lineman.
“He’s been a tremendous help in the inside,” Taylor said. “He is one of many people who can help us, but he just happened to be the one to slide in right now.”
Macon said even though he is outweighed by 40-50 pounds by the Sooners’ other defensive tackles, defensive line coach Jackie Shipp expects the same out of him as he does the others.
“He holds me to the same expectations as Adrian Taylor or Jamarkus McFarland,” Macon said. “He doesn’t let me slide on anything. He holds me to the same standard as if I was 300 pounds.”
Unfortunately for Macon in this situation, he isn’t 300 pounds, something he said becomes painfully evident when he is in the trenches battling offensive linemen on the inside.
“It wears on me a little,” Macon said. “I feel like I’m a little bowling ball in there sometimes, and I get pushed around like a pinball. It’s just one of those things you have to fight through.”
Even though Macon said he is willing to do whatever it takes to help out the team, he won’t hesitate to move back to defensive end when he gets the opportunity.
“It’s one of those things, if I have to do it, I’ll do it,” Macon said. “But if guys get healthy, I’m not going to stop them from moving me back to end.”
