It appears that one of the most talented Oklahoma Sooner players on the defensive side of the ball is back with the football program.
While there has been no official announcement one way or the other from the school, one of Frank Shannon‘s teammates, Zach Sanchez, tweeted over the weekend that the linebacker is indeed back. Sanchez, if you recall, drew the ire of head coach Bob Stoops last October for his very public use of a head band showing support for the suspended Shannon.
OU announced in mid-August that Shannon had been suspended by the university for the entire 2014 season. The linebacker’s future at Oklahoma was “in limbo” after he was accused of sexual assault. The Cleveland County (Okla.) District Attorney’s Office, however, declined to pursue charges following a weeks-long investigation.
A Title IX investigation, though, led to the suspension.
Shannon appealed the suspension decision all the way to the state’s supreme court; a month later, however, the Oklahoma Supreme Court upheld the punitive measure, and Shannon was forced to sit out the entire 2014 season.
If/when Shannon’s return comes to fruition, it will serve as a boon to the Sooners’ defense. As a redshirt sophomore in 2013, Shannon started all 13 games and led the Sooners in tackles with 92.
Barring a waiver from the NCAA that would grant him another year, 2015 will be his final season of eligibility.