Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops had just finished signing his 2008 recruiting class when he started making a pitch for 2009.

“Those young guys listening out there, we still need some linebackers,” he said.

Even after inking a 21-player class that included the three top players in Texas, there were holes that needed to be filled. OU hopes most of those problems were addressed Wednesday during national signing day.

The Sooners brought in another banner crop, highlighted by running backs Justin Johnson, Jermie Calhoun and defensive end R.J. Washington. Yet as far as immediate impact goes, Stoops’ recruiting pitch was borne of necessity.

Curtis Lofton’s early departure to the NFL left a hole in the middle of OU’s defense that has to be shored up sooner rather than later.That lack of depth, along with a similar situation in the secondary, were the top priorities the Sooners had to address.

OU hopes it will be rectified with the addition of four linebackers Wednesday.

Junior college linebackers Mike Balogun and J.R. Bryant, plus Georgia high-school standout Daniel Franklin are expected to vie for playing time among a group with only one established starter in Ryan Reynolds. Junior Lamont Robinson and redshirt freshman Austin Box will also vie for starting spots

“I think with Curtis Lofton leaving early and then losing two other guys this year, it caught us a little bit thin, and then even with these three we’re still a little bit thin in the linebacker position,” Stoops said.

Expect a great deal of attention to be paid to the new linebackers when spring drills begin.

“This group is really going to help us with their overall ability we’ve seen on tape,” Stoops said.

The rest of the class is stocked with highly-touted players from near and far.

The Sooners once again stocked their cupboard with some of the best players from Texas’ high school ranks.

Running backs Calhoun and Justin Jones were two of the best the state had to offer and both will compete for playing time next season. Calhoun, from Van, is the top-rated running back by ESPN, while Jones, from Gilmer, was ranked No. 2 by Scout.com.

The tandem accounted for two of OU’s earliest commitments and Stoops gave them some of the credit for landing the class.

“Those guys never wavered. In fact, the two of them helped put together the rest of the class. They worked some of the other guys the rest of the way,” Stoops said.