The Oklahoma Sooners got a major injury scare earlier this week when it was reported that star defensive tackle David Stone was injured in practice. Reports said it could be a long-term injury, though the timeline was unknown.
Stone is a former five-star recruit and an Oklahoma native. He flashed last season in a backup role, finishing with 42 tackles, eight tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. He entered this season with high expectations, including being projected as a first-round NFL draft pick. He has 12 tackles, two tackles for loss and half a sack up to this point. He's coming off his best game of the season against the New Mexico Lobos, totaling eight tackles and two tackles for loss.
Head coach Brent Venables addressed Stone's injury in his
weekly press conference, including a report that Stone was hurt practicing on offense in a goal-line formation.
"He wasn't on offense," Venables said. "He ran his knee into a scout team player in a jog-through. It kind of popped out. We'll see where he's at. The X-Rays were positive... He said his pain was about a 2/10 right now. So, we'll kind of go from there. The availability report will be out Wednesday."
When Venables was asked about not knowing how long Stone could be sidelined, he offered an intriguing response.
"If at all."
That leaves the door open for Stone to potentially play Saturday when Oklahoma travels to Athens to face Georgia. Sooners fans will know more when Oklahoma releases its availability report Wednesday. Stone's availability would be significant for Oklahoma's defense, particularly as the Sooners prepare for their biggest test since the loss to the Michigan Wolverines.
For now, the initial injury scare has turned into a waiting game. Oklahoma still doesn't know whether Stone will be available against Georgia, but Venables' comments suggest the situation may not be nearly as serious as first feared.
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This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Oklahoma's Brent Venables gives positive David Stone injury update
