Tag: billy bowman

Sooners trending for elite safety Omarion Robinson with commitment day looming

Oklahoma trending for safety Omarion Robinson with decision coming next week.

The safety position has grown so much in just a few years since Brent Venables took the reins of the Oklahoma football program. They landed a five-star safety for the first time in a decade or more when they locked down [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag].

Billy Bowman is already a bonafide star at the position, and if you asked anyone to rank the five best players on the Oklahoma roster, he would be named every time.

That brings us to the future of the position in Norman. Bowen’s future is still bright, but Billy Bowman is a senior and will depart Norman for the NFL following this season. Former four-star prospect [autotag]Robert Spears-Jennings[/autotag] will have a lot more responsibility this coming season. The 2024 recruiting class brought in a group of talented blue-chip safeties in [autotag]Michael Boganowski[/autotag], [autotag]Jaydan Hardy[/autotag], [autotag]Mykel Patterson-McDonald[/autotag], and [autotag]Reggie Powers[/autotag]. The [autotag]2025 recruiting class[/autotag] currently has three-star safety out of Arkansas, [autotag]Marcus Wimberly[/autotag]. Could it bring another safety from the Natural State?

247Sports composite four-star safety Omarion Robinson is set to announce his decision on July 6, and Oklahoma is duking it out with Arkansas, LSU, and Oregon for his services.

Robinson is a hyper-competitive defender who can disrupt the passing game. He plays great coverage and has the athletic range to be a ballhawk in the middle of the field. His footwork is top-notch, and he’s unafraid of coming downhill to make run fits. He recently won defensive back MVP at the Rivals 5-star challenge.

 

Oklahoma has been steady in this race for some time, and after June’s official visits, the time for a commitment is nearing.

On Sunday afternoon, Chad Simmons of On3 predicted Robinson to land with the Sooners.

The prediction is an eye-opener, with the commitment just days away. Safeties coach [autotag]Brandon Hall[/autotag] is no stranger to closing out recruitments. It would be foolish to write off his ability to close on another bonafide blue-chip prospect.

With less than a week to his commitment, the Sooners are in a prime spot to continue adding to their already sixth-ranked 2025 recruiting class.

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How did EA Sports rate Oklahoma’s defense in ‘College Football 25?’

When “College Football 25” drops, the Oklahoma Sooners will open with one of the best defenses in the country.

EA Sports is releasing “College Football 25” on July 19, and fans are excited for the return of the college football video game series.

On Thursday, EA released its defensive ratings for the 25 best defenses in the game, and Oklahoma is just outside the top 10.

“College Football 25” has OU as the No. 12 defense ahead of the launch of the highly anticipated video game. It’s the No. 4 best defense in the [autotag]SEC[/autotag]. This comes following the mutual parting of ways between the program and former defensive coordinator [autotag]Ted Roof[/autotag] and the hiring of his replacement, [autotag]Zac Alley[/autotag].

On the field, the Sooners have plenty of experienced talent returning on the defensive side of the ball. The secondary is led by [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] at safety and [autotag]Woodi Washington[/autotag] at cornerback, but features plenty of young talent as well.

[autotag]Gentry Williams[/autotag] and [autotag]Kani Walker[/autotag] will battle for the spot opposite of Washington. [autotag]Robert Spears-Jennings[/autotag] and [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag] will see an increase in snaps this year with the departures of [autotag]Key Lawrence[/autotag] and [autotag]Reggie Pearson[/autotag].

The defensive line sees some change but still has [autotag]Ethan Downs[/autotag] leading the way up front. [autotag]Da’Jon Terry[/autotag] and [autotag]Trace Ford[/autotag] are veterans who will aid in the development of younger players like [autotag]Damonic Williams[/autotag], [autotag]R Mason Thomas[/autotag], [autotag]Jayden Jackson[/autotag], [autotag]Adepoju Adebawroe[/autotag] and [autotag]David Stone[/autotag]. The defensive line is in a solid place moving forward even after losing [autotag]Jordan Kelley[/autotag], [autotag]Isaiah Coe[/autotag], [autotag]Jonah Laulu[/autotag] and [autotag]Rondell Bothroyd[/autotag]. The Sooners also saw [autotag]Jermayne Lole[/autotag] flip his commitment from OU to Texas in the spring portal window.

The strength of the defense is the talent and depth at linebacker. At the inside spots, [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] returns as the heart and soul of the unit. [autotag]Jaren Kanak[/autotag], [autotag]Kobie McKinzie[/autotag], [autotag]Kip Lewis[/autotag] and [autotag]Lewis Carter[/autotag] will all see plenty of snaps alongside Stutsman. The loss of [autotag]Justin Harrington[/autotag] at the cheetah position stings, but [autotag]Kendel Dolby[/autotag], [autotag]Dasan McCullough[/autotag] and [autotag]Samuel Omosigho[/autotag] provide Alley will plenty of options at that spot.

The Sooners open with an 88 overall defense in “College Football 25,” tied with Texas, Penn State, Utah, Florida State and Iowa.

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Where do the Sooners rank in Phil Steele’s preseason Top 40?

How do the Oklahoma Sooners stack up in Phil Steele’s preseason top 40?

The Oklahoma Sooners are just over two months from kicking off their 2024 season against Temple in Norman. For now, though, it’s preview magazine season, and one of the biggest names in that game has released his preseason Top 25.

Phil Steele ranked the Sooners a bit lower than some other analysts. He has Oklahoma at No. 20 in the country coming into the season and seventh in the [autotag]SEC[/autotag].

Brent Venabes has built a strong defense and Oklahoma is actually #7 in my Power Poll but has the SEC’s toughest schedule with just 3 SEC home games and they face each of the other top 6 teams (4 on road). – Steele

Steele also had OU 20th to begin last season after putting them at No. 8 ahead of [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag]’ rough first season at the helm.

This is in part due to the challenging schedule OU faces this year. Moving to the SEC from the [autotag]Big 12[/autotag] means a big jump in competition and though Oklahoma is in a better place now than they were a year ago, getting to 10 wins again will be more difficult.

The defense looks stacked. [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] and [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] return to lead a group that is solid across the board, especially in the back seven. The defensive line was probably the weakest of the three levels, so Oklahoma made a big move and added [autotag]Damonic Williams[/autotag] in the spring portal window. Williams helps shore up a talented, but young unit up front.

Offensively, [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] takes over at quarterback, with plenty of weapons at running back and wide receiver. Offensive line and tight end leave a bit to be desired, but if the transfer portal additions at those positions click, Oklahoma could jell on offense.

With Brent Venables entering Year 3, the way for the Sooners to out-do Steele’s projections would be to take another step forward and get back to the [autotag]College Football Playoff[/autotag], somewhat shocking the nation in the process.

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Linebackers and secondary are the Sooners’ strength in 2024 per PFF

According to Pro Football Focus, Oklahoma’s back seven will be its biggest strength in 2024.

It’s preview season in the world of college football, and the Oklahoma Sooners had the spotlight this past week from Pro Football Focus in their College Football Preview (subscription required).

PFF gave the Sooners just a 4% chance to win the SEC this year, but had OU 13th in the nation in their power rankings.

Max Chadwick and Dalton Wasserman, who co-wrote the article, named Oklahoma’s back seven as its biggest strength heading into the new season.

Here’s what PFF had to say:

Oklahoma’s defense features a top-10 secondary and a linebacker unit that is headlined by [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag], a third-team AP All-American last year.

OU is loaded at the linebacker positions with Stutsman as the clear leader. [autotag]Kip Lewis[/autotag], [autotag]Kobie McKinzie[/autotag] and [autotag]Jaren Kanak[/autotag] should see significant snaps inside as well. [autotag]Lewis Carter[/autotag] will likely have a role in his second year with the Sooners as well.

At the cheetah spot, [autotag]Dasan McCullough[/autotag] and [autotag]Kendel Dolby[/autotag] are intriguing options with experience, but don’t be surprised if [autotag]Samuel Omosigho[/autotag] sees plenty of time.

The secondary has plenty of headliners, beginning with [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] at safety. Playing alongside him will likely be [autotag]Peyton Bowen [/autotag] and/or [autotag]Robert Spears-Jennings[/autotag] to give OU a formidable trio to rotate at both safety spots.

Cornerback is lead by [autotag]Woodi Washington[/autotag] on one side, Oklahoma’s defensive leader in snaps a season ago. While he’ll see time at corner, the Sooners plan to move him around the secondary, even giving him snaps at cheetah in 2024. [autotag]Gentry Williams[/autotag] and [autotag]Kani Walker[/autotag] will likely battle all season long on the other side of the field with [autotag]Dez Malone[/autotag] factoring in as well. [autotag]Jacobe Johnson[/autotag] is a local product from Mustang, and he and [autotag]Makari Vickers[/autotag] saw some fill-in action last season.

[autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] has the makings of a high-level defense in 2024 as he enters his third season at the helm of the Sooners.

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Sooners defender considered NFL draft gem by CBS Sports

Which Oklahoma Sooners defender does CBS Sports consider a hidden gem for the 2025 NFL draft?

The Oklahoma Sooners have one of the more experienced defenses in the country heading into 2024. The Sooners rank eighth in the nation in ESPN’s returning production metric.

Much of the focus when it comes to the Sooners’ defense is on [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] and [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag], and deservedly so. They bring a lot of experience and talent to the table. They’ll play one more season with the Sooners and head to the NFL draft in 2025. With what they did in 2023 and what they’re capable of doing in 2024, there’s a good chance they’ll hear their names called in the top 100 of the draft.

But they aren’t the only players that will get drafted. Over at CBS Sports, Blake Brockermayer chose one hidden gem from each top 25 team ahead of 2024. For the Oklahoma Sooners, Fornelli chose defensive end [autotag]Ethan Downs[/autotag].

Downs has been a disruptive force off the edge, starting 25 games the last two seasons. He’s a high-effort player who can turn the edge and harass quarterbacks as well as hold up in the run game. – Brockermayer, CBS Sports

Downs has back-to-back seasons with 4.5 sacks and has 20 tackles for loss over the last two seasons. Projected to start at one of the defensive end spots in year three of Brent Venables’ defense, Downs could see an uptick in his production.

He’s a do-it-all defensive end who does a fantastic job playing the run and is continually improving as a pass rusher. With another year of experience, he has a chance to solidify himself as a draftable prospect next April.

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Lincoln Riley’s remaining 2021 4-Stars shining under Brent Venables

Oklahoma has four 4-star prospects remaining from the 2021 recruiting class and though they may be Lincoln Riley recruits, they’re now Brent Venables’ guys.

A lot has been made of the difference in recruiting at the University of Oklahoma since [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] has taken over. The Sooners have had three top 10 classes during Venables’ tenure. The biggest difference might be on the defensive side of the ball, where Oklahoma’s added three five-star prospects in the last two cycles in [autotag]Adepoju Adebawore[/autotag], [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag], and [autotag]David Stone[/autotag].

Despite the transition from [autotag]Lincoln Riley[/autotag] to [autotag]Jeff Lebby[/autotag] and now [autotag]Seth Littrell[/autotag], the Sooners have remained adept at recruiting blue-chip offensive talent as well.

While recruiting has certainly seen an uptick, Oklahoma’s going to rely on four players from Riley’s final recruiting class in 2021 to lead the way. But at this point it’s safe to say these are Venables’ guys.

From a signing class headlined by [autotag]Caleb Williams[/autotag], [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag], [autotag]Ethan Downs[/autotag], [autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag], and [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] are leading the way for the Sooners in 2024.

Bowman, Downs, and Stutsman weren’t recruited by Venables, but they hung with the defensive-minded head coach after he took over in December of 2021. All three were instrumental in Oklahoma’s year-to-year turnaround from 2022 to 2023. Though the three defensive stars are on their third defensive coordinator in four seasons, they remain committed to the vision laid out by Venables and his staff. And each has shown improvement each season under their head coach.

More: Recent USC decommitments further validate Oklahoma’s recruiting strategy

Farooq, who had a strong relationship with Williams (they both played high school football in the DMV area on the East Coast), has stayed with the Sooners despite working with his third offensive play-caller and fourth position coach in four seasons.

In this modern era of college football, that many coaching changes would send any number of players into the transfer portal. Yet, they’ve become cornerstone players for Oklahoma and leaders as they enter the SEC. This group of players may have been recruited by Riley and his staff, but it’s clear Bowman, Downs, Farooq, and Stutsman are Venables’ guys.

“We’ve seen the best version of Jalil Farooq, which is what you want. Your best players, so to speak, to always be your best workers, best leaders,” Venables said during spring ball. “So far, through the first part of winter and spring, that’s what Jalil has been.”

Each has taken on a leadership role on and off the field for the Sooners. They’ve been reliable performers and each significantly contributed to Oklahoma’s 10-win season in 2023. In particular, all four guys had a big hand in the Sooners’ win over Texas.

Farooq led Oklahoma in receiving that day with five catches for 130 yards. He also had three carries for 13 yards and two kickoff returns for 37 yards. Downs had two sacks of Quinn Ewers against Texas’ vaunted offensive line. Bowman had 11 total tackles, separated Ja’Tavion Sanders from the football near the goalline leading to a [autotag]Kendal Dolby[/autotag] interception, and came up with a huge stop of Xavier Worthy on fourth and goal at the one-yard line. Stutsman had nine total tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss. Stutsman was an emotional leader on the day and also made a huge impact on Oklahoma’s legendary goal-line stand.

Bowman and Stutsman had opportunities to go to the NFL this offseason, but they took a big-picture approach to their playing careers and opted for one more season with the Sooners. Downs and Farooq have done nothing but improve during their time under Venables, and both players will look to build upon the strong seasons they had a year ago.

As much as the transfer portal will provide an influx of talent, the Sooners want to build through the high school recruiting ranks. In a developmental game, the four four-star prospects from the 2021 recruiting class are an example of loyalty and trusting the process.

As the Oklahoma Sooners prepare for their first season in the SEC, Jalil Farooq, Ethan Downs, Billy Bowman, and Danny Stutsman will lead the way.

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Danny Stutsman, Billy Bowman earn Athlon Sports preseason All-American selections

Danny Stutsman grabbed the first-team spot in Athlon Sports’ preseason All-America predictions.

Oklahoma Sooners linebacker [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] will see plenty of preseason honors roll in over the next couple of months. The senior got some big-time recognition from Athlon Sports earlier this week.

Steve Lassan, writing for Athlon Sports, unveiled the publication’s All-America Team prior to the 2024 season. Stutsman made the first team at his linebacker position and safety Billy Bowman was a third team selection.

Back in December, Stutsman decided to return for another season of college football, changing course after initially choosing to enter the [autotag]2024 NFL Draft[/autotag]. His announcement on social media was met with excitement by Sooner fans everywhere.

Stutsman will once again serve as a veteran leader for [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag], as the head coach enters Year 3 in Norman. Stutsman will also be instrumental in helping to smooth Oklahoma’s transition from the [autotag]Big 12 [/autotag] to the [autotag]SEC[/autotag].

Stutsman tallied 104 total tackles and 16 tackles for loss as a junior. He was an All-Big 12 First Team selection in 2023 and was also named to the Associated Press’ third-team defense.

Another player who could’ve turned pro but decided to stay, Bowman will have an opportunity to improve Oklahoma’s defense and his draft grade ahead of the 2025 NFL draft.

Bowman was another first-team all-conference player for Oklahoma’s defense a year ago. He was second in the nation in interceptions with six and led the country in interception returns for touchdowns. He also finished second on the team in tackles.

One former Sooner made the list as well. Oregon quarterback [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag] was named the second-team quarterback after transferring to Eugene.

Gabriel spent two seasons at Oklahoma, hitting the [autotag]portal[/autotag] following the 2023 regular season. Gabriel reportedly made the decision to leave because, according to Gabriel’s mom via the Athletic (subscription required), the former Sooners quarterback was concerned “[autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] might leave, and he didn’t want that for the program.”

With the 2024 season quickly approaching, we won’t have to wait long to see if these current and former OU players live up to lofty expectations.

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Sooners overrated in ESPN’s Football Power Index per The Oklahoman

The Sooners placed fourth in the SEC in ESPN’s Football Power Index, trailing only Georgia, Texas and Alabama.

The Oklahoma Sooners football team was ranked fourth in the [autotag]SEC[/autotag] in ESPN’s Football Power index prior to the 2024 season.

OU came in at No. 8 overall in the country; six of the top 10 teams are from the SEC. [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag]’ team trailed only Georgia (No. 1), Texas (No. 3) and Alabama (No. 5) in the Southeastern Conference.

Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman took a look at each SEC team relative to the ESPN Football Power Index. According to Martinez, the Sooners are overrated by the FPI.

Martinez had this to say.

OU has given the keys to sophomore quarterback [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag]. And while he has a lethal receiver group that features Purdue transfer [autotag]Deion Burks[/autotag], he’ll be behind an offensive line that’s made up almost entirely of new pieces. The Sooners will lean on their defense, which boasts returners such as linebacker [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] and safety [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag]. But the No. 4 spot is high for a team that’ll likely be closer toward the middle of the pack. – Martinez, The Oklahoman

Martinez certainly has a point. Eighth in the country and fourth in the SEC would be a lofty finish for OU in Year 3 under Venables. The Sooners are transitioning from the [autotag]Big 12[/autotag] to a much more difficult conference in the SEC. The schedule and quality of athletes they’ll have to face this year will be much stronger than in past seasons.

Oklahoma will also be breaking in new coordinators on both sides of the ball. [autotag]Zac Alley[/autotag] takes over on defense, while [autotag]Seth Littrell[/autotag] and [autotag]Joe Jon Finley[/autotag] will run the offense.

Then, there’s the often-talked-about offensive line, which will probably be the hinge point of the entire season. As Martinez notes, it has been entirely rebuilt.

But what if the offensive line jells in 2024? What if [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] is a star and has an all-conference type of year? What if the defense continues to improve in Year 3 under Venables? These are the questions that give OU fans so much reason for optimism heading into a new conference.

The culture and identity of the program under Venables is growing and building on top of the foundation set over the past two years. Culture, identity and defense are what brought Venables to Soonerland in the first place.

The 2024 season is fascinating in Norman because there are so may ways this year can go for Oklahoma. First impressions can be lasting impressions, so it’s almost time for the Sooners to announce their presence in the SEC early and often when the season begins.

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3 reasons the Oklahoma Sooners will win big in 2024

The Oklahoma Sooners are a talented football team, but for them to win big, these three things have to happen.

The Oklahoma Sooners have a better idea of what the 2024 season will look like with the SEC’s release of game time windows on Tuesday. How they and the Texas Longhorns will fare in their first year in the SEC is anyone’s guess.

Texas made the playoffs last season, and the Sooners are one of the winningest programs over the last 25 years. [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] was brought in to prepare Oklahoma for this conference move.

His experience with the Clemson Tigers certainly informs Venables about what it takes to be successful in their new conference home. Each of his first three offseasons has been about getting Oklahoma “SEC ready.”

At the same time, the Sooners provide a new challenge for Alabama, Ole Miss, Tennessee and LSU. OU is considered a blue-blood program for a reason. With seven national titles and 50 conference championships, the Sooners will be a contender in the [autotag]SEC[/autotag]. Can they do it in Year 1? That’s the question everyone’s asking. Here are three reasons OU will win big in 2024 and make the College Football Playoff.

More: College Football Playoff Projections for 2024

Up Next: 3 reasons OU wins big in 2024

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4

Takeaways from Athlon Sports’ season preview for Oklahoma Sooners

Athlon Sports previewed Oklahoma’s 2024 season, focusing on reasons for optimism and concern.

The Oklahoma Sooners are still almost three months from beginning their first season in the [autotag]SEC[/autotag]. Year 3 under head coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] will be a crucial one, as OU tries to build upon a 10-3 record in 2023.

With the dog days of summer and the college football calendar upon us, Athlon Sports is doing season previews for multiple teams, including the Sooners.

In its Oklahoma Sooners preview, Athlon notes the Sooners haven’t won a conference title since 2020 after previously owning the Big 12. They also note OU hasn’t produced a first-team All-American since 2019.

But it wasn’t all criticism. The reemergence of defense in Norman and the talented wide receiver unit were cited as reasons for optimism. [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag]’s obvious talent is a big plus as well.

In fact, according to the article, “Oklahoma’s big-picture transition — leaving the relative comfort of the Big 12 for the snake pit of the SEC — revolves around a more micro transition: Jackson Arnold’s growth at quarterback.”

Arnold holds the present and future of the program squarely on his shoulders. If he grows and becomes the star OU fans believe he could be, the Sooners could be poised for a great deal of success. If he isn’t developed properly, it could set Oklahoma back for years.

Athlon Sports also highlighted the retooled offensive line, falling in line with just about everyone else predicting 2024 for Oklahoma. With the pieces at the skill positions on offense, led by the talented wide receiver corps and running back [autotag]Gavin Sawchuk[/autotag], the offensive line will be a hinge point for the offense and the team overall.

While Athlon Sports had concerns about the offense, it was very complimentary of the defense. According to the article: “Eleven of the top 13 tacklers return, led by two first-team All-Big 12 performers in linebacker [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] and safety [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag]. Stutsman led the unit with 104 tackles, while Bowman’s six interceptions tied him for third nationally.”

Sooner fans have been fooled by heightened expectations for defenses quite a few times over the years, but OU might actually have the talent and coaching to make a return to high-level defense this year. Besides Stutsman and Bowman, [autotag]Damonic Williams[/autotag], [autotag]Woodi Washington[/autotag], [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag] and [autotag]Ethan Downs[/autotag] will be players to watch out for on that side of the ball.

Overall, a bit of a mixed bag from Athlon Sports in its season preview, but Oklahoma was ranked No. 16 nationally in the article. Only time will tell if the national media is undervaluing Venables and the DNA of the program, or if OU fans are a bit too glass-half-full entering football’s most unforgiving conference.

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