Lincoln Riley Unveils QB depth chart

Finally, at the end of fall camp we know who will be the starting quarterback when the calendar turns to September and the Oklahoma Sooners take on the Houston Cougars in week one of the college football season. Just as we all expected Alabama transfer Jalen Hurts was tabbed as Riley's go to man, trying to follow up back-to-back Heisman trophy winners in Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray.

While Lincoln Riley made the expected decision, his comments to the local media do raise an eyebrow or two.

Riley said Hurts was "Slightly better." and "Probably the closest one [quarterback battles] we've had since I've been at Oklahoma, I would say for sure...Just a very competitive [QB] room."

These comments can be taken one of two ways, Riley could actually mean them, and 5-star true freshman Spencer Rattler is right on his heels as Tua Tagovailoa was with the Crimson Tide? Or, is this just coach speak, and Riley trying to protect his prize freshman, and his program and make sure that Rattle does not slide into the dreaded transfer portal?

Beyond Hurts, QB2 on the depth chart is Tanner Mordecai, who has talent in his own right and often overlooked, and coming in third is hot-shot gunslinger filled with swagger and moxie Spencer Rattler.

Some fans may be caught off guard by the true freshman who without being an early enrollee still almost stole the job away from Hurts is coming in third on the depth chart. The answer is simple: Protecting his redshirt.

While the NCAA did expand the redshirt rules allowing for players to play in up to four contests and still being allowed to redshirt, the Sooners want to protect those four games. So if Hurts' helmet pops off, or he gets a stinger and is forced out for a play, or even a series but is set to go right back in, allow the capable Mordecai to trot in and keep the offense afloat and preserve the game for Rattler. You would not want to waste one of his four chances on a single play, when he likely will get an entire half in week two against South Dakota for example, and depending on how things go, could get his feet wet against a big time school like UCLA as well the following week.

If Jalen Hurts gets hurt for an extending period of time, call it a week or more, I would expect Rattler to be thrusted into action leap frogging Mordecai on the depth chart just that fast.

As we have seen the recent trend in college football, with Trevor Lawrence leaping over a struggling Kelly Bryant and winning the Tigers a National Championship, or just today the Auburn Tigers tabbing true freshman Bo Nix as it's starting quarterback for a tough opener against the 11th ranked Oregon Ducks, teams are no longer afraid to throw a true freshman into the fire. While the QB depth chart is set for now, if Hurts struggles as a passer, as he has in the past, Riley will not be gun shy to turn to Rattler in a season that again has College Football Playoff aspirations in Norman.