After playing in only ten combined games his freshman and sophomore seasons, senior corner Dakota Austin was thrust into the limelight as a junior in 2015. A combination of disciplinary issues and injuries in the secondary resulted in Austin appearing in a total of eleven games in 2015, with two starts.
The Lancaster, Texas native didn’t disappoint either. On October 24th he nabbed an interception and recorded a career-high eleven tackles in a home game against Texas Tech, and he ended the season with 25 total tackles (1 for loss) and two picks.
Coming into the 2016 season discipline issues are once again looming for Oklahoma’s secondary and it’s Austin who may get to benefit from it one more time. “We’re just very pleased overall with the guys who we need to step up,” Bob Stoops said at Media Day on Saturday. “In the secondary, Dakota Austin played great for us a year ago and has stepped up.”
The season opener against Houston is going to stretch Oklahoma’s secondary and Dakota Austin may just be the right solution to a rebuilt group of defensive backs that are also possibly looking at a starter being suspended.