Danny Stutsman named to Butkus Award watch list

Danny Stutsman is the heart and soul of Oklahoma’s defense.

The preseason recognition continues to roll in for Oklahoma Sooners star linebacker [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag]. After making preseason watch lists for the Nagurski Award, the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award and the Bednarik Award, the senior made another watch list on Tuesday.

Stutsman has made the Butkus Award preseason watch list. The Butkus Award is given to the best linebacker in college football. It’s named after Dick Butkus, a two-time All-American at Illinois, who went on to have a spectacular career in the NFL, eventually being enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Oklahoma has had four winners of the Butkus Award. [autotag]Brian Bosworth[/autotag] is the only two-time winner in the awards’ history, winning for the inaugural two seasons the award was given out in 1985 and 1986.[autotag]Rocky Calmus[/autotag] (2001) and [autotag]Teddy Lehman[/autotag] (2003) also brought home the Butkus Award. The Sooners are one of two schools with four winners, joined at the top by Alabama.

Stutsman made the watch list before the 2023 season. What followed was a campaign where he was 15th in the nation in tackles for loss last season, averaging 1.3 per game. Stutsman led the Sooners with 104 total tackles, including 16 tackles for loss. He had three sacks, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery last year, as well as a pick-six. He also had three pass breakups in coverage. He came back to OU to get a chance to further develop and play in the [autotag]SEC[/autotag].

Stutsman has the most preseason watch list nods on the team with four, edging out safety [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] by one. He’s become one of the undisputed leaders of the Sooners along with Bowman and quarterback [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag].

Stutsman allows new defensive coordinator/linebackers coach [autotag]Zac Alley[/autotag] to have another coach on the field in his first season in Norman. Stutsman is going into his third year playing in the system and is able to lead the way for some of the less-experienced personnel.

Oklahoma looks ready to roll defensively in 2024, as Venables continues to transform the roster. If Stutsman can perform up to the standard that names like Bosworth, Calmus, and Lehman set at linebacker, it could be a special year in Norman.

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