Oklahoma Football: 5 Post-Spring Questions Facing the Sooners

The Oklahoma Sooners are preparing for the new season and hoping it doesn't end the way last year's season did. They return 15 starters and have the same goals they had last season, including, of course, winning a national championship.

Those goals start in the spring as they begin preparation and start finding out what type of team they have. There's no question that Oklahoma has more talent than most teams, but they do have questions that need answers. Some of them weren't answered in the spring game and will need more time to figure out.

Here are five questions that the Oklahoma Sooners must answer in the fall.

How Will the Defense Perform?

Mike Stoops is back as the defensive coordinator for Oklahoma, and it's going to be interesting to see just how this defense performs this season. They looked solid overall in the spring game, but that's only, well, a spring game.

We do know that they return seven starters from a year ago and have the talent to be one of the better defenses in the country. We also know that they gave up over 500 total yards four times last season and gave up 495 yards to Oklahoma State.

Will this unit be better this season with Stoops running the show?

What in the World Is Wrong with Javon Harris?

Javon Harris has received a lot of criticism for the way he performed against the Baylor Bears last season, letting big play after big play take place. He was listed as the starter at the strong safety position this spring, and we've heard a lot of great things about his improvement. 

Wide receiver Jaz Reynolds had the biggest play in the spring game—a 60-yard touchdown reception—and it was Harris who was the one who got beat.

To be fair, Harris has shown how great he can be, but his knack for giving up the big play has to stop, or he may see himself on the sidelines more often than he'd like.

What Will the Running Back Situation Look Like?

Dominique Whaley was off to a great start in the first six games of the 2011 season, but he broke his ankle and missing the rest of the year. He is expected to make a full recovery and be ready for the season opener, but that doesn't mean he'll be the same running back he was last year.

There are reliable backups in Brennan Clay and Roy Finch, both of whom had their fair share of success last season. Redshirt freshman Danzel Williams has also had a terrific spring and has worked hard enough to earn carries, regardless of what happens with Whaley.

Can the Wide Receivers Step Up?

The last four seasons, Oklahoma has had the privilege of having a top-notch wide receiver in Ryan Broyles. But now that he's moved on to the next level, Oklahoma will need to find some replacements for him. Last season, when Broyles went down with an injury, the passing game struggled mightily, and the Sooners simply can't let that happen again.

Returning juniors Kenny Stills, Trey Franks and Jaz Reynolds are the likely starters, but they will have expanded roles now that there's no true No.1 option on the team. Freshman Trey Metoyer is an absolute beast and showcased some of his ridiculous ability in the spring game.

You also have redshirt freshmen Kendal Thompson and Danzel Williams who could make an impact as well.

Overall, this is a unit that is very talented; we just need to see more in the fall to find out what the rotation will look like.

Who's the Backup Quarterback?

Landry Jones will be the quarterback for the Sooners for one more season, and then somebody will end up taking over his spot. As of right now, it looks like the backup position will come down to Blake Bell or Drew Allen. Both played well in the spring game, but it's Bell who is so dangerous with his feet that he is such an intriguing option (he rushed for 13 touchdowns last season).

Regardless of who ends up the backup, look to see Bell in those short-yardage situations once again.