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In linebackers Rufus Alexander and Zach Latimer, Oklahoma defensive coordinator Brent Venables lost his two senior leaders, 202 tackles, 28 starts and the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year.

And while it might not sound so simple, Venables can replace the numbers.

Between a couple of part-time starters, Curtis Lofton and Demarrio Pleasant, and a couple of new faces, Ryan Reynolds and Mike Reed, the Sooners could be more talented at linebacker than last year.

What Venables will be missing is trust — something built over five years with Alexander and Latimer.

Regardless of ability, replacing that trust won't be easy.

"Right now I haven't had to rely on anybody else that's going to line up out there today in real critical situations,” Venables said. "It's trying to find out your playmakers, consistency, who can make calls and all the adjustments. You lean on those guys.

"You don't know who you can trust right now.”

So Venables will focus on the talent and let the trust build itself.

The next task becomes determining who plays where. Venables has several candidates for his two-deep and plenty of flexibi