Tag: 2024 Oklahoma Sooners Football

Where does Oklahoma land in Athlon Sports’ defensive back unit rankings?

Oklahoma’s secondary has plenty of potential, featuring a good mix of veterans and youth.

The Oklahoma Sooners will be looking to take another step forward on defense in 2024, as OU enters Year 3 of the [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] era.

Venables was hired because of his defensive acumen and because of his championship merit at both Oklahoma and Clemson. In his first season, the Sooners gave up 30 points per game on their way to a subpar 6-7 record. Last year, Oklahoma bounced back to go 10-3, giving up just 23.5 points per game.

Now the time has come to make another leap on that side of the ball, and one unit that can help make that happen is the secondary. It’s a unit that was bad in 2022 but improved last season, along with the rest of the defense. It’s also a unit that gave up too many big plays, had the occasional coverage bust last year, and needs to continue improving.

Fortunately, Athlon Sports thinks Oklahoma will have one of the best secondaries in the nation this year, as they revealed their Top 20 defensive back units in the country on Saturday. The Sooners came in at No. 11 overall, third in the SEC. Only Georgia (No. 2) and Texas (No. 10) came in above OU. Ohio State topped Athlon’s list.

The reason for the optimism is the mix of experienced veterans and talented youngsters that have the opportunity to mesh well and create great things for the Sooners in 2024.

Cornerbacks coach [autotag]Jay Valai[/autotag] has plenty of different options to work with on both sides of the field. Sixth-year senior [autotag]Woodi Washington[/autotag] will still likely play multiple positions on the defense (cornerback, safety and Cheetah), but is going to reportedly be playing a bunch of cornerback once again. The trio of [autotag]Gentry Williams[/autotag], [autotag]Kani Walker[/autotag] and [autotag]Dez Malone[/autotag] will also be counted upon heavily, and all four will see plenty of action. [autotag]Jacobe Johnson[/autotag] and [autotag]Makari Vickers[/autotag] could also get some run, as they’re both younger players with very high upside.

Similarly, safeties coach [autotag]Brandon Hall[/autotag] will get to mix-and-match different combinations in the back end of the defense. Safety might be even deeper than corner on this year’s team. The return of [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] is what unlocks this position group. The senior is one of the best players on the team in 2024. He’s become a leader for the Sooners and was a ball hawk last year, making big play after big play.

The combination of [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag] and [autotag]Robert Spears-Jennings[/autotag] will share snaps at the other safety spot, and OU is excited about what that duo can do.

The depth at the position is strong with [autotag]Reggie Powers III[/autotag], [autotag]Jaydan Hardy[/autotag], [autotag]Erik McCarty[/autotag], [autotag]Michael Boganowski[/autotag] and [autotag]Mykel Patterson-McDonald[/autotag] providing an interesting group of skillsets and plenty of youth. If the injury bug bites, Washington, [autotag]Samuel Omosigho[/autotag], and [autotag]Kendel Dolby[/autotag] could move from primary positions to help out on the back line.

Venables and new defensive coordinator [autotag]Zac Alley[/autotag] know that the defense has to continue their ascent to get where they want to go in the [autotag]SEC[/autotag]. Fortunately, the time for talking is almost over, as the Sooners will begin their season in less than two weeks. The Temple Owls come to Norman on Friday, August 30th.

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Pro Football Focus comes in lower than polls in preseason power rankings

Oklahoma was ranked lower by Pro Football Focus than the US LBM Coaches Poll and the AP Top 25.

The Oklahoma Sooners were ranked No. 16 in the country in the initial Top 25 polls by both the Associated Press and the US LBM Coaches Poll to begin the 2024 season. Both polls had OU ranked eighth in the [autotag]SEC[/autotag], as did the SEC media poll. However, one site has Oklahoma ranked even lower nationally than the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll.

Pro Football Focus revealed their preseason Top 25 rankings earlier this week. The Sooners checked in at No. 18, two spots lower than the two official polls. PFF did still have OU at eighth in the SEC, keeping consistent with most other lists. Here’s what PFF writers Max Chadwick and Dalton Wasserman had to say about [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag]’ team in 2024.

Oklahoma might take some time to fully acclimate as it debuts in the SEC and with all of the new moving parts on its roster, but the Sooners can still compete for a playoff spot if they jell quickly. – Pro Football Focus

The Sooners will look to the defense to lead the way this season, a change from years past.

A talented, productive, and veteran defense breaks in new coordinator [autotag]Zac Alley[/autotag], but has all of the pieces to dominate opposing offenses in 2024. Inside linebacker [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag], safety [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag], defensive end [autotag]Ethan Downs[/autotag], cornerback [autotag]Woodi Washington[/autotag] and new TCU transfer defensive tackle [autotag]Damonic Williams[/autotag] lead the way for a unit with high expectations.

Offensively, the Sooners are younger and have a few more concerns. They’re also breaking in new coordinators in [autotag]Seth Littrell[/autotag] and [autotag]Joe Jon Finley[/autotag]. A much-discussed offensive line had to replace all five primary starters from last year’s team and is tasked with protecting new starting quarterback, sophomore [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag].

The former five-star prospect has plenty of weapons on offense, led by running back [autotag]Gavin Sawchuk[/autotag] and wide receivers like Purdue transfer [autotag]Deion Burks[/autotag] and returning players [autotag]Nic Anderson[/autotag], [autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag] and [autotag]Andrel Anthony[/autotag]. If the new offensive line can gel and the tight end position can give the Sooners better production than last year, OU could once again have a high-scoring offense.

Special teams analyst [autotag]Doug Deakin[/autotag] is also new this year, and he takes over a unit that must be better in 2024. [autotag]Luke Elzinga[/autotag] is entrenched as the starting punter, but all of the other major positions within special teams seem to be up for grabs. Most notably, the kicker spot is still yet to be decided.

Brent Venables enters Year 3 as the head coach at Oklahoma and has been diligent in the process of turning over the roster. Only nine players remain on the 2024 fall camp roster that were on the roster at the end of the 2021 regular season. Slowly but surely, the Sooners have been rebuilt to defend the standard that has been set in place in Norman.

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Sooners duo named to ESPN’s true freshman All-America team

A pair of Oklahoma Sooners made ESPN’s list of the best true freshmen in the nation.

The Oklahoma Sooners kick off their 2024 season in less than two weeks. Talking season is almost over, and fall camps are beginning to wrap up across the country.

But before the season begins, ESPN unveiled their true freshmen All-America team (ESPN+). All of the players included were high schoolers last year and members of the [autotag]2024 recruiting class[/autotag].

OU had two players make the team: offensive lineman [autotag]Eugene Brooks[/autotag] and defensive tackle [autotag]Jayden Jackson[/autotag].

Brooks was the No. 145 player in ESPN’s 300 rankings coming out of high school. Here’s what ESPN staff writer Tom Luginbill had to say about the young offensive lineman.

Brooks is currently running with the second team at guard. The former Under Armour All-American has had his ups and downs during training camp, but he has also shed close to 60 pounds off his frame to help aid his quickness and agility. With that type of discipline and work ethic, clearly Brooks is serious about getting on the field this fall. – Luginbill, ESPN

Brooks was a solid acquisition for offensive line coach [autotag]Bill Bedenbaugh[/autotag] in the most recent class out of Sierra Canyon High School in California. 247Sports ranked him as a four-star prospect and their third-ranked interior offensive lineman.

Brooks isn’t in line to start in 2024, but he represents part of the future of the offensive line that has been a major talking point this offseason. While the Sooners had to replace the entire unit with some portal additions this offseason for 2024, it will be paramount to recruit and develop players on the o-line, especially heading into the [autotag]SEC[/autotag].

Jackson was just a three-star prospect coming out of high school, according to ESPN, but has a chance to be special in Norman.

Jackson started the Oklahoma spring game but likely will be in the rotation at defensive tackle with fellow freshman [autotag]David Stone[/autotag], among others. With the move to the SEC, Oklahoma needs upgraded defensive front personnel, and Jackson has impressed. He will need to grow up quickly as the rise in the level of competition in the trenches from the [autotag]Big 12[/autotag] to the SEC will be steep. – Luginbill, ESPN

Jackson was part of an excellent 2024 defensive line haul by defensive tackles coach [autotag]Todd Bates[/autotag] and defensive ends coach Miguel Chavis. He hails from IMG Academy and was the 23rd-best player in the state of Florida, according to 247Sports. He was extremely impressive in the spring, and like Brooks on the other side of the ball, he won’t be starting right away, but he represents part of the defensive line’s future.

He’s been one of the standout performers in spring and fall camp and has a chance to earn playing time early and often due to his size, quickness, and strength.

Defensive tackle improved dramatically in the post-spring portal window with the addition of [autotag]Damonic Williams[/autotag], but Jackson, Stone, and others will need to be ready to take up the mantle of leadership inside soon.

As third-year head coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] and the Sooners enter a conference where games are won and lost in the trenches, they look to be in good hands with their 2024 class on both sides of the ball.

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Oklahoma Sooners play old foe in CBS Sports preseason bowl projections

The Oklahoma Sooners are going bowling in 2024 but miss out on the College Football Playoff per CBS Sports.

All eyes are on the Oklahoma Sooners entering their first year in the SEC. Unlike the Texas Longhorns, everyone’s preseason pick to make a smooth transition into their new league, the Sooners have much to prove to SEC and national observers in 2024.

Oklahoma was picked to finish eighth in the SEC preseason media poll. While it is the No. 16 team in the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll and AP Top 25, the Sooners are still eighth among SEC teams in the preseason rankings.

The hesitancy to pick Oklahoma to finish better is largely related to its  schedule, which includes six teams ranked in the top 15 of both major polls.

Over at CBS Sports, Jerry Palm expects the Sooners to go bowling in 2024 despite their difficult schedule.

Palm has the Sooners traveling to Houston to play Iowa State in the Texas Bowl. Brent Venables and the Oklahoma Sooners have won each of the last two matchups against the Cyclones, winning by 14 in 2022 and then by 30 in 2023. It’s a series the Sooners have dominated, 80-7-2. The only team the Oklahoma Sooners have beaten more than Iowa State is Oklahoma State.

In his projections, Palm has Georgia, Texas, Alabama, and Texas A&M making the [autotag]College Football Playoff[/autotag]. Ole Miss, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Kentucky, LSU, Missouri and Auburn are slated to make bowl appearances.

That’s 11 of the 16 teams in the SEC expected to play in the College Football Playoff or a bowl game.

A bowl game for the Sooners wouldn’t meet expectations. Despite the schedule, this is a program that expects to contend for national titles. Missing the playoff would be a rough start to their tenure in the SEC.

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Texas insider flips pick for 5-star offensive tackle from Longhorns to Oklahoma

Texas Longhorns writer flips prediction from UT to the Oklahoma Sooners for five-star offensive tackle.

The Oklahoma Sooners are in the midst of a big-time recruiting battle with their longtime foes, the Texas Longhorns. Five-star offensive tackle [autotag]Michael Fasusi[/autotag] is one of the most coveted players in the 2025 recruiting class, and it appears the Sooners have a leg up on the Horns.

On Wednesday, Brandon Drumm of OUInsider and Rivals released a futurecast projecting the Sooners to be the landing spot for Fasusi. That was the first prediction on Fasusi since April. At that time, Texas had seized momentum in the recruitment, but a strong summer has allowed Oklahoma to push ahead.

Geoffrey Ketchum, who covers the Texas Longhorns for Rivals, flipped his prediction from the Longhorns to the Oklahoma Sooners.

It’s an encouraging sign: Fasusi’s planned commitment date is Aug. 21. The Sooners have a nice group of offensive linemen committed to the class, but adding Fasusi would be monumental to the future of Oklahoma’s offensive line and a huge feather in the cap of Sooners offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh.

Update

Since the original publication, Eric Nahlen, who covers the Texas Longhorns for On3 has flipped his prediction from Texas to Oklahoma.

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Danny Stutsman named to Lombardi Award watch list

OU’s senior linebacker made another preseason award watch list on Thursday.

Watch list season rolls on, and [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag]’s added another accolade to the ever-growing list of preseason honors for the senior linebacker.

This time, Stutsman was named to the Lombardi Award watch list. “This prestigious accolade continues to honor the Outstanding College Football Lineman, whether on offense or defense, who displays exceptional performance and ability and embodies the character and discipline that Vince Lombardi championed throughout his life,” said the Lombardi Award website.

Stutsman heads into 2024 as one of the best off-ball linebackers in college football. He’s been named to the USA TODAY Sports, CBS Sports and ESPN All-American teams. He was a first-team All-SEC selection by the media and has been named to the Butkus, Bednarik, Nagurski, and Walter Camp Player of the Year watch lists.

Stutsman was also ranked the No. 32 player in the country by ESPN in their top 100 players released this week.

Three Sooners have previously been honored with the award. [autotag]Lee Roy Selmon[/autotag] first won the award back in 1975. [autotag]Tony Casillas[/autotag] earned the distinction in 1985, and [autotag]Tommie Harris[/autotag] took home the trophy in 2003.

Ohio State, Nebraska, and Notre Dame are the only programs with more Lombardi Award winners than the Oklahoma Sooners.

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Trio of Sooners among ESPN’s top 100 players for the 2024 season

The Oklahoma Sooners were represented on both sides of the ball in ESPN’s top 100 players for the 2024 season.

The Oklahoma Sooners have a number of talented players on both sides of the ball. If there’s reason for optimism heading into the season it’s that the defense is as talented or possibly more talented than the group on offense.

And that’s a good thing.

The Sooners needed a more well-rounded team during the [autotag]Lincoln Riley[/autotag] era and appear to be trending toward that under [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag]. The defense has talent at every level of the defense, led by [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] and [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag].

Offensively, they’ve got the talent to have one of the best offenses in the nation. If [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] lives up to expectations, the Oklahoma offense will be humming all year long.

The Sooners may not have as much name recognition as some of the other teams across the country, but they have a trio of players that will be household names in 2024. ESPN released its top 100 college football players heading into the season and the Sooners had three players land on the list.

74. Deion Burks, WR

Despite playing for a 4-8 Purdue team last season, Burks was one of the top non-quarterback additions in the winter transfer portal. He gives new Oklahoma QB [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] a No. 1 target who can find the end zone (seven touchdowns in 2023) and stretch defenses. Burks had a reception of 42 yards or longer in four games last fall, including an 84-yard score against Fresno State. – ESPN

Outside of the quarterback, there may be no player more important to Oklahoma’s offensive success than [autotag]Deion Burks[/autotag]. He looks like a thicker, stronger version of Marquise “Hollywood” Brown. Taking over in the slot after [autotag]Drake Stoops[/autotag] had a career year, expectations are high for Burks after he electrified in the Sooners spring game.

73. Billy Bowman, S

Bowman has started 29 of the 35 games he has played in his career and was named a first-team All-Big 12 player for his efforts in 2023. He was second in the country with six interceptions (three of which he took back for touchdowns) and ranked third on the team with 63 total tackles. – ESPN

[autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] took the nation by storm in 2023 with his six interceptions and three interceptions returned for a touchdown. Now in his fourth season and third in Brent Venables defense, the sky is the limit for the athletic safety.

32. Danny Stutsman, LB

The senior linebacker is one of the players who will be key to Oklahoma’s success in 2024. An All-Big 12 first-team selection last season, Stutsman led the Sooners with 104 total tackles, 51 solo tackles and 16 tackles for loss. He also had three sacks, a pick, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. – ESPN

Everything’s prepped and ready for Danny Stutsman to have another fabulous season for the Oklahoma Sooners. With improved defensive line play and linebacker depth, OU will get the most out of their star linebacker this season.

Notables

  • In the Oklahoma Sooners’ first SEC game, the offensive line will have to do battle with ESPN’s No. 1 player, James Pierce, Jr. It will be quite the test for the offensive tackles Jacob Sexton and Jake Taylor.
  • One-time Oklahoma commit turned Missouri Tiger, [autotag]Luther Burden[/autotag] comes in at No. 5.
  • LSU linebacker Harold Perkins, who has been on a bunch of preseason first team All-American squads alongside Danny Stutsman ranked No. 14 in the nation.
  • Former Sooners quarterback [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag] came in at No. 16 overall, seven spots ahead of Texas’ [autotag]Quinn Ewers[/autotag].

That’s just a few of the 19 players that the Oklahoma Sooners will face in 2024.

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Josh Bates making a strong impression in Sooners fall camp

Josh Bates standing out as the Oklahoma Sooners work to figure out their offensive line.

The offensive line continues to be the top storyline in Oklahoma Sooners’ fall camp. The Sooners are going to be relying on incoming transfers to fill several of the spots along their offensive line. But one position that continues to be up for grabs is center.

The expectation is SMU transfer [autotag]Branson Hickman[/autotag] will be the starter for 2024. However, as he continues to get acclimated to the offense, 2022 four-star center signee [autotag]Joshua Bates[/autotag] has been getting a lot of snaps with the first team.

Bates has impressed Brent Venables with his work ethic and how he’s improved since arriving in Norman in spring of 2022.

“(Bates) has been much more consistent, No. 1, with his snaps,” Venables said after practice. “He’s been a lot cleaner that way. Again, he’s a guy that helps make everyone around him better. Because he loves to compete, he loves football. Again, I got a small Rolodex of guys that I could say the same thing about.

“But I just love guys that love to come to work every day. They love their brothers, they love the environment, they love to go to practice, they love to work, they love to compete. They know how to strain. They’re just great examples. And that’s why you’re seeing him improve and get better, but he’s also had a really strong impact with the guys around him and in the locker room.”

Bates sat behind [autotag]Andrew Raym[/autotag] and [autotag]Troy Everett[/autotag] the last two seasons, learning and honing his craft. Though Oklahoma went the transfer route to add the experienced Hickman, Bates has put in the work to create an opportunity for himself. Even if he’s not a starter for [autotag]Bill Bedenbaugh[/autotag]’s offensive line, Bates has positioned himself to be the front-runner to start in 2025.

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Who steps up at wide receiver with Jayden Gibson out?

With Jayden Gibson set to miss the 2024 season, which wide receivers could step up for the Oklahoma Sooners?

Anytime you lose a player, it’s going to put the depth chart to the test. With Jayden Gibson set to miss the 2024 season, the Sooners will need to rely on their depth at wide receiver more than they anticipated.

Gibson was one of those players expected to have a huge breakout season. As part of the rotation in 2023, Gibson caught 14 passes for 375 yards and five touchdowns. As Andrel Anthony (knee) and Jalil Farooq (toe) were working their way back from injuries, Gibson was getting a great deal of run with the first team and was taking advantage of it.

Now that he’s out, who will step up in his place?

“You hate that for anybody when a season comes to an end prematurely,” Brent Venables said. “But that’s a group that we feel really good about.”

If everyone’s healthy, it’s likely Nic Anderson, Deion Burks, Farooq and Anthony are your top four wide receivers. Farooq is back and Anthony is expected to be ready for the season. In the event they’re not, the Sooners will need to go deeper into the wide receiver well.

One of the more unheralded figures on the wide receiver depth chart is former Missouri transfer and Tulsa native J.J. Hester. Hester arrived in Norman during the 2022 offseason, but dealt with injuries for much of his time with the Sooners. Those injuries limited his development. However, with a healthy offseason, Hester looks primed for a breakout season of his own.

He has great size and speed to be a difference-maker at every level of the offense. He can win in the intermediate part of the field with his size to box out defensive backs. Hester can also stretch the defense deep with legitimate 4.4 40-yard dash speed.

In addition to Hester, two other speedsters, though smaller in stature, have a chance to earn a significant role out of fall camp. Another transfer addition, Brenen Thompson, made an impact in a limited role, but he hasn’t seen many snaps with the Sooners. [autotag]Jaquaize Pettaway[/autotag], a four-star wide receiver in the 2023 recruiting class has the ability to work at several spots. He has the speed to threaten teams deep and the quickness to be a threat out of the slot.

Beyond the veterans on the roster, the Sooners have a nice group of prospects from the [autotag]2024 recruiting class[/autotag]. [autotag]Ivan Carreon[/autotag], [autotag]Zion Kearney[/autotag], [autotag]Zion Ragins[/autotag], and [autotag]K.J. Daniels[/autotag] provide a diverse range of abilities.

Though there may not be an answer right now as to who fills Jayden Gibson’s role in the offense, the Oklahoma Sooners have a number of options for [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag], [autotag]Emmitt Jones[/autotag], [autotag]Seth Littrell[/autotag] and [autotag]Joe Jon Finley[/autotag] to choose from.

Projected Wide Receiver Depth Chart

X WR Nic Anderson Andrel Anthony Zion Kearney
Slot WR Deion Burks Jaquaize Pettaway Brenen Thompson
Y WR Jalil Farooq J.J. Hester Ivan Carreon

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Brent Venables shares update on Jayden Gibson’s injury situation

Oklahoma Sooners head coach Brent Venables provided an update to Jayden Gibson’s injury situation.

The Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver room is one of the deepest in the country. That depth has been put to the test during fall camp with several key receivers dealing with a variety of injuries.

Last week, George Stoia of SoonerScoop and On3 reported that wide receiver [autotag]Jayden Gibson[/autotag] suffered a knee injury in practice. OU hasn’t made details of the injury available but when Sooners head coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] met with the media on Tuesday, he revealed Gibson “won’t be back.

It’s a devastating blow for Gibson, who was on track to build off of a 2023 season in which he caught 14 passes for 375 yards and five touchdowns. He operated in a rotational role for the Sooners, starting the season as the No. 5 wide receiver but seeing more opportunities after [autotag]Andrel Anthony[/autotag] was lost for the season in the [autotag]Red River Rivalry[/autotag]. And he took advantage of the increased playing time.

Gibson was explosive and provided another big-play threat in the passing game due to his remarkable size and speed combination. Now, Gibson hopes to return in time to start for the Sooners in 2025.

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