NORMAN — It wasn't too long ago that Billy Bowman found himself hobbling off the field at TCU's Amon G. Carter Stadium.

The then-sophomore Sooner returned a kickoff in the opening quarter of a game against the Horned Frogs on Oct. 1 and came up limping after getting brought to the ground. Bowman suffered a knee injury, which ultimately sidelined him for the next two games.

It was a huge loss for OU's secondary, which struggled without one of its top safeties. But Bowman is ready to get back on the saddle this season.

OU is set to begin its 2023 campaign with a home game against Arkansas State at 11 a.m. Saturday, and Bowman is the team's top kick returner in its Week 1 depth chart.

"I'm willing to do whatever the coaches want me to do on special teams," Bowman said on Aug. 21. "I still want to be in the return game, and I'm still fighting for that. I want to increase my value in whatever way possible. So anything, I'll do it."

It isn't hard to see why Bowman is back in the kick return game.

The junior Sooner is an explosive athlete who has good field vision and good acceleration. He averaged 15.33 yards per kickoff return last season.

There's always a risk when playing key offensive or defensive players on special teams, as seen by Bowman's injury last season. But after leading the Sooners to a 6-7 (3-6 Big 12) record in 2022, head coach Brent Venables can't afford to play it safe.

"We lost five games by one score (last season)," Venables said on Tuesday. "I don’t think we’re in any kind of position whatsoever to say, ‘Let’s save him.’ Save him for what? We’re trying to win. ... We want all the weapons we can have back there to score and create field position."

More: With OU football set for last dance in Big 12, how can Sooners head to SEC on high note?

Cornerback competition

As OU prepares to kick off its season on Saturday, there are still numerous ongoing position battles.

One example is OU's second starting cornerback spot, where sophomore Gentry Williams will get the nod for Week 1.

Williams had a modest role as a freshman last season, recording seven tackles and one interception. But the former Booker T. Washington standout has made strides this offseason, and he'll be rewarded with his first career start on Saturday.

"He’s got tremendous work ethic, really smart," Venables said. "He cares, he’s passionate and he’s tough. He responds to tough coaching. He’s a great teammate. He’s willing to listen and learn. ... He’s about the right stuff."

But Williams will have to fight to retain his starting spot, according to Venables.

"It's still really ongoing," Venables said. "I expect to play a lot of guys at the corner position. We've got tremendous youth there, and we've got to get these guys growing up quickly."

Behind Williams on the depth chart is Kendel Dolby, Makari Vickers and Jacobe Johnson, in that order.

Dolby is a junior who spent the past two seasons at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M. He was ranked by 247Sports as the top junior college cornerback when he transferred to OU on Nov. 23.

Then there's freshmen Vickers and Johnson, who are both former four-star prospects. Vickers was rated by 247Sports as the No. 102 overall player in his class, while Johnson was rated as the No. 116 overall player.

It's a group that doesn't have a ton of Division I experience, meaning playing time is still very much up for grabs.

More: Ranking OU football's most important players for a Sooners turnaround in 2023?

Injury updates

Venables said sophomore offensive lineman Jacob Sexton is expected to be available in "a week or so."

Sexton tore his ACL during OU's Cheez-It Bowl loss to Florida State on Dec. 9. The former Deer Creek standout is listed as the third-string left tackle on the Sooners' Week 1 depth chart.

More: What are OU football's best-case, worst-case scenarios for every game in 2023 season?

Quick hits

• Venables on redshirt junior defensive tackle Jonah Laulu's leadership: "A year ago I don’t think we had great leadership inside. If you’re gonna have a good defense, you've got be strong up the middle of the defense. ... Jonah takes that part of his game and his strengths and makes that group better."

• Venables on freshman quarterback Jackson Arnold: "Jackson is a hard-working, smart, instinctive, highly-skilled guy who has a tremendous ceiling. ... There's no doubt that Dillon is our undisputed quarterback for all the reasons that y'all know. But we know that Dillon won't be here next year, so we've got to prepare for that day as well. Like all decisions, you've got to have a plan for that. And we do.

• Sophomore linebacker Dasan McCullough on his growth since the spring: “Seeing clips of me in spring ball, I want to click past it. I don’t even want to watch it, honestly, because it was just so bad from a technique standpoint. But just my growth since then has been incredible, so I can’t be anything but grateful for the coaches.”

• Redshirt junior offensive lineman Tyler Guyton on being a starter: “It’s a whole new role. It’s a different type of mindset. Different mindset. Different role, man. It’s not just like I’m filling in a spot this week. I’m a starter. This is my position, and this is my O-line. I’m keepers with my brothers, so I’m ready to do my job.”

• Junior defensive end Ethan Downs on OU's defense: "We're really anxious. We left a lot out there last year. It was a disappointing season. All of our fans felt it. We represent a whole lot more than just the 100-plus guys on the team. We're ready to get out there and set the name right, leave a legacy and put it all out there."

More: Is OU football's remade defensive line ready to turn talk into results? 'We can all play'

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU football eyes Billy Bowman to make impact at kick returner