With 3:34 left in the first quarter, Tulsa Golden Hurricane quarterback Roman Fuller dropped back to pass on a 3rd and 4. Fuller flung a pass to the right, and in the right spot, at the right time, was Danny Stutsman.
Stutsman, fresh off a National Defensive Player of the Week honor, got his hand on it, picked it off, and took it back for a touchdown. This play is exemplary of the growth this defense has made.
Stutsman broke down that play for reporters after the game.
“I was the QB spy player just kind of reading the eyes, and they had that curl route get open, and I was just there for it.”
Stutsman was someone a year ago who struggled in pass coverage and often looked confused. Toward the end of the season, he really started to put things together. Now, he’s off to an All-American type of start. After having 17 tackles a week ago, he followed that up with nine more, 2.5 tackles for loss, and the interception return for a touchdown.
The defense as a whole had another strong performance picking off Tulsa’s two quarterbacks five times. This comes after dropping so many a year ago.
Stutsman said it’s something they worked on this offseason. “We were on the jug machine putting that work in and getting our hands right,” Stutsman said.
That work is paying off as the Sooners now have six interceptions on the season. But there is still work to be done as there could have been more interceptions in Saturday’s game that were dropped.
So, I’m sure those players will be on the jugs machine quite a bit this week.
Great team win, wasn’t perfect by no means but getting better every week!💯💯 pic.twitter.com/1fR8Rz6nnZ
— DannyStutsman (@FbStutsman) September 17, 2023
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