Tag: championships

Oklahoma LB Danny Stutsman should be a EA Sports College Football 25 cover athlete

OU’s senior linebacker should be immortalized on the cover of the new college football video game.

College Football is finally getting passed back the sticks this summer, as EA Sports will be releasing College Football 25. It’s the long-awaited sequel to the college football video game series that saw its last installment, NCAA 14, come out eleven years ago.

EA Sports announced the return of the series in February 2021, and more information about the game itself has trickled out since then, with a teaser trailer dropping this past winter.

While we don’t have a release date yet, we do know that players can opt in to the game and earn income through name, image, and likeness. We know commentators, like ESPN’s lead duo of Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit, will be featured. We know that all 134 FBS teams for the 2024 season will appear in the game. And we know that there will be multiple covers with different cover athletes for different editions of the game.

That’s where Oklahoma Sooners’ football linebacker [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] should come in. There haven’t been any confirmed reports about who the cover athletes will be yet, but Stutsman is exactly the kind of player who should be considered.

Cover athletes are typically offensive players, guys with the ball in their hands. And that makes sense, as that’s what a football video game allows the person playing it to feel like they are doing.

But even at the linebacker spot, Stutsman represents what die-hard college football fans love about the sport, and what new fans to the game can embrace.

He represents college football.

In the era of the transfer portal, with players moving around at will, sometimes multiple times in one year, Stutsman has been a Sooner since his true freshman season in 2021. He stuck it out in the crimson and cream when [autotag]Lincoln Riley[/autotag] and his defensive coordinator [autotag]Alex Grinch[/autotag], the pair that recruited him to Norman, hopped on a plane to Southern California. He stuck it out when [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] took charge of the program a week later. He stuck it out through a 6-7 season in 2022, and didn’t waver in his commitment to Venables and the Sooners. And he was the focal point of OU’s defense last year, as the team improved to 10-3.

Stutsman considered leaving for the NFL but changed course and decided to return to Oklahoma to chase championships in the SEC for the 2024 season. He made an epic announcement on social media.

But Stutsman isn’t just some old soul who rejects what is becoming the modern era of college football. If you couldn’t tell by a Jordan Belfort, Wolf of Wall Street reference of all things, Stutsman embraces the new opportunities for players of his caliber.

Stutsman cashed in with a t-shirt featuring his quote from the pregame of the 2023 Red River Rivalry win over Texas. The shirt read, “Oklahoma only fears God. Texas fears Oklahoma.” Even Venables donned the apparel featuring Stutsman in the Golden Hat and sunglasses with his signature on them, smoking a Saban victory cigar. EA Sports can go ahead and make that image the cover.

Personalities sell the sport and Stutsman has one of the biggest in college football. He’s well known, especially in Big 12 and SEC circles. He has a [autotag]Brian Bosworth[/autotag]-esque swagger and style on and off the field. “The Boz” would have made an excellent cover athlete as well.

Stutsman is one of the best linebackers in the nation heading into 2024, and plays for one of the most recognizable brands in the sport. Oklahoma is at or near the very top of the blue blood list over the 150-plus year history of the game.

The Sooners have never had a player grace the cover of a college football video game. The game’s hiatus caused there to never be a cover featuring Jalen Hurts, Kyler Murray or Baker Mayfield.

Why not start with Danny Stutsman on the cover of a “defense wins championships” edition of College Football 25?

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.

Oklahoma’s defensive line holds the keys to Sooners’ present and future

The Sooners went to work in recruiting and portaling the defensive line position this offseason. If it pays off, Oklahoma could begin to become a top-flight contender again.

It’s been about two-and-a-half years since [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] became the head football coach for the Oklahoma Sooners. In that time, he and his staff have diligently worked to build the program the right way after stripping it down to the studs in 2022.

A focus on toughness, discipline and complimentary football arrived in Norman on Dec. 5, 2021. Though there were growing pains in a 6-7 first year, the Sooners bounced back with a 10-3 mark in 2023. As the program enters the SEC, the challenge grows.

All of the preview magazines and national pundits will agree that one of the biggest keys to OU’s success in 2024 is the development of the offensive line. While that is absolutely the case in Year 1 in the SEC, it’s the guys on the other side of the ball that hold the keys to the future in Norman.

The Sooners have added some bona fide talent to the defensive line since the conclusion of last season via high school recruiting and the [autotag]transfer porta[/autotag]l. These are the players who will develop under Venables, [autotag]Todd Bates[/autotag] and [autotag]Miguel Chavis[/autotag] to form the future core of the Oklahoma Sooners defense.

Let’s start with high school recruiting and focus on the five defensive linemen that Venables and Co. brought in. The 2024 recruiting class on the D-line is quite simply the future of football in Norman, with five-star defensive tackle [autotag]David Stone[/autotag] leading the way.

Stone hails from IMG Academy in Florida and was the linchpin of the ’24 class. His recruitment was a wild one, but the Sooners won in the end for the interior force. He was the highest ranked defensive tackle to sign with OU in the “star era,” and is maybe the best indication that Lincoln Riley and Alex Grinch no longer reside in the state of Oklahoma.

[autotag]Nigel Smith[/autotag] is a four-star player from Melissa, Texas, who committed to the Sooners in September. He figures to play inside and on the edge, filling multiple roles on the defensive line. North Texas high school football is filled with all kinds of talent all over the field, and Smith more than held his own against excellent competition.

Also slotting in the interior defensive line will be [autotag]Jayden Jackson[/autotag], Stone’s teammate at IMG Academy. He has been locked in with OU since July and was perhaps the most impressive of the five in spring football, according to reports. Jackson took reps with the starters in the spring game.

Moving outside, [autotag]Wyatt Gilmore[/autotag] hails from Minnesota and was the first piece of the puzzle to fall into place with his June commitment. The four-star is still adding weight to his frame, but he plays with a high motor and intensity that will make him a favorite of Chavis.

More: Damonic Williams, Defense makes OU a contender

The final piece of that puzzle came in the form of four-star edge [autotag]Danny Okoye[/autotag] from Tulsa. The edge-rusher committed a couple of weeks after Smith and should pair nicely with players such as [autotag]Adepoju Adebawore[/autotag] when it comes to pinning their ears back and rushing the passer.

While high school recruiting forms the base, the portal plugs holes. The staff was active in both the winter and spring windows.

[autotag]Jermayne Lole[/autotag] comes in after transferring from Louisville to help on the interior of the defensive line. At 6-foot-3, 310, Lole already has the measurables of an SEC lineman, which the Sooners have to have present. He had elite production at Arizona State before injuries limited Lole over the previous few seasons. As a true sophomore in 2019, Lole recorded 10 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. If he can regain that form that put him on NFL draft radars, the Sooners have an elite presence in the middle of their defensive line.

Edge rusher [autotag]Caiden Woullard[/autotag] arrives in Norman after a stint at Miami (Ohio), and was 247Sports’ fourth-ranked edge in the portal class. Last season for the Red Hawks, Woullard recorded 12 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks.

But perhaps the best indication that the Sooners are gaining traction is the transfer portal win that will bring [autotag]Damonic Williams[/autotag] to Owen Field this fall.

Even with the Venables’ arrival, the Sooners had been left at the altar by some notable defensive line names like David Hicks and Williams Nwaneri. But, Oklahoma simply refused to be bullied by SEC dollars this go-around in the early May saga that was Williams’ recruitment. The Sooners wanted him, and the tandem of Venables and Bates did whatever it took to get that “all-in” poker chip.

This development speaks volumes. The Sooners are beginning to play with the big boys in the NIL world of college football. Additionally, the reputations of Venables, Bates, Chavis, and the rest of the staff will certainly help sway players to be developed in Norman.

If Oklahoma wants to play ball with programs like Alabama, Georgia, Clemson, LSU, Ohio State, and Michigan (all teams with CFP championships), then the Sooners will need to continue this philosophy all over the roster. Along the defensive line is where it will be the most pivotal.

Defense win championships in college football, and that is doubly true in the SEC, where the trenches quite literally win or lose football games. Complimentary football is a must, as a great offense and subpar defense can only get you so far. A complete roster is the only way to capture a championship in this sport. The offense has to be lethal. The defense has to be suffocating.

Luckily, Oklahoma seems to have the right man at the wheel. If this new aggressive name, image and likeness licensing philosophy continues to emerge, Venables could be bringing all kinds of talented players to the Sooner State.

His 2024 defensive line acquisitions are a great way to start.

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.

NCAA Board of Directors adopts student-athlete protections due to coronavirus

The NCAA announced a series of protections for its student-athletes as well as a plan to host scaled back fall championships in the spring. 

The NCAA Division I Board of Directors announced on Friday a series of protections for its student-athlete participants as well as a plan to host scaled back fall championships in the spring in response to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

In regards to the latter, acting board chair Denise Trauth, president of Texas State, offered the following in an official statement on Twitter.

“We want to provide opportunities for student-athletes wherever possible. We understand it will be complicated and different, and we’re not certain how it will look, but we believe it’s important to try to give students that championship experience.”

Under the “Eligibility” section, the NCAA statement provided this insight.

All fall sport student-athletes will receive both an additional year of eligibility and an additional year in which to complete it.

Student-athletes who do not enroll full-time during the 2020 fall term have flexibility in the progress-towards-degree requirements that must be met for eligibility in future terms.

Included in the official press release are the Council-recommended protections for college athletes, which are provided in the bullet points below.

  • Schools are prohibited from requiring student-athletes to waive legal rights regarding COVID-19 as a condition of athletics participation.
  • Schools are prohibited from canceling or reducing athletics scholarships if a college athlete in any sport opts not to participate due to COVID-19.
  • Student-athletes who do not enroll full time during the 2020 fall term have flexibility in the progress-toward-degree requirements that must be met for eligibility in future terms.
  • The financial aid of fall sport senior student-athletes who take advantage of the additional year of eligibility and extended clock will not count against team limits in 2021-22.
  • Schools are required to:
    • Review current insurance coverage for all student-athletes who are competing this fall.
    • Inform student-athletes about the risk classification of their sport as outlined in the Resocialization of Collegiate Sport document.
    • Inform student-athletes how the mandates in the Resocialization of Collegiate Sport document are being met at their campus.

The announced changes are effective immediately.

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All-Time Gators Men’s Basketball Bio: Corey Brewer (2004-07)

Corey Brewer was a baller on the best Gators basketball team ever-plain and simple-winning 3-straight SEC titles and 2-straight NCAA titles.

Corey Brewer (2004-07) – Small Forward/Shooting Guard

Corey Brewer was a baller on the best Gators basketball team ever. Plain and simple.

Born in Portland, Tenn., Brewer played prep ball at Portland High School where he averaged 29.4 points and 12.8 rebounds per game as a senior in 2003–04. His efforts earned him Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association Class 2A “Mr.Basketball”, McDonald’s All American and fourth-team Parade All-American honors, while Rivals.com pegged him as a four-star recruit, listing him at No. 7 among small forwards and the No. 31 player in the nation overall.

Brewer came to Gainesville on an athletic scholarship under head coach Billy Donovan in 2004, playing three years in Gainesville and providing a cornerstone for the program’s most accomplished basketball team. He posted the first triple-double in team history during his sophomore season, with his 13 assists setting the highest mark since Jason Williams dished out 17 for a school record back in 1997.

During Brewer’s collegiate career at Florida, he and his fellow starters won three-straight SEC titles from 2005-07 and two-straight NCAA titles from 2006-07. While prognosticators predicted him to be a mid-first round pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, he and his fellow teammates all returned for the second national championship to cement their legacy in UF immortality.

He averaged 13.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.9 steals per game during his junior campaign, proving his versatility both with and without the ball. Brewer was named the Most Outstanding Player of the 2007 Final Four after averaging 16 points and five rebounds per game, including 13 points, eight rebounds, three steals and a block in the national championship game against Ohio State.

Brewer declared for the NBA Draft with teammates Joakim Noah, Al Horford and Taurean Green three days after claiming their second NCAA crown. He was selected with the No. 7 pick by the Minnesota Timberwolves, where he played 79 games with 35 starts his rookie year. However, he lost the 2008-09 season to an ACL tear after playing only 15 games, though he bounced back the next year posting a career-high 13 points along with 3.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.4 steals per game in a full 82 appearances.

In 2011, Brewer was a part of the blockbuster trade that sent Carmelo Anthony from the Denver Nuggets to the New York Knicks. He was waived by the Knicks without ever playing a game with the team and picked up by the Dallas Mavericks, where he made 13 underwhelming appearances before being traded to Denver in December of 2011.

Brewer’s game rebounded and even flourished in the Mile High City, finishing off the 2011-12 season much stronger than in Dallas, and playing a full 82 games the following season while recording the first of three-straight seasons averaging double-figure points.

The “Greyhound’s” career since has been mostly mediocre, failing to reach double-digit points average in a season since 2014-2015 in a campaign split between a return to Minneapolis and the Houston Rockets. Over the course of 12 seasons, Brewer has played for eight different teams — most recently with the Sacramento Kings in the 2018-19 season, which began with a couple of 10-day contracts and resulted in a veteran minimum contract to finish the season.

Brewer did not play in the NBA this past season, though he has been quoted in saying that there is still fuel left in the tank and he plans on continuing his preparation routines. So far in his professional career, he has averaged 8.7 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game in 814 games played. Hopefully, the NBA has not seen the last of “The Drunken Dribbler” just yet.

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24 marvelous moments from Kobe Bryant’s illustrious career

Kobe Bryant had an incredible 20-year career filled with thrills and highlights.

Kobe Bryant passed away Jan. 26, 2020 with eight others in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, (CA). The Lakers great leaves a basketball legacy that is stunning.

Draft Day

Andy Hayt/NBAE via Getty Images

It was a short time but the Charlotte Hornets did have the rights to Kobe Bryant for a moment, making him the 13th overall selection in the 1996 NBA Draft.

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