Tag: 2023 Oklahoma Sooners Football

Former top 100 recruit enters the transfer portal

The Sooners lose another player to the transfer portal, this time a former top 100 recruit.

The Oklahoma Sooners lost another player to the [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag] after a former top 100 recruit in the [autotag]2021 recruiting class[/autotag] decided to enter earlier Thursday. [autotag]Kelvin Gilliam[/autotag] has officially entered the portal.

Gilliam came in as a consensus 4-Star and was someone with a lot of promise but was never able to live up to it due to injuries. He played in 16 games in three seasons and finished with 10 tackles and .5 tackles for loss.

Gilliam makes the 12th Sooner to enter the transfer portal. They’ve already signed one player from the portal, offensive tackle Spencer Brown, from Michigan State.

The Sooners do have a big recruiting class coming in with 26 guys currently committed. They are also expected to bring in around eight to 10 guys in the portal to add to the roster.

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Sooners offer former Oklahoma high school star

A former Oklahoma high school star could find his way back to the state after being offered by the Sooners.

The Oklahoma Sooners are wasting no time getting offers out to players who have entered the transfer portal. The Sooners did a fantastic job in the portal a season ago and are hoping to fill some voids once again.

Now, it shouldn’t be as big of a portal class as a season ago, but there will be some new additions to the team. One of those could be a former Oklahoma high school star, [autotag]Chris McClellan[/autotag]. McClellan was a 4-Star and top 100 prospect in the 2022 class.

He considered signing with the Sooners but after a coaching change, he ultimately decided to head to the Florida Gators. After two seasons with the Gators, he announced he would be entering the transfer portal.

It didn’t take long for the Sooners to jump on that and send McClellan an offer.

McClellan is a big 6-foot-3 and 320-pound defensive tackle. He brings more experience and more importantly, the bigger bodies you need to compete in the SEC. He’s already played in the [autotag]SEC[/autotag] and finished his career at Florida with 46 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks.

He played quite a bit and even went back and forth from defensive tackle and defensive end due to his athleticism. There’s no indication if McClellan will take a visit to Norman but it’s definitely one Sooner fans should be keeping an eye on.

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Danny Stutsman named All-American by Sports Illustrated

Danny Stutsman was once again named an All-American, this time by Sports Illustrated.

The postseason awards keep on coming for the Oklahoma Sooners and their star linebacker, [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag]. Stutsman is coming off a great season where he was in the thick of the [autotag]Butkus Award[/autotag] race for the nation’s best linebacker for much of the season.

He was ultimately not named a finalist for that award. Still, that doesn’t diminish the type of season he had. He finished with 99 tackles, 16.0 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks on the season. He also had two forced fumbles and an interception.

Stusman led the Sooners in tackles having nearly 40 more tackles than the next highest player. He also finished with nearly 10 more tackles for loss than second place and finished with 1.5 sacks fewer than first place on the team. His two forced fumbles also led the team.

He was the leader of a defensive unit that was much improved this season. On Wednesday morning he was named a second-team All-American by CBS Sports/247 Sports and later on, it came out he was named a second-team All-American this time by Sports Illustrated.

As more All-American lists come out over the next few days, Stutsman is sure to be on most, if not all, of them. Putting his 2023 season up there as one of the best at the position in program history.

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Oklahoma Sooners offer former Arkansas Razorbacks linebacker Chris Paul Jr

Oklahoma is the latest to offer former Arkansas linebacker Chris Paul Jr.

Oklahoma’s defensive slide at the end of the season has been the subject of many dialogues people have had about Oklahoma in the aftermath of their 10-2 regular season. The defense was a huge issue early on in the Kansas game, which resulted in a loss. The against Oklahoma State in the first half put the Sooners in a spot where their offense had to be perfect. The offense didn’t do enough to overcome.

Against TCU, the Sooners had major issues covering the middle of the field, and while the offense put up over 60 points on their own, the defense was anything but encouraging.

And as of last night, it looks like one of the best players on the team, Danny Stutsman, will not return, instead choosing to depart OU for the NFL Draft. So, how will Oklahoma continue to reshape its defensive identity while losing a central figure in the middle of the defense?

They can start by landing former Arkansas linebacker Chris Paul Jr., who the Sooners offered Thursday morning.

Paul is a talented linebacker and a former three-star recruit from Georgia. Paul burst onto the scene as a redshirt freshman in 2022. Despite starting just two games, he amassed 62 tackles, eight TFLs, and four sacks that season. He was named a second-team freshman All-American by a few media outlets for his efforts.

In 11 games this season, he recorded 74 total tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, and two sacks. Paul has already received interest from schools such as South Carolina, Texas A&M, Lousiville, Florida State, and Ole Miss. Three crystal balls to Ole Miss have already been entered on 247 Sports. No decision has been made, but the Sooners may have to act fast if they plan to make a add the productive linebacker.

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2023 Position Review and Recruiting Outlook: Sooners defensive line shows improvement

The Oklahoma Sooners’ defensive line showed improvement but not where it needs to be come the SEC.

The Oklahoma Sooners’ defensive line was a much deeper unit in 2023. It still didn’t have the game-changer they need but we knew they weren’t going to have that going into the season.

A lot of the highly-touted guys were still young or battled injuries like R Mason Thomas and Adepoju Adebawore. Still, it was a solid unit for the team. They had moments like the [autotag]Red River Rivalry[/autotag] where they dominated. But they had games they struggled in like the game against the [autotag]UCF Knights[/autotag] and the [autotag]BYU Cougars[/autotag].

That is what to expect from an average defensive line. It’s why recruiting and development are going to be so key for the future of that unit.

Sooners linebacker Danny Stutsman headed to the NFL per report

According to a report from SoonerScoop.com, Oklahoma linebacker Danny Stutsman is headed to the NFL.

One of the biggest questions heading into the offseason focused on a pair of standout defenders in 2023. Would [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] and [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] return for the 2024 season, Oklahoma’s foray into the SEC?

According to a report from SoonerScoop.com’s Carey Murdoch, we have the answer to one of those questions. Junior linebacker Danny Stutsman will forego the remainder of his eligibility and declare for the NFL draft. According to sources, Stutsman informed Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables on Wednesday prior to making that decision.

There had been speculation that Oklahoma’s defensive leader could return for the 2024 season. Now we know the Sooners will be without one of the best linebackers in the game.

Over the last two years, Stutsman’s racked up 224 total tackles, 26.5 tackles for loss, six sacks, and three interceptions, two of which he returned for a touchdown. He became an important leader for the Sooners who saw significant jumps in nearly every defensive category, helping Oklahoma rebound from their 6-7 season in 2022 to 10-2 this year.

The Sooners missed Danny Stutsman in their losses to Kansas and Oklahoma State after the veteran linebacker was injured just before halftime against the Jayhawks.

The Sooners have a young and improving linebacker corps. [autotag]Jaren Kanak[/autotag] started much of the season alongside Stutsman and was replaced by [autotag]Kip Lewis[/autotag] late in the season. [autotag]Kobie McKinzie[/autotag] earned his first significant playing time this year in his second with the Sooners. Venables and the Oklahoma coaching staff like what they have in freshmen linebackers [autotag]Samuel Omosigho[/autotag], [autotag]Lewis Carter[/autotag], and [autotag]Phil Picciotti[/autotag], but they played sparingly this season.

There’s a good chance we’ll get to see Oklahoma’s young linebackers play a lot against Arizona.

As the Oklahoma Sooners prepare to play Arizona in the Alamo Bowl, the question becomes, will Stutsman play, or will he opt out to begin getting ready for the pre-draft process?

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2023 Position Review and Recruiting Outlook: Sooners offensive line marked by inconsistency

The Oklahoma Sooners offensive line was up-and-down in 2023 but once again finished strong and the future is bright.

The Oklahoma Sooners offensive line had an up-and-down season in 2023. They once again started the season slow, which has become a common theme in recent years.

But they were able to close the season pretty well, another common theme under Bill Bedenbaugh. It was a weird year for the offensive line that saw a lot of reshuffling up front.

They started the season with [autotag]Walter Rouse[/autotag], [autotag]McKade Mettauer[/autotag], [autotag]Andrew Raym[/autotag], [autotag]Savion Byrd[/autotag] and [autotag]Tyler Guyton[/autotag] as the starters along the line. At various points in the season, the line changed whether that was [autotag]Troy Everett[/autotag], [autotag]Cayden Green[/autotag] or [autotag]Jacob Sexton[/autotag] working their way into the starting lineup.

This was a group I was very high on to start the season, so let’s take a look at how I thought they fared.

Oklahoma vs. Arizona in the Alamo Bowl one of the best of bowl season

This year’s Alamo Bowl matchup between the Oklahoma Sooners and Arizona Wildcats ranks as one of the best bowls this season per CBS Sports.

The Oklahoma Sooners were on the cusp of reaching the Big 12 title game but just missed out when BYU fell to Oklahoma State. Then, it seemed like they had a shot to sneak into a New Year’s Six bowl, but the committee felt like their losses outweighed their win over Texas.

Still, there’s one more game to make a statement in 2023 with a matchup against the Arizona Wildcats in the Alamo Bowl. An opportunity to finish with 11 wins and head into the offseason with more momentum.

And this matchup with Arizona has a chance to be one of the best of the bowl season. Tom Fornelli of CBS Sports put the Alamo Bowl at No. 5 in his ranking of every bowl game this season.

Arizona was one of my favorite teams to watch this season. Early in the year, the Wildcats were forced to turn to backup QB Noah Fifita, and it was the best thing that could’ve happened to them as Fifita has been one of the best players in the country since. He’s been the driving force behind leading the Wildcats to their best season since 2014. They’ll face an Oklahoma team that’s been up and down this year. The Sooners are 10-2, but the offense tends to disappear at times, and offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby just left for the Mississippi State job. Still, my initial reaction to seeing this matchup is that it has the potential to be a thriller, which would be nothing new for an Alamo Bowl.

If you’re not familiar with our beloved Alamo Bowl’s history, it’s traditionally been a high-scoring game. The last 14 games have averaged 66.2 points with the winning team averaging 40.3. Both of these teams are more than capable of living up to the game’s past. – Fornelli, CBS Sports

The Arizona Wildcats were a really good team in 2023. Their losses to Washington and USC came by a combined nine points. They won six in a row to close out the regular season, which included a 42-18 win over Utah.

The Wildcats rank in the top 30 nationally in scoring offense and scoring defense. They’ve allowed just 20.8 points per game and are scoring 34.3 points per game.

The Sooners have been one of the best offenses in the country this year. They’re No. 3 in the nation in scoring, averaging 43.2 points per game. The defense finished No. 42 in the nation, allowing 22.3 points per game, which is an improvement from the 30 points per game they allowed in 2022.

The transfer portal departures of [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag], [autotag]Tawee Walker[/autotag], and [autotag]Key Lawrence[/autotag] could have an impact on the outcome of the Alamo Bowl. [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] will get the first start of his career, and with a month to prepare, he should be more than ready for the bright lights in San Antonio, Texas.

[autotag]Gavin Sawchuk[/autotag] proved to be Oklahoma’s best running back down the stretch, notching four straight 100-yard days to finish the season. While Lawrence will be a loss on defense, the Sooners feel really good about their young safeties and future NFL-er Billy Bowman.

As Fornelli mentions, this is going to be a fun matchup that has the potential to be one of the best in this year’s bowl season.

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2023 Position Review: Sooners Tight Ends finish with disappointing season

The tight end position was an overall disappointing group but how did they grade out after offseason expectations?

As we continue to look at each position group, we move to the tight end position.

We knew going into the season the tight end position was thin.[autotag]Austin Stogner[/autotag] returned to Norman, but outside of Stogner, there wasn’t much experience.

In 2022, the tight end position was so valuable to the offense and a huge part of its success. There was a thought that Stogner could have a career year like [autotag]Brayden Willis[/autotag] did.

It just never materialized as the group as a whole became almost unplayable at times. But they did have some guys who showed some flashes here and there.

There’s just no doubt the tight end room needs a complete makeover in 2024.

Oklahoma Sooners land three in ESPN’s top 50 college football transfers from the portal era

The Oklahoma Sooners have had a ton of success in the transfer portal as they have landed three of the top 50 of all-time according to ESPN.

The transfer portal giveth and the [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag] taketh away.

The Oklahoma Sooners have been one of the college football teams that have had a great deal of success in the transfer portal era. That era is defined as anyone who transferred between 2018 and 2023, even though technically, the portal didn’t become a thing until October 2018.

So, that eliminates [autotag]Baker Mayfield[/autotag] and [autotag]Kyler Murray[/autotag] from the discussion. But still,Oklahoma has had a history of doing well with transfer players. ESPN (subscription required) came up with a list of the top 50 players in the transfer portal era. The Sooners landed three of them.

The first one came in at No. 50: [autotag]Michael Turk[/autotag]. Turk transferred to Oklahoma from Arizona State and had an average of 48.4 yards per punt with a 44.1 net average over two years.

We start with some special teams love. When you dip into the portal for a punter, “NFL special teams lineage and a 48-yard average” is pretty much exactly what you’re looking for. – Bill Connelly ESPN

Turk was a godsend to the Sooners. He helped shore up any special teams issues. The team and its fans found out quickly how big a loss he was this season.

The next one on the list for Oklahoma was [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag] at No. 9. Gabriel transferred from UCF and played the 2022 and 2023 seasons at Oklahoma. He threw for 6,828 passing yards, 688 rushing yards, and 73 total touchdowns in 24 games.

He began his career in 2019, winning 10 games at UCF. Four years later, he won 10 games at OU. He’s seventh in all-time passing yards and eighth in touchdowns … and he still has a year of eligibility left. – Connelly

After losing [autotag]Caleb Williams[/autotag] to the portal, the Sooners were very lucky to get someone as talented as Gabriel to take over at quarterback. He was always underappreciated, but he was a very good quarterback for Oklahoma.

The last one for the Sooners is [autotag]Jalen Hurts[/autotag], coming in at No. 8. Hurts transferred in from the Alabama Crimson Tide and played one season in Norman in 2019. He had 3,851 passing yards, 1,298 rushing yards and 52 total touchdowns in that one season.

He came within three seconds of leading Alabama to a national title as a true freshman, lost his job to Tua Tagovailoa and moved to Norman to completely rehabilitate his reputation under the most QB-friendly coach in the country. It took Joe Burrow and LSU to outscore the Sooners in the CFP. – Connelly

Hurts was close to becoming Oklahoma’s third straight Heisman winner; he finished as the runner-up to Joe Burrow. He led Oklahoma on a magical season and now has Oklahoma and Alabama fans arguing over who takes credit for his NFL success.

That’s what the transfer portal provided for the Sooners. The portal also took away two former Sooners who made the list in Williams and [autotag]Trey Sermon[/autotag].

Fans have mixed feelings about the portal, but it’s clear it is here to stay. It’s time for teams to start embracing it. The Oklahoma Sooners have and to great success.

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