OU cornerback Gentry Williams out for College Football Playoff after shoulder surgery

Oklahoma will be without a key defensive player for its incoming College Football Playoff run.

OU cornerback Gentry Williams underwent shoulder surgery and will be out the remainder of the season, OU coach Brent Venables announced Sunday. The Sooners finished No. 8 in the College Football Playoff Rankings and will host No. 9 Alabama on Dec. 19.

It’s an unfortunate end to Williams’ season. The OU cornerback suffered a shoulder injury in Week 8 against South Carolina has been out since then.

There was hope that Williams could return for the stretch run. Williams was made available to the media prior to the Sooners’ clash against Alabama and was not on the initial availability report that week, but he reinjured that shoulder. He was sidelined through the Sooners’ games in the month of November.

Williams — a redshirt junior — started five games this season, logging 10 tackles and one tackle for loss. Williams, who has one year of eligibility remaining, went through the Sooners’ senior day ceremony in the regular-season finale against LSU, but it’s unclear if he’ll return next season.

Without Williams, the Sooners will continue to lean on underclassmen Eli Bowen and Courtland Guillory as their starting cornerbacks. Both players have performed well over the last few weeks, particularly Bowen, who logged two interceptions over the final three regular season games. Jacobe Johnson and Devon Jordan will be the primary reserves at cornerback.

Venables also noted that it’s unclear whether star defensive end R Mason Thomas and center Jake Maikkula will be available for the Alabama game. Thomas has missed the last three games after suffering a quad injury against Tennessee. Maikkula, who has started 10 games, missed the LSU game due to an infection.

The Sooners kickoff against Alabama at 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 19 at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium (ABC).

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