Tag: billy bowman

4 Oklahoma Sooners earn All-SEC Honors

Oklahoma Sooners earn four All-SEC honors.

The Oklahoma Sooners’ first swim through the SEC wasn’t up to standards but several players proved ready for the uptick in competition.

Four Sooners earned selection to the All-SEC teams, as announced by the conference on Tuesday.

[autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] led the way, earning a spot on the All-SEC first-team defense. Stutsman led the way for a Sooners defense that was one of the best in the nation in 2024. Stutsman led the Sooners with 108 total tackles and recorded eight tackles for loss. Stutsman is now off to the NFL, where he’ll have a chance to be a late first-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft.

Also earning All-SEC honors was [autotag]R Mason Thomas[/autotag], who was selected to the conference’s second team after recording a team-high nine sacks and 12 tackles for loss. After battling injuries his first two seasons in Norman, Thomas experienced a breakout season for the Sooners and became a dynamic pass rusher in critical moments.

[autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] was named to the All-SEC third team at safety. Bowman recorded 54 total tackles, two interceptions, three pass deflections, and two fumble recoveries. Like Stutsman, Bowman is off to the NFL, where he has a chance to be selected in the top four rounds of the 2025 NFL draft.

Long snapper Ben Anderson was also a third-team All-SEC selection after putting together a clean season from a snapping perspective. He also made three tackles on punt returns this season.

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Best photos from Oklahoma’s win over Alabama, fans rushing the field postgame

A look at some of the best photos from the Oklahoma Sooners upset win over the No. 7 Alabama Crimson Tide.

What a night in Norman, Oklahoma. On senior night and with the Alabama Crimson Tide in town, Sooner Nation showed out in a big way, rising to the occasion to provide an energy and environment that had a significant impact on the Oklahoma Sooners win over the Alabama Crimson Tide.

In the end, the Oklahoma Sooners welcomed thousands of their closest friends onto the field to revel in the 24-3 domination.

The Sooners made Alabama look like the team that had struggled to get to 5-5 on the season. Not the No. 7 team in the nation that was hoping to solidify its place in the College Football Playoff.

The offense pounded the ball with Jackson Arnold and Xavier Robinson in the run game to the tune of 257 rushing yards on 50 attempts. The defense kept one of the best quarterbacks in the SEC, Jalen Milroe, in check for four quarters. They never let him get going in the running game and provided enough pressure to make it difficult to push the ball down the field.

It was an incredible night in Norman as Oklahoma honored its seniors in the best way they could, with a huge win over a top-10 Alabama Crimson Tide team.

Here are some of the best photos from the Sooners win over Alabama.

 

3 keys for the Oklahoma Sooners vs. the Alabama Crimson Tide

3 keys to the game between the Sooners and the Crimson Tide.

The Oklahoma Sooners are 5-5 overall in 2024 and just 1-5 in Southeastern Conference play. Year 3 under head coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] and Year 1 in the [autotag]SEC[/autotag] hasn’t gone as expected, and OU now teeters on the brink of missing a bowl game for the first time since 1998.

The Sooners have lost four of their last five games after a 4-1 start, with the only win coming against FCS Maine. Oklahoma must win one of their final two regular season games in order to extend a 25-year bowl eligibility streak.

Venables’ team hasn’t won a conference game since before the first bye week of the season, and now coming off of the second bye week, the task at hand doesn’t get any easier. The Alabama Crimson Tide roll into Norman, looking to make another statement to the College Football Playoff committee and hope to stay on track to reach the SEC Championship Game.

They are led by head coach Kalen DeBoer, wrapping up his first season in Tuscaloosa after being hired to replace Nick Saban after the legendary coach retired following the 2023 season.

It’s a tall order for Oklahoma this week, but this is college football. Just when you think you know how things are going to go, they change in an instant. That’s what the Sooners are hoping for this week.

Here are three keys to the game between the Sooners and the Crimson Tide.

1. Run The Dang Ball

Interim co-offensive coordinators [autotag]Joe Jon Finley[/autotag] and [autotag]Kevin Johns[/autotag] showed some promising things against Ole Miss, Maine, and Missouri after Seth Littrell was relieved of his duties after the South Carolina loss. But it all came crashing down against Missouri.

The one thing the Sooners were able to do well in that game was run the ball, but Finley seemed reluctant to keep calling run plays and concepts that had worked earlier in the game. Instead, Oklahoma took to the air, which didn’t work at all behind a shaky offensive line and an overwhelmed quarterback.

If [autotag]Jovantae Barnes[/autotag] is back this week, that bodes well for OU. Getting [autotag]Taylor Tatum[/autotag] and [autotag]Xavier Robinson[/autotag] heavily involved in the game is a must, even if Barnes is active. The Crimson Tide are good and explosive offensively, so the Sooners must counteract that with a steady diet of the run game.

Up Next: Keys to Victory

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Kickoff time, TV information announced for Oklahoma-Alabama

Oklahoma will host Alabama under the lights in their final home game of the season.

The Oklahoma Sooners will play their penultimate game of the 2024 season next week, after their upcoming bye week. With OU fielding their worst team since the John Blake years in the late 1990s, one might hope that the Sooners could go quietly about their business of losing and avoid the spotlight, before the offseason.

However, that won’t be the case. OU’s home finale will come against Alabama on Owen Field, and the [autotag]SEC[/autotag] has decided to put the game in primetime.

It’ll be a 6:30 p.m. kickoff in Norman for the Sooners and the Crimson Tide on Saturday November 23rd, and the game will broadcast on ABC in front of a nationally-televised audience.

It’s another bad break in a season full of them for Oklahoma, as the entire country will be able to tune in to watch [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] against a red hot Alabama Crimson Tide.

At the very least, it’ll be one final opportunity for seniors like [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] and [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] to play in their home stadium. Both players deserved better than what they got this season, but hopefully they will be celebrated one last time at home.

Oklahoma Sooners name captains for Week 7 vs. Texas Longhorns

The Sooners announced their captains for a huge game against the archival Longhorns.

The Oklahoma Sooners and the Texas Longhorns are just days away from renewing one of the greatest rivalry games sports has to offer. The [autotag]Red River Rivalry[/autotag] pits the undefeated Longhorns against the 4-1 Sooners in Dallas.

Oklahoma head coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] has chosen six captains to represent his team in the Cotton Bowl on Saturday. Tight end [autotag]Bauer Sharp[/autotag] and offensive lineman [autotag]Febechi Nwaiwu[/autotag] represent the offense, while defensive linemen [autotag]Damonic Williams[/autotag] and [autotag]Ethan Downs[/autotag], linebacker [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] and defensive back [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] represent the defense.

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Sharp, a transfer from Southeastern Louisiana, is making his first appearance in this rivalry. He’s been OU’s leading receiving tight end so far this season. While he’s struggled a bit with blocking, he’s been a reliable target over the middle in the passing game.

Nwaiwu is also a newcomer to this game, after transferring in from North Texas. He’s been a constant at right guard for OU this season, and has had his fair share of good and bad up front. Still, he’s been healthy and good enough to hold down the starting gig.

Williams is another new face in this matchup after arriving in Oklahoma from TCU via the portal. A big NIL and recruiting win for Venables, he’s been a strong starter on OU’s nasty defensive front. Sooner Nation is still waiting for Williams’ true breakout game, but he’s been very good in his first five games in Norman.

Downs is a Red River veteran, playing in his fourth game against Texas. He was one of the stars of this matchup a season ago, pressuring QB Quinn Ewers again and again. Downs is one of many players that OU rotates in and out at defensive end, but his veteran leadership and his technique are huge for  the coaching staff.

Stutsman continues to serve as the leader of OU’s defense and is responsible for so much from play to play. His now-iconic quote before last year’s game is indicative of what he brings to the table for this team. He’s playing in his fourth Red River game and leads the Sooners in tackles so far this season.

Bowman is another veteran on this defense, also playing in his fourth matchup against the “Horns. He was another one of Oklahoma’s many defensive stars in this game last year, forcing an interception in the first quarter with a huge hit, and coming up with the defining fourth-down stop of OU’s legendary goal-line stand. He’s the leader of an excellent safety trio for the Sooners that will have to come up big once again in this game.

Oklahoma and Texas will kick things off on ABC on Saturday, and the game will begin at 2:30 p.m.

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3 keys that could lead to an Oklahoma victory over Tennessee

Three keys to the game as the Oklahoma Sooners get set to take on the Tennessee Volunteers.

It’s safe to assume Oklahoma’s preparation has intensified over the last week. The Sooners are preparing for a much more talented foe than they have seen at any point this season. No. 7 Tennessee presents an incredible challenge for OU on Saturday night, but that’s to be expected with the Sooners entering the SEC. The conference games will be more challenging than they were in the Big 12.

The rest of the college football world doesn’t give the Sooners a real chance to win this game. Brent Venables, a master motivator and no stranger to coaching in high-profile matchups over the last 20 years, knows what it will take for his team to come out on top Saturday night.

While Tennessee is the higher-ranked team, it is not invincible. Oklahoma has a path to victory. We took the time to highlight that path with our three keys to the game below.

1. Start Fast

It’s such a cliche statement, but it does hold a lot of weight in a football game. Especially in a game where one team has heard they were the underdogs and didn’t have a chance at winning. It’s a confidence thing that can boost one team and psychologically damage the other.

Oklahoma has had some decent starts to their games this season, but they’ve yet to carry it into the second quarter. And that’s where Oklahoma needs to hone in on Saturday. Play a complete first half, take a breather, and gear up to scrap in the second half because Tennessee will not go away if you come out swinging.

Oklahoma offensive coordinator Seth Littrell must get his young quarterback into a rhythm. Maybe start out with the short passing game and mixing in designed QB runs along with the regular run game to ease him in. As the results show and his confidence grows, Littrell can then start to open up the playbook even wider.

Up Next: More Keys to the Game

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Oklahoma Sooners safety Pro Football Focus’ highest graded at the position

The Sooners will need to continue to play excellent at safety this week against Tulane.

Oklahoma Sooners safety [autotag]Robert Spears-Jennings[/autotag] is off to a fantastic start in 2024. In fact, his start has been so good that Pro Football Focus has him as their highest-graded safety in college football after week two of the season.

Robert Spears-Jennings is the highest-graded defensive player among players at the Power Four level, having at least 40 snaps this season.

Spears-Jennings is one-third of an excellent trio of safeties at OU, alongside [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] and [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag]. The junior from Broken Arrow is a thumper in the run game for OU’s defense. It turns out that he’s been pretty good in pass coverage as well.

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The local product has waited his turn over the last two years, developing in the background with veterans taking a vast majority of the safety snaps. In 2024, he’s broken out with impact plays in both games so far.

Against Temple, Spears-Jennings forced a fumble, one of OU’s six forced turnovers in a 51-3 win.

Against Houston, he stepped in front of a Cougar wide receiver on a pivotal third-and-long early in the fourth quarter that gave the Sooners some momentum. Who knows what could have happened if Houston had converted on that play, as they were only down two points at the time.

According to Pro Football Focus, Spears-Jennings hasn’t missed a tackle through two games this season. He’s fourth on the defense in snaps.

Head coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] and safeties coach [autotag]Brandon Hall[/autotag] recruited a good one in Spears-Jennings, who is ready to break out even more this year, having contributed on defense ever since he was a true freshman back in 2022.

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3 freshmen to watch for Oklahoma Sooners against Houston

Oklahoma’s true freshmen stood out in a big way in week one can these three freshmen have another strong performance?

The Oklahoma Sooners look to improve to 2-0 on Saturday night. They’ll welcome the Houston Cougars to Norman at 6:45 p.m. after defeating the Temple Owls, 51-3, last Friday.

OU’s younger players received plenty of playing time in Week 1, as the home team was in control from the beginning. While Houston is a more talented team than Temple, the Sooners are expected to win in convincing fashion again.

Even if the opponent were a tougher one, Oklahoma would still need contributions from the youngest players on their depth chart. [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] and his coaching staff did an excellent job in the [autotag]2024 recruiting class[/autotag]. Now they hope their hard work continues to pay off, beginning with a strong showing against the Cougars. Here are three freshmen players on OU’s roster to watch in Week 2.

1. Jayden Jackson, DT

Making history last week as the first true freshmen starter at defensive tackle since Tommie Harris in 2001, [autotag]Jayden Jackson[/autotag] starts again up front for Venables and Co.

Jackson’s size and strength on the interior of the defensive line will be tested more once the Sooners reach [autotag]SEC[/autotag] play, but against Houston, he should once again have a chance to make some noise.

He wasn’t the player up front that popped the most last week against Temple, but the defensive line dominated the game when he was in. Watch for Jackson to make plays stuffing the run against a porous Cougars offensive line while rotating with [autotag]Damonic Williams[/autotag], [autotag]Da’Jon Terry[/autotag], and [autotag]Gracen Halton[/autotag].

Up Next: Freshmen Playmakers Need More Snaps

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Where does Oklahoma land in the ‘JP Poll’ before Week 1?

The Sooners are days away from kicking off the 2024 season against the Temple Owls, but where do they land in the week 1 JP Poll rating system from Josh Pate?

The Oklahoma Sooners have almost made it through another long offseason. They’ll kick off the regular season on Friday night against Temple, when the Owls come to Norman for a 6 p.m. game on ESPN.

OU is ranked No. 16 in both the US LBM Coaches Poll and the AP Top 25 to begin the 2024 season. The Sooners were picked to finish eighth in the [autotag]SEC[/autotag] by the SEC media. However, one college football expert has [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag]’ team a bit higher in his power ratings.

247Sports’ Josh Pate, the host of “Josh Pate’s College Football Show” unveiled his “JP Poll” power ratings as we head into Week 1 of the college football season, which begins Thursday evening. The Sooners ranked No. 12, the seventh-highest mark in the SEC.

Pate clarifies that his model is not a ranking, rather that it is a power rating as to which teams would win on a neutral field right now. The JP Poll always has some curious inclusions and omissions, but clearly his model is high on OU.

The Sooners return a bevy of talent and production on defense, led by [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] and [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag]. Offensively, new starting quarterback [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] will have plenty of weapons at his disposal, led by running back [autotag]Gavin Sawchuk[/autotag] and wide receivers [autotag]Deion Burks[/autotag] and [autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag].

As the Sooners enter the SEC, head coach Brent Venables has done an excellent job of building up the roster, but this season will be telling in Norman, as OU faces a brutal season in their inguaral season in the conference.

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Oklahoma Sooners still looking for an answer at Kicker

Two players are battling to become the starting kicker for Oklahoma in 2024.

The Oklahoma Sooners released their first official depth chart of the 2024 season on Sunday evening, letting fans know the players who will start Week 1 against Temple.

One underrated position battle for head coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] heading into Year 3 is at the kicker position. OU needs to be better on special teams this season, beginning with their success rate on field goals. Venables knows this will be doubly important with the Sooners entering the [autotag]SEC[/autotag], where the margin between failure and success is even smaller than what Oklahoma is used to.

In addition, OU is breaking in a new special teams analyst. [autotag]Jay Nunez[/autotag] is out and [autotag]Doug Deakin[/autotag] takes over after coming over from San Diego State. Venables and Deakin held a kicker competition this offseason, but with the release of the initial depth chart, it seems the spot still hasn’t been decided yet.

A pair of redshirt seniors, [autotag]Tyler Keltner[/autotag] and [autotag]Zach Schmit[/autotag], are battling for the right to be named Oklahoma’s starter. Keltner is the newcomer in the race after joining the Sooners via the portal this offseason. Schmit is the incumbent and is one of the longest-tenured players on the roster. He’s been the starter for each of the last two seasons.

At the other specialist positions, redshirt senior [autotag]Luke Elzinga[/autotag] will retain the starting punter job that he earned midway through last season. Redshirt sophomore [autotag]Ben Anderson[/autotag] will serve as the long-snapper, redshirt senior [autotag]Josh Plaster[/autotag] will be the holder and Schmit will retain his role as Oklahoma’s kickoff specialist.

Sophomore safety [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag] gets the nod as OU’s punt returner, a move fans will be happy to see, as he was electric returning punts in high school. A pair of seniors, safety [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] and wide receiver [autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag], will be the kickoff returners to begin the season. Oklahoma needs to be better in the kick return game this year than they were in 2023, as a couple of costly mistakes hurt the Sooners in their two regular season losses.

OU will begin their foray into the SEC on Friday night in Norman, as they’ll look to start strong against Temple. Kickoff will be at 6 p.m.

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