Oklahoma’s 6-0 start to the 2023 season has garnered numerous accolades for individuals that have played a big role in the first half of the season. There’s a lot of football left in 2023 and the Sooners have big goals after knocking off Texas two weeks ago.
But at the midway point of the season, a number of Sooners have earned recognition for the team success.
Patrick Conn of College Sports Wire named his All-Big 12 team at the midway point, which featured several Sooners on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball.
Quarterback Dillon Gabriel earned the nod as Midseason Player of the Year and first-team quarterback on the Midseason All-Big 12 team.
What a difference has made for the Oklahoma Sooners, who were coming off the first losing season in Norman since 1999. The Southpaw has stayed healthy which has allowed the team to get off to a hot start in 2023. Provided that he keeps this up and stays healthy, the sky is the limit for the SEC-bound Oklahoma Sooners. – Conn, College Sports Wire
Gabriel’s thrown for 1,878 yards and 16 touchdowns, averaging 10.8 yards per attempt on the season. He’s also run for five touchdowns this season and has just two interceptions. He’s been a big-time player for Oklahoma and the work he did on the Sooners game-winning drive against Texas was the stuff of legend.
Joining Gabriel on the first-team offense are center Andrew Raym and wide receiver Jalil Farooq. Farooq isn’t Oklahoma’s leading receiver, but he’s not far off. He had a huge game against Texas with five catches for 130 yards.
Andrew Raym has been the anchor of an Oklahoma interior that has a lot of turnover through the first six games of the season. He’s allowed just four pressures on 230 pass block snaps per Pro Football Focus, and hasn’t allowed a sack.
On the College Sports Wire All-Big 12 second team is wide receiver Nic Anderson. In a rotational role, he leads the Sooners with six touchdown receptions. Anderson has an opportunity for a significantly increased snap count with the season-ending injury to Andrel Anthony. We’re about to find out just how good Anderson can be.
On the defensive side of the ball, Danny Stutsman has earned all of the Midseason All-American selections. In addition to his All-Big 12 first-team selection from College Sports Wire, Stutsman was named Midseason Defensive Player of the Year.
The Big 12’s leading tackler has really shown why the Oklahoma defense has been much improved. He leads the Big 12 in tackles and tackles per game. However, that isn’t all that the Oklahoma linebacker can do as he is second in the conference in tackles for loss. He should be among the contenders for the Dick Butkus Award by season’s end. – Conn, College Sports Wire
Stutsman is the face of an Oklahoma defense that has become one of the best in the country, allowing just 14 points per game. His play and his leadership have been instrumental in the Sooners’ defensive resurgence under Brent Venables. The numbers speak for themselves, but how important Stutsman is to this team goes beyond the stat book.
Joining Stutsman on the first team are defensive backs Kendel Dolby and Billy Bowman. They’ve both been incredibly impactful for the Sooners in coverage and combined for a big-time interception at the goal line against Texas. Bowman also came through on another goal-line stop of Xavier Worthy on 4th and 2. Dolby and Bowman are tied for second on the team with a pair of interceptions each.
Ethan Downs earned recognition on the second team. He leads the Sooners in pressures and sacks this season. He came through with a pair of sacks against Texas in the Sooners’ biggest win of the year.
There are several players that you could make a case for on both sides of the ball like Tyler Guyton or Walter Rouse along the offensive line. Key Lawrence and Gentry Williams have been great in the first half of the season for the Sooners secondary.
Oklahoma has big goals in 2023 and for them to reach the Big 12 title game and contend for a College Football Playoff berth, they’ll need a complete team effort, but their stars will need lead the Sooners over the second half of the season.
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