Tag: Danny Stutsman

3 stars from Oklahoma’s electric comeback win on the road

It took a team effort to earn a comeback win on the road against the Auburn Tigers, but three Sooners earned this weeks 3 stars of the game.

Oklahoma showed tremendous grit on Saturday. It’s safe to say the win against Auburn will probably go down as one of the best wins of the Brent Venables era to this point.

Oklahoma looked dead in the water when Auburn extended its lead to 21-10 early in the fourth quarter. The Sooners appeared well on their way to back-to-back losses and an 0-2 start in its foray into the SEC. However, Venables’ team never stopped competing and did whatever was possible to make it a game. It eventually completed the comeback, and the Sooners returned to Norman for a much-needed bye week with their first SEC win.

As one would expect, the game had peaks and valleys. There was a long stretch in which Oklahoma’s offense looked lifeless or drives were killed by penalties. Auburn just imposed its will on a few defensive possessions by running the ball straight at Oklahoma’s strength in the front seven. Pair that with big plays allowed in the passing game, and the Sooners were ripe for defeat until several big plays in the fourth quarter turned the tide on the Tigers.

It took a team effort to pull out the win, but a few players stood out with their game-changing performances. Here are this week’s three stars from the win.

R Mason Thomas, Edge

R Mason Thomas is undoubtedly a star on the Oklahoma Sooners defense. He has filled a pass-rushing void that dates back to the departure of Nik Bonitto after the 2021 season. Brent Venables has a go-to pass rusher this team can rely upon come crunch time to end a drive or end a game.

His two sacks in the fourth were vital. Auburn was down three late in the game when it faced third-and-5 just after the two-minute timeout. There was plenty of time to mount a comeback. Oklahoma’s defense was worn out, but it was running on pure adrenaline and a will to win.

Off the snap, Thomas ducked around the left tackle and was on quarterback Payton Thorne in a hurry, recording the sack and setting up a fourth-and-11. On the next play, coming off the left side of the defense, Thomas brought the pressure to Thorne once again. The Auburn quarterback eluded the initial pressure, but Thomas hustled like crazy and circled back. With assistance from Gracen Halton, who kept Thorne in the pocket, Thomas brought the thunder for the sack and forced the turnover on downs.

Oklahoma killed some clock and kicked a field goal to extend its lead to six. But the game could have been far more stressful in the final two minutes without Thomas’ late-game heroics. For the second time in three weeks Thomas was the closer for the Sooners.

Up Next: Defender Saves the Game

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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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ESPN ‘College GameDay’ set to feature guest picker Blake Shelton, Oklahoma legends

Oklahoma Legends set to appear on ESPN “College GameDay” live from Norman ahead of Sooners matchup with the Tennessee Volunteers.

The pageantry leading up to Oklahoma’s first appearance in Norman for ESPN “College GameDay” since 2020 has been incredible. Norman is preparing for an electric atmosphere, and the show is packed with some notable Sooner names and legends and a particular celebrity from the state of Oklahoma himself.

ESPN released an itinerary for Saturday’s “College GameDay” from Norman, and Sooner fans who cannot be there live will have a few things to tune in for.

Here is who is slated to appear on ESPN “College GameDay.”

  • Oklahoma’s head coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] will appear on “GameDay” live on Saturday ahead of the Sooners’ SEC debut against Tennessee. Former OU linebacker and actor Brian, ‘The Boz’ Bosworth, will also appear on the show.
  • Oklahoma’s four-time defending national championship softball team gives “GameDay” a run for its money at the Sooners’ batting practice. Legendary head coach [autotag]Patty Gasso[/autotag] and and some of the Sooners’ softball team will join the show on Saturday to break down the “GameDay” panel’s swings.
  • Oklahoma native Blake Shelton, a Grammy-nominated country artist, will be this week’s guest picker.
  • Danny Stutsman will sit down with Jen Lada and talk about his decision to return to the Sooners, giving NIL money to walk-ons, comparisons to The Boz, and offers a one-of-a-kind tour of his car.
  • ESPN College GameDay analyst Pat McAfee will also hold his kicking contest in Norman and Sooner fans are already preparing to represent the brand.
  • Pat McAfee’s Kicking Contest – Back for its second season, GameDay is offering an exclusive contest during the live show, Pat McAfee’s Kicking Contest. Fans who arrive early will have a chance to be chosen from the ‘pit’ onsite with the opportunity to attempt a 33-yard field goal. If the contestant successfully completes the kick, he/she will be awarded $55,000 from McAfee. Full details, including official rules, can be found here.

The show will be broadcast live from the South Oval on OU’s campus from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. CT on ESPN and ESPNU.

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3 key Oklahoma Sooners vs. the Tennessee Volunteers

The Oklahoma Sooners and Tennessee Volunteers are set for a big-time matchup on Saturday night and these three players will be key to victory.

The stage is set Saturday for a terrific ball game between the No. 7 Tennessee Volunteers and the No. 13 Oklahoma Sooners.

The storylines are plentiful, with Josh Heupel’s return to Norman leading the way.

Oklahoma and Tennessee are in a spot where this game is the first serious test for either team this year. It also begins the conference slate for both squads.

Media and betting pundits have the Sooners as the underdog, with Tennessee the overwhelming favorite to win the game. With that in mind, which players will be the difference makers for Oklahoma and help them pull off the first major home upset for the Sooners since 2008 versus Texas Tech?

Danny Stutsman, LB

Picking [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] as a player to watch feels shallow, but there’s a specific reason. He is the team’s leader, and this is the season’s biggest game.

Tennessee’s running game is potent. They are currently the nation’s No. 3 rushing attack. Stutsman is at the center of the nation’s No. 22 run defense, and as a linebacker, he will be tasked with flowing to the ball and making tackles.

Da’Jon Terry, Damonic Williams, and Jayden Jackson will all play pivotal roles as well, but a team captain and the vocal leader of this defense needs to show up in a big way in what is a monumental game.

Nic Anderson, WR

Saturday is expected to be [autotag]Nic Anderson[/autotag]’s first game of the season. He fought injuries all offseason and is finally ready to contribute to an Oklahoma offense deprived of consistent playmakers.

He immediately slots back in as a starter, and play-caller Seth Littrell will open things up with a proven threat like Nic Anderson for Jackson Arnold to depend upon. How he responds to his first bit of game action will be vital, but if Anderson can provide one or two big plays, they could go a long way in helping the Sooners pull off an upset.

Jacob Sexton, LT

Jacob Sexton may have the single most challenging matchup on Saturday as he will likely be the tackle opposite of projected first-round pick James Pearce for most of the evening on Saturday.

It will not be easy, but Sexton will have to give Jackson Arnold a chance on Saturday. Tennessee boasts a ferocious and deep defensive line, so Sexton will face challenges regardless of who lines up across from him on Saturday night.

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Danny Stutsman’s versatility unlocks Oklahoma’s linebacker unit

Danny Stutsman’s leadership and versatility will be critical to the Oklahoma Sooners matchup with the Tennessee Volunteers.

The Oklahoma Sooners are preparing for their biggest game of the 2024 season so far. OU is undefeated at 3-0 with wins over Temple, Houston, and Tulane. [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag]’ team now faces the challenge of the 3-0 Tennessee Volunteers, who have been one of the best teams in college football softball far this year.

It’s the [autotag]SEC[/autotag] opener for both teams and Oklahoma’s first-conference game in their new league. A “College GameDay” audience and the drama that comes with Tennessee head coach [autotag]Josh Heupel[/autotag]’s return to Norman makes this one of the biggest games of the college football season.

In games like these, your best players have to be at their best in order to come away with a win. In Oklahoma’s case, that burden may fall on senior linebacker [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] more than anyone else.

As the Sooners transition from an offensive-minded team to a defensive-minded one, Stutsman has emerged as the heart of the defense, right in the middle of the field. But it’s his versatility that helps unlock this unit and could give Heupel and the Volunteers some unexpected problems.

Brent Venables and defensive coordinator [autotag]Zac Alley[/autotag] run a version of the 4-3 defense, but Venables has long been putting his own spin on it. OU’s base set includes four down linemen, two cornerbacks, two safeties, two inside linebackers and a “cheetah” player.

The cheetah position is a hallmark of Venables’ defenses going back to his time at Clemson and is a combination of the linebacker and defensive back positions. Essentially, it allows OU to play both base and “nickel” defenses without having to sub in another defensive back. The cheetah has skills of both a linebacker and a defensive back, and we’re seeing the benefits of that position with starter [autotag]Kendel Dolby[/autotag], who was excellent in the first two weeks before he missed the Tulane game with an injury.

Dolby’s absence against the Green Wave forced multiple players to step up, but one player who doesn’t even play the cheetah position also stepped up in a big way.

That, of course, would be Stutsman, who led the team with 12 tackles, well on his way to having an All-American season. He surpassed 300 career total tackles in the game, highlighting what has been a phenomenal in Norman.

Stutsman is one of the best defensive players that OU has had in a long time, but he’s also one of the most versatile. Back in 2022, Venables’ first season as OU’s head coach, the defense struggled mightily and the Sooners went 6-7. Stutsman was a sophomore, trying to learn Venables’ defense on the fly, but being asked to do a lot at linebacker. Venables clearly saw Stutsman’s potential, and now it’s being realized.

Last season, the Sooners improved on defense and improved as a team, going 10-3. However, when Stutsman wasn’t on the field, there was a drop-off in the level of play at linebacker and Oklahoma lost games to Kansas and Oklahoma State.

This season, two factors have kept the Sooners playing at a high level, no matter where Stutsman lines up. He typically plays the Mike (middle) linebacker position for Alley, while [autotag]Kip Lewis[/autotag] has been starting at Will (weakside) linebacker. The cheetah position, mostly occupied by Dolby, serves as the Sam (strongside) linebacker in a lot of base formations.

But Stutsman is able to play both Mike and Will positions, allowing Alley to be much more versatile with his personnel. The biggest thing it allows Alley to do is shift Stutsman to the weakside and insert [autotag]Kobie McKinzie[/autotag] into the game at middle linebacker. McKinzie is a thumper coming downhill for the Sooners, and is excellent against the run. He’s a different player than Lewis, but both use their skills effectively.

McKinzie and Lewis are also a formidable duo inside if Stutsman is out of the game, pointing to the recruiting and development that the Sooners have going on at the linebacker position. Reserve linebackers [autotag]Lewis Carter[/autotag] and [autotag]Jaren Kanak[/autotag] are also home-grown players. Samuel Omosigho’s emergence to backup Dolby at cheetah has been a revelation this season. Omosigho was really good in the win over TUlane. There’s been less of a drop-off for Oklahoma when Stutsman out of the game than there has been at any point over the last two seasons.

As the Vols bring a high-powered offense to Norman on Saturday night, look for Stutsman to line up in multiple positions. It’ll be a chess match between Heupel and his offensive coordinator Joey Halzle (another former OU quarterback) and the duo of Venables and Alley all game long. Stutsman might give Oklahoma the chess piece they need to win the game.

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Oklahoma linebacker reaches career milestone in win over Tulane

Sooner Star: Danny Stutsman reaches another career milestone vs. the Green Wave.

The Oklahoma Sooners are 3-0 heading into [autotag]SEC[/autotag] play, thanks to wins over Temple, Houston and Tulane, all coming at home. OU’s latest victory came by a final score of 34-19 over the Green Wave to keep the Sooners unbeaten in nonconference play.

One of the standouts for Oklahoma in this game was once again senior inside linebacker [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag]. He led the defense with 12 tackles, reaching a career milestone in the process.

Head coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] recognized his star player after the game, giving Stutsman a game ball for surpassing 300 career tackles.

https://twitter.com/OU_Football/status/1835117405657280681

The duo of Stutsman and Venables have certainly benefitted from having each other in their lives.

Stutsman has improved mightily under the tutelage of his head coach, who specializes in linebacker development. Venables has been fortunate to have a bought-in leader at such an important position for the first three seasons of his tenure in Norman. Stutsman’s decision this winter to return to the Sooners instead of turning pro is paying big dividends.

Oklahoma will put its perfect season to the test in a major way next week. They’ll host the Tennessee Volunteers in their SEC opener in front of a national television and primetime audience. Stutsman will have to step up even further as conference play approaches, especially as OU still has plenty of players out due to injury and still has plenty to figure out on offense.

Oklahoma Sooners No. 15 in the AP Top 25 after week 3

The Oklahoma Sooners came in at No. 15 in the latest AP Top 25.

The voters are taking a wait-and-see approach with the Oklahoma Sooners despite a 15-point win over the Tulane Green Wave on Saturday. The Sooners remained No. 13 in the US LBM Coaches Poll.

The win didn’t move the needle with the AP voters either, as OU remains at No. 15 in the AP Top 25 after week three.

But there is a new No. 1 team in the nation after the Texas Longhorns routed UTSA and the Georgia Bulldogs struggled with Kentucky in a 13-12 win. It’s the first time in 16 years that the Longhorns took the top spot in the poll.

Texas picked up 35 of a possible 63 first-place votes, while Georgia earned 23 first-place votes. Ohio State is No. 3 in the nation and received five first-place votes.

SEC teams and future Oklahoma opponents take the next four spots in the poll. Alabama is No. 4, Ole Miss is at No. 5, and Tennessee moved up one spot to No. 6 in the nation, replacing Missouri, who dropped to No. 7. That’s four games on OU’s schedule in the top seven teams in the country after three weeks.

Oklahoma vs. Tennessee will be a marquee matchup. It was given a primetime slot on ABC, and ESPN ‘College GameDay” will be in town. The Sooners boast one of the best defenses in the nation, but [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] and company will take on the best offense they’ve seen in 2024 led by Nico Iamaleava.

The game will also mark the return of national champion quarterback and former offensive coordinator Josh Heupel.

Next Saturday night, it will be a must-see showdown in a top-15 matchup to open SEC play.

More: SEC Power Rankings after week 3

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Sooners’ defense earns praise from Tulane coach after win

Oklahoma improved to 3-0 with a 15-point win over Tulane.

The Oklahoma Sooners can finally turn their attention to Southeastern Conference play, as they stayed undefeated in Week 3. OU topped the Tulane Green Wave, 34-19, winning another nonconference game at home.

Their defense once again led the Sooners, as OU’s best unit gave up just 13 points. But Tulane head coach Jon Sumrall was impressed with his opponent across the board.

George Stoia, who covers Oklahoma for SoonerScoop and On3 Sports, took to social media to share Sumrall’s comments about the Sooners after the game.

“Oklahoma’s looked like one of the best defenses I’ve seen,” Sumrall said. “I think it’s a very legitimate [autotag]SEC[/autotag] outfit defensively. And really, offensively there’s weapons that you can tell they’re finding themselves in some areas, but the quarterback ([autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag]) is talented. No. 6 ([autotag]Deion Burks[/autotag]) is a real guy. No. 10 ([autotag]Bauer Sharp[/autotag]) I think, is a real special player.”

Sumrall continued to praise OU’s defense, highlighting one player in particular.

“They’ve got good players, and their defense is really good. The interior d-line and their linebacker group, I think is elite just watching them. I thought No. 28 ([autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag]) – I recruited 28 when I was at Kentucky, and he’s a dude. He plays like a grown man.”

Head coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] has brought defense back to Norman. The Sooners still have a long list of things to figure out before next week’s game, but the program is beginning to take the identity of their leader on the defensive side of the football.

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Defense and special teams provide Oklahoma’s 3 stars for the week

Three stars from Oklahoma’s narrow escape from the Houston Cougars.

Saturday was one of the most head-scratching performances from an Oklahoma team in quite some time. There were a lot of bad things to take away from the game. Most notably, the performance or lack thereof from the Sooners offense. The good thing and the most important thing is that the Sooners found a way to escape with a 16-12 win over a Houston team that gave them everything they had and then some.

It is hard to quantify how weird that game was and how unexpected that performance was for Oklahoma’s offense based on what we have come to expect out of Sooner offenses for the last 20 years.

However, Brent Venables would never trade an ugly win for a pretty loss, and you’d be certain the rest of the Sooners locker room feels the same.

Oklahoma needed a few players to step up and show up to win that game, and for that reason, we have our three stars from the win below.

Danny Stutsman, LB

On a night where defense ruled the day, the best defensive player on the field had to be present and great for Oklahoma to win. Danny Stutsman was that and more for the Sooners on his way to tallying 15 tackles, 12 of which were solo and one for a loss. That gave him his 11th career game with double-digit tackles.

Stutsman earned an excellent run defense grade from Pro Football Focus, the best on the team.

Robert Spears-Jennings, S

There was simply no better defender on the field for either team than Robert Spears-Jennings. The junior safety, a local kid from nearby Tulsa, has been the highest graded Sooner in back-to-back weeks. Last night, he was incredible, once again. He was really good against the run and was fantastic in coverage as well.

Spears-Jennings’ third-down interception, while Houston was driving at the beginning of the fourth quarter, was also a monumental play in the game. He showed up and showed out, all while contributing to special teams as well.

Luke Elzinga, P

You simply don’t win a 16-12 game without incredible special teams play, and that is precisely what the Sooners received from punter Luke Elzinga. He’s probably going to need a little extra time in the cold tub today for that sore leg, but he deserves it.

He punted eight times for 352 yards, good for an average of 44 yards per punt. Five of the eight punts were downed inside of the 20, which was pivotal in a game where field position became gold by the second half. In particular his second to last punt of the night, which OU downed at the Houston five, set up Gracen Halton’s safety that sealed the win for the Sooners.

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Oklahoma Sooners hang on to beat Houston Cougars

Oklahoma Sooners hang on to beat Houston 16-12 behind a strong performance from the Sooners defense.

The Oklahoma Sooners dealt with a much different Houston Cougars team than the one that lost to UNLV last week.

Houston had a much better gameplan than last week to help support quarterback Donovan Smith. The Sooners were marred by miscommunication and inefficiency in the passing game, lack of a consistent run game. and an uncharacteristic lack of discipline. But they got enough breaks, and the defense made enough stops to come away with a 16-12 win over Houston.

The Oklahoma Sooners took advantage of a ball tipped by the Houston Cougars return man to get great field position after a rough first possession. On the very next play, Jackson Arnold found Brenen Thompson to put Oklahoma up 7-0.

Houston then went on a 12-play drive that spanned 8:25 but had to settle for a field goal on their second drive of the game.

On Oklahoma’s first drive of the second quarter, Jackson Arnold led the offense on an eight-play, 81-yard drive, culminating in a touchdown pass to tight end Jake Roberts.

And that’s where the highlights ended for an offense that struggled to move the ball with much consistency in the second half. The Sooners only had 110 total yards and averaged just 2.1 yards per carry after halftime.

The defense had a communication breakdown on the first drive of the second half, which led to Houston’s lone touchdown and cut the lead to 14-12. But the Sooners defense came up with the stop on the two-point conversion.

Oklahoma had an opportunity to ice the game with a long drive, but after getting to midfield, Houston’s defense stymied Oklahoma on first and second down run plays, and then [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] was sacked on third down.

Luke Elzinga buried Houston at the five-yard line with a great punt and on Houston’s first play from scrimmage, defensive tackle Gracen Halton came up with the play of the game, burying Stacy Sneed at the goalline and earning the safety for the Sooners.

Oklahoma had visions of running out the clock, but an unsportsmanlike penalty on Joshua Bates gave Houston a little more time for one final desperation drive. Houston made a few plays, but the Sooners defense got one more stop in the game to close out the win and move to 2-0.

The Sooners offense struggled throughout, recording just 249 yards of total offense, including zero points in the second half.

Jackson Arnold finished the night 19 of 32 for 174 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. He also carried the ball 11 times for 28 yards.

[autotag]Deion Burks[/autotag] had nine receptions for 53 yards and a touchdown.

But this was a game that was about the defense. Though Houston was able to move the ball at times, Oklahoma’s defense held the Cougars to just 12 points and just five yards per play. OU held Houston to just 4 of 15 on third down and 1.7 yards per carry.

[autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] was an absolute monster for the defense, recording 15 total tackles, including 12 solo, and one for a loss. Robert Spears-Jennings came up big with five total tackles, a tackle for loss, and an interception in the second half that set up Oklahoma with great field position. Samuel Omosigho earned some extended playing time and came up with five total tackles and two tackles for loss.

Halton’s safety was the second tackle for loss he recorded in the game. [autotag]Damonic Williams[/autotag] recorded two tackles and a sack.

The Oklahoma Sooners now hope to regroup and get ready for a Tulane team that took Kansas State to the brink of an upset on Saturday.

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