Tag: Brandon Hall

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.

https://twitter.com/PFF_College/status/1833983103380947006

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.

https://twitter.com/soonergridiron/status/1832607218052497877

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

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.

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

Billy Bowman, Danny Stutsman named to Nagurski Trophy Watch List

Billy Bowman and Danny Stutsman named to Bronko Nagurski watch list

With all of the hype surrounding them as they head into their final seasons as Oklahoma Sooners, it should be no surprise that [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] and [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] are receiving national love from preseason watch lists.

Stutsman and Bowman have earned lots of love this offseason as they help Oklahoma prepare for its inaugural SEC season. They were named to the preseason All-SEC 1st team voted on by the media, and the accolades and preseason honors haven’t stopped.

On Tuesday, the duo was named to the 2024 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List, which honors the nation’s best defensive player.

 

Bowman’s ball-hawking skills should serve him well. Three pick-six touchdowns accompanied his six interceptions last year, making him a name to watch as we enter this season. Bowman was quite confident at SEC Media Days that he would have better numbers this season.

Stutsman was 15th in tackles for loss last season, averaging 1.3 per game. He was Oklahoma’s lifeblood and the team’s leader. He was named a second-team Walter Camp All-American and a third-team AP All-American while tallying over 100 tackles for the second straight year. He will look to take steps forward as a leader and become a more complete linebacker as Oklahoma readies for the SEC.

The watch list roster includes last year’s winner, Xavier Watts of Notre Dame, plus five other players returning from last season’s FWAA All-America team. Watts was the first defensive back to win the award since Oklahoma’s Derrick Strait and the first safety since Sooners legend Roy Williams.

Oklahoma’s selections were part of a conference-leading 19 selections to the SEC’s SEC list, surpassing all other conferences. By position, the list includes 22 linebackers, 16 defensive ends, 16 safeties, 12 defensive tackles, and nine cornerbacks. The FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club will announce finalists for the 2024 trophy on Nov. 20, and the winner will be unveiled on Dec. 9 at the Bronko Nagurski Awards Banquet in Charlotte, N.C.

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

Four-star safety Omarion Robinson commits to the Oklahoma Sooners

The Oklahoma Sooners picked up a commitment from four-star safety out of Arkansas, Omarion Robinson.

Brandon Hall has been a force on the recruiting trail since he took over the safeties position, and that ability to recruit showed itself again on Saturday.

Oklahoma landed its 21st commit of the [autotag]2025 recruiting class[/autotag] when four-star safety [autotag]Omarion Robinson[/autotag] committed to Oklahoma over offers from Oregon, Arkansas and LSU.

Robinson is a dynamic player on the back end of a defense. He’s 6 feet and 171 pounds, and he has the footwork to play a number of roles in the secondary. He’s competitive and unafraid to be physical. He can also play in man-to-man coverage, a trait many safeties struggle with early on.

Robinson has been on the Sooners’ radar for a while. They offered him in January 2023.

Hall, Venables, and the rest of the defensive staff have prioritized Robinson since the beginning. They have successfully recruited the state of Arkansas this cycle, earning a commitment from [autotag]Marcus Wimberly[/autotag] this year.

In Robinson, Oklahoma landed yet another physical defensive back with the versatility to play in multiple spots. He dominated the Rivals Five-star camp, where he was named DB MVP. He was MaxPreps Freshman All-America second-team selection in the secondary in 2021.

Oklahoma is likely done recruiting defensive backs for the class and will focus more on the offensive and defensive lines to wrap up their 2025 recruiting class.

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

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.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on X @john9williams.

Marcus Wimberly raves about the Oklahoma culture after committing to the Sooners

4-Star safety Marcus Wimberly recently committed to the Oklahoma Sooners and he talks about why Oklahoma made the most sense.

The Oklahoma Sooners got a surprise commitment this past weekend from 4-Star safety [autotag]Marcus Wimberly[/autotag]. Wimberly hadn’t previously made a commitment date announcement or even really hinted one was coming but he ultimately decided Oklahoma was the place to be and announced his commitment on April 6, 2024.

Wimberly made it 11 commits for Oklahoma. It’s also a huge win for safeties coach [autotag]Brandon Hall[/autotag] once again. Wimberly is 6-foot-1 and 183 pounds. He’s also ranked as the No. 9 safety in the class according to Rivals. He was up this past weekend on an unofficial visit and that’s when he decided to commit to the Sooners.

The Sooners ultimately beat out the Michigan Wolverines and the Arkansas Razorbacks whom he was once committed. Wimberly did an exclusive interview with OUInsider’s Brandon Drumm and Parker Thune about his recruitment journey and how he ended up committing to Oklahoma.

“It kind of goes to a phrase that I live by, ‘don’t talk the talk but walk the walk,'” Wimberly said. “Coach Hall would tell me all of these great things about Oklahoma and the team and this great culture that they have there and the family feeling. A lot of universities will say all of these things, but really, when you get there, it’s the polar opposite. So, when I got there, he meant what he said, and it showed.”

Wimberly went on to say he got that feeling after watching the team practice. He mentioned how [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] was helping coach the other guys, but everyone was holding each other accountable. He then ate with some of the players and got their take on the culture.

“They were like, ‘Dude it’s awesome, you have a brotherly bond with everybody that you wouldn’t think you’d have in college,'” Wimberly said. “That’s what really stuck out to me and the [autotag]SOUL Mission[/autotag] stuff. I’m super strong in my faith, and I want to use my platform to reach as many souls for God that I can. And with the SOUL Mission stuff, I think it’s great, and they do a great job at doing outreaches.”

Since Brent Venables took over at Oklahoma, one constant review of the program from families and prospects is just how great the culture is. It’s a big reason why prospects commit and sign with 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.

Oklahoma Sooners get prediction for 2025 4-star safety from Arkansas

Sooners continue their hot start on the recruiting trail as they land a prediction for a talented 2025 safety.

The Oklahoma Sooners have another top-10 recruiting class according to 247Sports. The [autotag]2025 recruiting class[/autotag] is No. 2 in the SEC after the commitment of four-star running back Tory Blaylock.

They Sooners hope to add to that class next week with decisions being made by [autotag]Trent Wilson[/autotag] and [autotag]Maliek Hawkins[/autotag]. However, it remains early in the recruiting process and much work needs to be done.

The best place to start is getting predictions for the guys you are pursuing. That’s what the Sooners have been doing all week. They landed another one, this time from OUInsider’s Parker Thune, who issued a Rivals futurecast favoring the Sooners for [autotag]Marcus Wimberly[/autotag].

Wimberly is a four-star safety from Arkansas who ranks ninth at his position. According to On3, the Sooners have a slight advantage over Michigan to land Wimberly, according to the On3 recruiting prediction machine.

This pursuit will not be an easy one for Oklahoma to win. It has to fend off the defending champs as well as the home state Arkansas Razorbacks. That’s never an easy battle, depending on whether the kid wants to leave home.

They also have a numbers battle on their hands. I’m not saying the Sooners wouldn’t take him because they are pushing for his commitment. But [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] has already said this will not be a big class. He said this will be the smallest class he’s had so far. Oklahoma’s in a good spot to land the commitment of five-star safety [autotag]Jonah Williams[/autotag]. How many safeties will Oklahoma take in this cycle?

But Wimberly can play and the Sooners now have to close.

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

‘I’m trying to add more value’: Woodi Washington trying to add versatility to the secondary

Woodi Washington looking to add more value to the Sooners defense with his versatility in 2024.

Early in the offseason, the Oklahoma Sooners received good news after good news. Several players decided to return on the defensive side of the ball. One of those was Woodi Washington.

Washington has been a key fixture at the outside cornerback position for the Sooners for the last several seasons. But he decided to return to Norman in hopes of upgrading his value. And as the Sooners work through spring ball, he may not only be working to improve his draft stock, but adding value to the defense in a variety of roles.

He talked about that after practice last week. “I’m trying to add more value,” Washington said. “Just play as many positions as I can as far as the next level goes.”

Washington also said it was something he went to the coaching staff about before deciding to return for one more year. “I kind of went to them,” Washington said. “It was kind of around the time of the bowl game last year. When I first thought about coming back. Once they said that it was a go, I was all in for it.”

Right now, Oklahoma is tinkering with different spots to play him during spring practices. He’s reportedly been working at cheetah, safety, and cornerback this spring. Washington has spent time at safety due to injuries but has primarily been an outside cornerback in his time in Norman.

I’m sure a lot of where he ends up playing will have to do with if they have guys step up on the outside to take his place. The Sooners added [autotag]Dez Malone[/autotag] to a group that featured young and promising players like [autotag]Gentry Williams[/autotag], [autotag]Kani Walker[/autotag], [autotag]Makari Vickers[/autotag], [autotag]Jacobe Johnson[/autotag], and [autotag]Jasiah Wagoner[/autotag]. The depth chart looks good, but that group of players still has a lot to prove.

But for now, it’s always good to have that versatility in the secondary. Now, it’s up to the coaching staff to figure out what to do next.

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.

Dasan McCullough battled through injuries in 2023 but now close to 100%

Dasan McCullough says he’s nearly 100% after battling injuries late in the 2023 season.

Last season was a learning curve for [autotag]Dasan McCullough[/autotag]. In addition to making the transition to the wide open pace of Big 12 football, he had to learn a new position.

At Indiana, McCullough was strictly used as an edge rusher but at Oklahoma, he played the cheetah position. In that position, he had to drop in pass coverage as well as play like a linebacker.

You could tell he was never completely comfortable in pass coverage. That is to be expected when you haven’t done it at the collegiate level. Justin Harrington’s loss hurt the Sooners cheetah depth and possibly overextended McCullough’s role. Harrington was probably going to be the one they relied upon on passing downs.

McCullough also dealt with injuries at the end of the year. He said he should be 100% by the end of spring practice.

“Both of my knees got injured against Oklahoma State while I was getting cut blocked a couple of different times during the game,” McCullough said. “So, they kind of messed both of them up during that game. So, I finished the rest of the season. I had meniscus surgery after the season on my left knee. Then I had quad tendonitis on my right, so rehabbing both of those. But we’re back feeling good though.”

McCullough said it was frustrating when that happened because it happened on back-to-back series. McCullough is undergoing another position switch, moving to WILL linebacker.

That’ll allow him to rush the passer more and cover tight ends more. He is still doing a lot of cheetah but has been doing more at the inside linebacker spot.

Just another piece of versatility for this defense to use.

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.

‘Understand it’s still a process’: Billy Bowman’s wisdom for Sooners young safety group

With a talented and deep group of safeties, Billy Bowman working to impart on the youngsters that development is a process.

One of the biggest things to happen for the Oklahoma Sooners this offseason was Billy Bowman announcing he’d be returning for one final season. That helps the Sooners have one of the more veteran defenses in the country.

Bowman said with coming back, he wanted to take a more vocal leadership role. He talked about that after practice on Monday. “I feel like I have progressed with that,” Bowman said. “Being an older guy, I have a lot of experience so I can get my words across and things like that. I feel like I have made progress with that, and I’m continuing to do so.”

One way Bowman highlighted how he’s become more of a leader is by taking some of the younger players under his wing during film study.

“We watch a little bit of everything,” Bowman said. “We’ll go back into the archives. One time I showed them some of my freshman practices when I got here as a freshman and what it was like. Then helping them understand that it’s not going to happen like a click. It’s a process. Some of them get down coming out here. It’s only the fourth practice. It’s good that they are hard on themselves but understand it’s still a process.”

Billy Bowman was a four-star prospect coming out of Denton Ryan High School in Denton, Texas. There were high expectations early for Bowman, joining a Sooners defense under then defensive coordinator Alex Grinch that struggled to gain much respect nationally.

Bowman played a lot as a freshman in a variety of roles due to injuries, but that experience has helped inform the player he is today. And like many on the Sooners defense, year two in Brent Venables scheme went better than year one for Bowman, who had a breakout season in 2023 with six interceptions and three interceptions returned for touchdowns.

If there’s a player that can impart to Oklahoma’s talented group of freshmen safeties to be patient with their development, it’s Bowman who’s gotten better each season he’s been in Norman.

Robert Spears-Jennings is the only other primary safety that’s been on the roster for more than one season, but the youth they have on the safety depth chart is very talented. Oklahoma has blue-chip prospects Michael Boganowski, Peyton Bowen, Jaydan Hardy, Reggie Powers, and Mykel Patterson-McDonald looking to earn snaps on the Sooners defense.

And while it’s a talented group, the developmental timeline may look different for each player.

The Sooners are definitely going to need Bowman’s leadership and elite play next season. Like the wide receiver room on the offensive side of the ball, the safety room is arguably the deepest on the defensive side of the ball. It’s going to be looked upon to have a big year 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.