Tag: 2023 Oklahoma Sooners Football

Current ticket pricing for Oklahoma Sooners vs. Arizona Wildcats in the Alamo Bowl

A look at the current ticket prices for the Oklahoma Sooners showdown vs. the Arizona Wildcats.

This year’s Alamo Bowl holds special significance. It will be the first start of Jackson Arnold’s Sooners’ career when Oklahoma takes on the Arizona Wildcats in San Antonio.

That has created an extra buzz about the game. How will Oklahoma’s new QB1 perform under the bright lights heading into 2024, a season in which Arnold is expected to be the starter for the Sooners?

Well, if you’re still looking for seats to the Alamo Bowl, Seat Geek has great options available for you.

Tickets range anywhere from $42 to $464, depending on where you want to sit. If you want to sit on the 50-yard line behind Oklahoma’s bench, it’s gonna cost you quite a bit more than if you were willing to sit behind the Wildcats. Those seats are running as high as $322.

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While the seats behind the teams cost a pretty penny, you can still find lower level seats under $100.

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‘It kind of throws me off a little bit’: Jackson Arnold, still getting used to being QB1

Jackson Arnold is right where he thought he’d be after his freshman season.

With the announcement of [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag] entering the transfer portal and heading to play for the Oregon Ducks, it’s now officially the [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] show in Norman. The former five-star played sparingly this year but showed flashes of why Sooner faithful are so excited for his career.

One instance of that happened when he came in for an injured Gabriel against the [autotag]BYU Cougars[/autotag]. He audibled to get the Sooners in the right routes on the key play to win the game. He fired a strike to [autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag] for the first down and iced the game.

Arnold talked about taking over as “QB1” after practice earlier this week. “People will throw some QB1s out every once and while,” Arnold said. “It kind of throws me off a little bit but other than that they’ve been acting the same.”

This week also marked a year since Arnold signed his National Letter of Intent and signed with the Sooners. He talked about what this year has been like and if he is where he thought he’d be at this point.

“I’m exactly where I thought I’d be,” Arnold said. “Maybe not, you know, I thought Dillon would be here playing the bowl game and this year has pretty much gone as I expected. Maybe the bowl game, me playing it was maybe a little bit of a shock but I’m super excited for it.”

Sooner fans still have a little less than two weeks before they can watch Arnold take his first snap as the starting quarterback at Oklahoma.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on Twitter @JaronSpor.

Jackson Arnold ‘excited’ to work new Sooners Offensive Coordinator Seth Littrell

Oklahoma has a new play-caller heading into the bowl game but Jackson Arnold feels he’s the right man for the job.

The Oklahoma Sooners will have to replace two key offensive figures heading into the bowl game and next year into the [autotag]SEC[/autotag]. [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag] and [autotag]Jeff Lebby[/autotag] are off to other schools. Gabriel to play for the Oregon Ducks and Lebby to be the head coach of the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

So, now it’s time for the [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] and [autotag]Seth Littrell[/autotag] show. Arnold will take over as the starting quarterback and Littrell will take over as co-offensive coordinator with [autotag]Joe Jon Finley[/autotag] and will handle the playcalling.

Arnold talked about what Littrell has been like in his new role with the team. “It’s hard for Coach Littrell because we are still going off of Lebby’s plays and his terminology right now,” Arnold said. “So, I won’t see Coach Littrell take over and implement his styles until the spring, but so far, I’ve seen him step into a more vocal role. Especially in our meeting rooms. That was something I was very curious to see, knowing him coming from an analyst to a position to an OC now, I was curious to see that transition and I think he’s stepped up and been a more vocal leader for us.”

Littrell has a history of leading some high-powered offenses, whether that was for the North Carolina Tar Heels, Indiana Hoosiers, or his most recent stop as the head coach of the North Texas Mean Green.

But the main question for myself and for Sooner fans is what does he like to do? Is he more of a running guy because of his background as a fullback or is he more of a passing guy because of his background in the Air Raid?

“He’s very balanced,” Arnold said. “He loves to run the ball, he loves to throw the ball. There’s not one thing he specializes in. But being an H-back as he was a tough guy. So, obviously, he’s going to run the ball. But he’s a very balanced OC, and I’m super excited to get to work with him.”

While some may not have loved the hire, it’s clear his players are excited and believe he’s the right man for the job. Ultimately, that’s all that matters.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on Twitter @JaronSpor.

Sooners trying to figure out the offensive line for the bowl game

The Sooners will be down three offensive line starters heading into the bowl game something they are still trying to figure out.

The Sooners are two weeks away from taking on the [autotag]Arizona Wildcats[/autotag] in the [autotag]Alamo Bowl[/autotag]. One thing several teams, including the Sooners, have to deal with is players opting out of their bowl game.

As of now, the Sooners are going to be down three starting offensive linemen. [autotag]Andrew Raym[/autotag] and [autotag]Tyler Guyton[/autotag] announced they would opt out to prepare for the NFL Draft and [autotag]Cayden Green[/autotag] shocked everyone by announcing he would be entering the transfer portal. Although as of this moment, he hasn’t officially entered.

Thankfully for Oklahoma, seniors [autotag]McKade Mettauer[/autotag] and [autotag]Walter Rouse[/autotag] appear to be playing in the game, giving them some stability. Also, [autotag]Jacob Sexton[/autotag] started the last few games for Guyton, who was battling an injury. So, they’ll have three players with starting experience this season ready to line up for the Sooners against the Wildcats.

Now, they have to figure out the center position and left guard. During the media viewing opportunity, it looked like freshman [autotag]Josh Bates[/autotag] was the one handling the snapping duties. [autotag]Troy Everett[/autotag] is who many think will take over that position but he was mainly an observer. It’s unclear if that is injury-related.

Mettauer talked about how key it is for the linemen to know multiple positions. “We don’t really know what the starting lineup is going to be yet,” Mettauer said. “But Coach B (Bill Bedenbaugh) does a good job at, we practice at a lot of different positions so him shifting us around during our individual period is good. We can play whatever. I mean it’s our responsibility to know both sides.”

On top of all of that, a true freshman will be making his first career start at quarterback. What a way to have your first start.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on Twitter @JaronSpor.

‘It’s been tough’: Gentry Williams continues to battle through injuries

After a strong start to the season, injuries took over for Gentry Williams. But now he hopes to get healthy and finish the year strong.

Through six games, there might not have been a cornerback in the [autotag]Big 12[/autotag] that was playing better football than [autotag]Gentry Williams[/autotag]. He had all four of his interceptions in that time span and became a guy teams didn’t want to throw at.

Then at the end of that sixth game, Williams went out with an injury. After that, he was never the same. He tried to give it a go vs. the [autotag]UCF Knights[/autotag] and the [autotag]Oklahoma State Cowboys[/autotag], but in both games, he didn’t look right and didn’t finish the game.

In the final game of the season, he looked healthier but also looked very rusty as well. Williams talked about his season after practice earlier this week.

“It’s been tough,” Williams said. “But the guys in this locker room definitely make it a lot easier for me. I’m battling some things personally, but it doesn’t matter when I get on the field because I want to play for them.”

The Sooners will need him to get healthy, especially with the presumed loss of [autotag]Woodi Washington[/autotag] on the other side of the field. Washington hasn’t officially decided what he’s going to do next season, but all signs point to him heading to the NFL.

We’ll get to see how much this time off has helped guys like Williams when they take the field in the [autotag]Alamo Bowl[/autotag].

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on Twitter @JaronSpor.

‘It was a headache man’: Danny Stutsman talks about one of the “most stressful” weeks of his life

Danny Stutsman said it wasn’t an easy decision but ultimately his heart was in Norman.

The Oklahoma Sooners got some massive news this week with the return of their leader, Danny Stutsman. The All-American led the Sooners in tackles and tackles for loss.

It was initially reported he would not be returning for his senior season but instead heading to the [autotag]NFL[/autotag]. Stutsman practiced this week for the first time in front of the media.

He spoke about how that report was true, but ultimately, he had a change of heart. “It was a headache man,” Stutsman said. “It was probably one of the most stressful weeks of my life. I was pretty much already fully committed; they already cleaned out my locker, and everything was ready to go. Coach V (Brent Venables) called me on Friday and really just sat down and talked it through with him again. I just didn’t feel like I was ready to leave yet. Didn’t want to rush that.”

Sooner fans are happy he didn’t rush it and instead decided to give it more thought before ultimately deciding to help lead the team into the [autotag]SEC[/autotag]. With him and Bowman returning to Norman, the Sooners might have the best safety and linebacker tandem in the country going into next year.

It’s also arguably the best tandem the Sooners have had in 10-15 years. We’ll see if they can build upon this season’s success in a new era of Sooner football.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on Twitter @JaronSpor.

‘I feel like I’m going to stay most likely’: Jalil Farooq still mulling over his future decision

While some have already decided what their next step will be, Jalil Farooq is still thinking it through.

The Oklahoma Sooners received good news regarding their two All-Americans, [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] and [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag], who decided to stay in Norman for their senior seasons. But not everyone has decided what their next step will be.

One of those still mulling over a decision is [autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag]. Farooq finished third on the team in receiving yards with 637 yards and second on the team with 41 catches. Farooq could return, which would add to an already-loaded wide receiver room.

While his plan is to play in the bowl game, he hasn’t decided what he’ll do after the game is over.

“I haven’t decided,” Farooq said. “I feel like I’m going to stay most likely.”

Farooq has been the team’s “Swiss Army knife” because he does multiple things for the team including returning kicks. The Sooners would return four of their top five in receiving from a season ago along with adding the top transfer wide receiver.

This fact along with [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] taking the reins at the quarterback position in 2024 has many fans excited about the future of the offense. Of the team’s top 10 receivers, Oklahoma will return seven as of right now.

For now, the Sooners have to wait and see what Farooq decides, but he would be another key piece to the success of next season.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on Twitter @JaronSpor.

‘It wasn’t that tough of a decision’: Billy Bowman speaks about his decision to return

Billy Bowman discusses what led to his decision to return to Oklahoma for his senior season.

The Oklahoma Sooners’ preparation for their Alamo Bowl showdown with the [autotag]Arizona Wildcats[/autotag] is underway. Tuesday was the first time media was allowed access to practice.

One of the players on the practice field was All-American safety [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag]. Over the weekend Bowman announced he would remain for his senior season. He spoke after practice about what led him to that decision.

“It wasn’t that tough of a decision,” Bowman said. “We live in a different time now where people are in a rush to go somewhere. I’m not in no rush. That’s going to be there. So, let me finish college, let me finish my school and finish these things. Then I’ll get onto the next stage of my life. It really wasn’t a big decision, controversial-wise. I kind of knew what I was doing. I was told I should go ahead and say something just because. But it wasn’t really tough.”

You don’t see many college players with that mindset. Many of them are ready for the next thing. There is nothing wrong with that but it is nice to see a player who knows there is still work to be done and come back to improve.

It’s also massive for a school that is headed to a new conference next season to get a leader and player like that to return to their school.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on Twitter @JaronSpor.

Oklahoma Sooners add transfer wide receiver from Purdue

Oklahoma Sooners add more explosiveness to their wide receiver room with the addition of Purdue transfer Deion Burks.

The Oklahoma Sooners and wide receivers coach [autotag]Emmett Jones[/autotag] have added another player out of the [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag]. This time in big-time playmaker [autotag]Deion Burks[/autotag].

Burks is a 5-foot-11 and 195-pound wide receiver who, in 30 career games, had 63 catches, 804 yards, and seven touchdowns. That’s nearly 13 yards per catch.

He also could bring something to the return game for the Sooners. He returned 14 kicks in 2022, averaging nearly 20 yards per return.

This was a battle that was rumored to be between the Sooners and the Texas Longhorns. He is a veteran receiver with two years of eligibility left who will stretch the field and bring the big plays that Oklahoma looks for.

 

He’s similar to what the Sooners were getting in [autotag]Andrel Anthony[/autotag] a season ago. Although Anthony is a little bit bigger but Burks has more production. It’s just another piece on what could be the best wide receiver room in the SEC next season.

They could return guys with a lot of experience like [autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag], Anthony, [autotag]Nic Anderson[/autotag] and [autotag]Jayden Gibson[/autotag], Brenen Thompson along with adding Burks. That doesn’t even include the freshmen who are coming in or [autotag]Gavin Freeman[/autotag] or [autotag]Jaquaize Pettaway[/autotag], who played some a season ago.

Burks was ranked as the top wide receiver in the 2024 portal cycle.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on Twitter @JaronSpor.

2023 Position Review and Recruiting Outlook: Defensive backs battle through injuries

The defensive back room was hit by injuries all season long but battled through it to have a solid season.

The Oklahoma Sooners’ defensive back room had one of the strangest seasons among the position groups. When they were healthy, they were really pretty good, but when they weren’t healthy, they really struggled.

They also would show games where they were dominant but had several games where they struggled in coverage. The inconsistency in availability created an inconsistent performance.

The other part was the come-and-go nature of the pass rush. There were games where the pass rush created a lot of pressure and games where they applied very little.

The defensive back group struggled in zone coverage often throughout the season.

But let’s take a look at how the position did this season and what’s to come in the future at the position.