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Column: Chargers LB Kenneth Murray’s Oklahoma past makes him no ordinary NFL rookie

The Chargers expect Kenneth Murray to speed up their defense this year, even though rookie linebackers often struggle to grasp the NFL game.

While his rare blend of speed and size are obvious, Murray will struggle — and most rookies do — if he can’t make the right reads and adjustments on time. And because of the coronavirus pandemic shutting down each team’s spring workouts, all NFL rookies now face a taller learning curve.

Murray makes the case that he’ll adapt fast, thanks to his intense career at the University of Oklahoma.

Beyond the fact the school’s nickname is the Sooners, not the Laters — it does stand to reason that matching wits against Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley the past three years will make Murray a quicker study than many other NFL rookies.