Tag: Danny Stutsman

Pro Football Focus comes in lower than polls in preseason power rankings

Oklahoma was ranked lower by Pro Football Focus than the US LBM Coaches Poll and the AP Top 25.

The Oklahoma Sooners were ranked No. 16 in the country in the initial Top 25 polls by both the Associated Press and the US LBM Coaches Poll to begin the 2024 season. Both polls had OU ranked eighth in the [autotag]SEC[/autotag], as did the SEC media poll. However, one site has Oklahoma ranked even lower nationally than the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll.

Pro Football Focus revealed their preseason Top 25 rankings earlier this week. The Sooners checked in at No. 18, two spots lower than the two official polls. PFF did still have OU at eighth in the SEC, keeping consistent with most other lists. Here’s what PFF writers Max Chadwick and Dalton Wasserman had to say about [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag]’ team in 2024.

Oklahoma might take some time to fully acclimate as it debuts in the SEC and with all of the new moving parts on its roster, but the Sooners can still compete for a playoff spot if they jell quickly. – Pro Football Focus

The Sooners will look to the defense to lead the way this season, a change from years past.

A talented, productive, and veteran defense breaks in new coordinator [autotag]Zac Alley[/autotag], but has all of the pieces to dominate opposing offenses in 2024. Inside linebacker [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag], safety [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag], defensive end [autotag]Ethan Downs[/autotag], cornerback [autotag]Woodi Washington[/autotag] and new TCU transfer defensive tackle [autotag]Damonic Williams[/autotag] lead the way for a unit with high expectations.

Offensively, the Sooners are younger and have a few more concerns. They’re also breaking in new coordinators in [autotag]Seth Littrell[/autotag] and [autotag]Joe Jon Finley[/autotag]. A much-discussed offensive line had to replace all five primary starters from last year’s team and is tasked with protecting new starting quarterback, sophomore [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag].

The former five-star prospect has plenty of weapons on offense, led by running back [autotag]Gavin Sawchuk[/autotag] and wide receivers like Purdue transfer [autotag]Deion Burks[/autotag] and returning players [autotag]Nic Anderson[/autotag], [autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag] and [autotag]Andrel Anthony[/autotag]. If the new offensive line can gel and the tight end position can give the Sooners better production than last year, OU could once again have a high-scoring offense.

Special teams analyst [autotag]Doug Deakin[/autotag] is also new this year, and he takes over a unit that must be better in 2024. [autotag]Luke Elzinga[/autotag] is entrenched as the starting punter, but all of the other major positions within special teams seem to be up for grabs. Most notably, the kicker spot is still yet to be decided.

Brent Venables enters Year 3 as the head coach at Oklahoma and has been diligent in the process of turning over the roster. Only nine players remain on the 2024 fall camp roster that were on the roster at the end of the 2021 regular season. Slowly but surely, the Sooners have been rebuilt to defend the standard that has been set in place in Norman.

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.

Danny Stutsman named to Lombardi Award watch list

OU’s senior linebacker made another preseason award watch list on Thursday.

Watch list season rolls on, and [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag]’s added another accolade to the ever-growing list of preseason honors for the senior linebacker.

This time, Stutsman was named to the Lombardi Award watch list. “This prestigious accolade continues to honor the Outstanding College Football Lineman, whether on offense or defense, who displays exceptional performance and ability and embodies the character and discipline that Vince Lombardi championed throughout his life,” said the Lombardi Award website.

Stutsman heads into 2024 as one of the best off-ball linebackers in college football. He’s been named to the USA TODAY Sports, CBS Sports and ESPN All-American teams. He was a first-team All-SEC selection by the media and has been named to the Butkus, Bednarik, Nagurski, and Walter Camp Player of the Year watch lists.

Stutsman was also ranked the No. 32 player in the country by ESPN in their top 100 players released this week.

Three Sooners have previously been honored with the award. [autotag]Lee Roy Selmon[/autotag] first won the award back in 1975. [autotag]Tony Casillas[/autotag] earned the distinction in 1985, and [autotag]Tommie Harris[/autotag] took home the trophy in 2003.

Ohio State, Nebraska, and Notre Dame are the only programs with more Lombardi Award winners than the Oklahoma Sooners.

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.

Trio of Sooners among ESPN’s top 100 players for the 2024 season

The Oklahoma Sooners were represented on both sides of the ball in ESPN’s top 100 players for the 2024 season.

The Oklahoma Sooners have a number of talented players on both sides of the ball. If there’s reason for optimism heading into the season it’s that the defense is as talented or possibly more talented than the group on offense.

And that’s a good thing.

The Sooners needed a more well-rounded team during the [autotag]Lincoln Riley[/autotag] era and appear to be trending toward that under [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag]. The defense has talent at every level of the defense, led by [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] and [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag].

Offensively, they’ve got the talent to have one of the best offenses in the nation. If [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] lives up to expectations, the Oklahoma offense will be humming all year long.

The Sooners may not have as much name recognition as some of the other teams across the country, but they have a trio of players that will be household names in 2024. ESPN released its top 100 college football players heading into the season and the Sooners had three players land on the list.

74. Deion Burks, WR

Despite playing for a 4-8 Purdue team last season, Burks was one of the top non-quarterback additions in the winter transfer portal. He gives new Oklahoma QB [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] a No. 1 target who can find the end zone (seven touchdowns in 2023) and stretch defenses. Burks had a reception of 42 yards or longer in four games last fall, including an 84-yard score against Fresno State. – ESPN

Outside of the quarterback, there may be no player more important to Oklahoma’s offensive success than [autotag]Deion Burks[/autotag]. He looks like a thicker, stronger version of Marquise “Hollywood” Brown. Taking over in the slot after [autotag]Drake Stoops[/autotag] had a career year, expectations are high for Burks after he electrified in the Sooners spring game.

73. Billy Bowman, S

Bowman has started 29 of the 35 games he has played in his career and was named a first-team All-Big 12 player for his efforts in 2023. He was second in the country with six interceptions (three of which he took back for touchdowns) and ranked third on the team with 63 total tackles. – ESPN

[autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] took the nation by storm in 2023 with his six interceptions and three interceptions returned for a touchdown. Now in his fourth season and third in Brent Venables defense, the sky is the limit for the athletic safety.

32. Danny Stutsman, LB

The senior linebacker is one of the players who will be key to Oklahoma’s success in 2024. An All-Big 12 first-team selection last season, Stutsman led the Sooners with 104 total tackles, 51 solo tackles and 16 tackles for loss. He also had three sacks, a pick, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. – ESPN

Everything’s prepped and ready for Danny Stutsman to have another fabulous season for the Oklahoma Sooners. With improved defensive line play and linebacker depth, OU will get the most out of their star linebacker this season.

Notables

  • In the Oklahoma Sooners’ first SEC game, the offensive line will have to do battle with ESPN’s No. 1 player, James Pierce, Jr. It will be quite the test for the offensive tackles Jacob Sexton and Jake Taylor.
  • One-time Oklahoma commit turned Missouri Tiger, [autotag]Luther Burden[/autotag] comes in at No. 5.
  • LSU linebacker Harold Perkins, who has been on a bunch of preseason first team All-American squads alongside Danny Stutsman ranked No. 14 in the nation.
  • Former Sooners quarterback [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag] came in at No. 16 overall, seven spots ahead of Texas’ [autotag]Quinn Ewers[/autotag].

That’s just a few of the 19 players that the Oklahoma Sooners will face in 2024.

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.

Danny Stutsman earns two more preseason All-American selections

The Sooners will lean on Danny Stutsman defensively again this year.

Oklahoma Sooners linebacker [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] is receiving plenty of recognition ahead of his senior season. Multiple award watch lists, preseason all-conference teams, and more have put him squarely in the public eye before the season officially starts.

On Wednesday, Stutsman received two more honors as both ESPN and CBS Sports released their preseason All-American picks. The senior was a first-teamer according to both sites.

Stutsman was the only Sooner to make either list, with ESPN placing him alongside LSU‘s Harold Perkins and Clemson‘s Barrett Carter on the first-team defense at linebacker. Here’s what ESPN had to say about OU’s emotional leader:

Few linebackers in college football possess the experience, production and playmaking ability of Stutsman, whose return for his senior season was huge for an OU defense looking for more consistency as the Sooners move to the [autotag]SEC[/autotag]. The 6-4, 241-pound Stutsman has racked up 26.5 tackles for loss his past two seasons (19 for loss or no gain last year), and he led the Sooners with 104 total tackles. – Chris Low, ESPN.

At CBS Sports, Stutsman and Perkins again made the first team, but Carter was replaced by Iowa‘s Jay Higgins.

Clearly, Stutsman is believed to be one of the best linebackers in the country by the national media, something Oklahoma hasn’t had in a long time. Third-year head coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] and first-year defensive coordinator/linebackers coach [autotag]Zac Alley[/autotag] have a productive, veteran presence to lead the way in 2024 in the middle of their defense.

That will be crucial as OU enters the toughest conference in college football and tries to navigate their difficult schedule to make the [autotag]College Football Playoff[/autotag] this season.

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 Sooners success isn’t all on Jackson Arnold

The Oklahoma Sooners have a more complete team heading into 2024, taking some of the pressure off of their first year starter at quarterback

Quarterback is the most important position in football. Make no mistake about it. That’s why they’re the highest-paid players in the NFL and why they’re moving the biggest needle on the name, image and likeness licensing front.

But football is the ultimate team sport. Having great quarterback play can elevate a team that may have other deficiencies. That’s what we saw during the [autotag]Baker Mayfield[/autotag], [autotag]Kyler Murray[/autotag] and [autotag]Jalen Hurts[/autotag] era of Sooner football. Those elite quarterbacks were able to put the Sooners into contention despite a defense that wasn’t consistent enough.

That isn’t the case anymore. For what feels like the first time in a long time, the Oklahoma Sooners aren’t solely dependent on their quarterback to be superhuman.

So while all eyes are on [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] and the Oklahoma offense, the Sooners are heading into the SEC in somewhat unfamiliar territory. The strength of the team is on the defensive side of the ball.

Led by a talented and experienced defensive unit, the Sooners look ready to change the narrative that’s persisted for the last decade. Entering Year 1 in the SEC, Oklahoma isn’t going to rely on its quarterback playing Super Saiyan football for an entire season for it to have a chance to win football games.

That’s because they have a defense capable of being one of the best in the conference, which will take the pressure off Arnold and the offense. Gone are the days when the Sooners have to score 40 to have a chance to win. After allowing 30 points per game in the first season under Brent Venables in 2022, the Sooners have improved by nearly a touchdown a game to 23.5 points per game.

They allowed 30 or more in just three games last season and allowed fewer than four yards per carry. This team held the vaunted Texas offense to 23 points in the Red River Showdown, forcing the 2024 Heisman front-runner into two interceptions and stopping the Longhorns short of the end zone four times from the 1-yard line.

They weren’t perfect last year. There’s room to improve, but the Oklahoma Sooners did just that.

Venables convinced [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag], [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag], [autotag]Woodi Washington[/autotag] and [autotag]Da’Jon Terry[/autotag] to return for another season. That gave the Sooners valuable experience and production. In addition to the development of [autotag]Gracen Halton[/autotag], they added one of the more dynamic defensive tackles in the nation, [autotag]Damonic Williams[/autotag], along with true freshmen phenoms [autotag]David Stone[/autotag] and [autotag]Jayden Jackson[/autotag]. Once considered a weakness of the Sooners’ defense, the defensive interior is now a strength. Combine that with the additions of [autotag]Caiden Woullard[/autotag], who had 9 1/2 sacks for Miami (Ohio), [autotag]Danny Okoye[/autotag], [autotag]Nigel Smith[/autotag], and [autotag]Wyatt Gilmore[/autotag] and the further development of [autotag]R Mason Thomas[/autotag] and [autotag]Adepoju Adebawore[/autotag]. The result is a Sooners defensive front that is loaded with experience and promising young players fighting to break into the rotation.

From the front four to the back seven, the Oklahoma defense is ready to take the next step. And that’s great news for Arnold and the Sooners offense.

The Sooners have a more complete team, even with questions on the offensive side of the ball. They have a team more capable of playing complementary football.

As Arnold gets adjusted to life as the starting quarterback and the offensive line comes together, the defense will lead the way for the Sooners in 2024.

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.

Danny Stutsman named to Butkus Award watch list

Danny Stutsman is the heart and soul of Oklahoma’s defense.

The preseason recognition continues to roll in for Oklahoma Sooners star linebacker [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag]. After making preseason watch lists for the Nagurski Award, the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award and the Bednarik Award, the senior made another watch list on Tuesday.

Stutsman has made the Butkus Award preseason watch list. The Butkus Award is given to the best linebacker in college football. It’s named after Dick Butkus, a two-time All-American at Illinois, who went on to have a spectacular career in the NFL, eventually being enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Oklahoma has had four winners of the Butkus Award. [autotag]Brian Bosworth[/autotag] is the only two-time winner in the awards’ history, winning for the inaugural two seasons the award was given out in 1985 and 1986.[autotag]Rocky Calmus[/autotag] (2001) and [autotag]Teddy Lehman[/autotag] (2003) also brought home the Butkus Award. The Sooners are one of two schools with four winners, joined at the top by Alabama.

Stutsman made the watch list before the 2023 season. What followed was a campaign where he was 15th in the nation in tackles for loss last season, averaging 1.3 per game. Stutsman led the Sooners with 104 total tackles, including 16 tackles for loss. He had three sacks, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery last year, as well as a pick-six. He also had three pass breakups in coverage. He came back to OU to get a chance to further develop and play in the [autotag]SEC[/autotag].

Stutsman has the most preseason watch list nods on the team with four, edging out safety [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] by one. He’s become one of the undisputed leaders of the Sooners along with Bowman and quarterback [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag].

Stutsman allows new defensive coordinator/linebackers coach [autotag]Zac Alley[/autotag] to have another coach on the field in his first season in Norman. Stutsman is going into his third year playing in the system and is able to lead the way for some of the less-experienced personnel.

Oklahoma looks ready to roll defensively in 2024, as Venables continues to transform the roster. If Stutsman can perform up to the standard that names like Bosworth, Calmus, and Lehman set at linebacker, it could be a special year in Norman.

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.

Danny Stutsman featured on CBS Sports top 50 NFL draft big board

Oklahoma will need to take another step forward on defense in 2024.

The 2024 college football season is right around the corner, but some are already looking ahead to next April. That’s when the 2025 NFL Draft will be held, and if you follow football, you know that some analysts cover the draft year-round.

CBS Sports analyst Ryan Wilson released his annual preseason Top 50 Draft Board on Monday, identifying the best pro prospects in college football before the season gets rolling. He has one OU player inside of his top 32.

Oklahoma Sooners linebacker [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] cracks the first round at No. 28 overall on Wilson’s list. He’s the third-ranked linebacker behind LSU‘s Harold Perkins and Clemson‘s Barrett Carter.

Stutsman’s much anticipated senior season comes after he led the Sooners with 104 tackles in 2023, including 16 for a loss. He had three sacks, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery last year, as well as his pick-six against Tulsa. He also had three pass breakups in coverage.

He only played in a little over eleven games last season and the Sooners were 10-1 in games he started and finished, only losing against Arizona in the Alamo Bowl. His injury early in the the Kansas loss led to him being held out the next week, a loss against Oklahoma State. Those were the only two games OU failed to win during the regular season, and both came right down to the wire.

Stutsman’s presence in the middle of Oklahoma’s defense is huge for head coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] and new defensive coordinator/linebackers coach [autotag]Zac Alley[/autotag]. He’s become the heart and soul of the unit and gives OU a chance to make another leap on the defensive side of the ball in 2024.

Heading into the [autotag]SEC[/autotag], the Sooners will need to start putting even more players into the NFL, especially on the defensive side of the ball if they want to keep up in recruiting and the portal. Though the Sooners have produced seven first round picks in the last decade, six of them have come on the offensive side of the ball. Two have come in the last two years, both on the offensive line ([autotag]Anton Harrison[/autotag] in 2023 and [autotag]Tyler Guyton[/autotag] in 2024).

[autotag]Kenneth Murray[/autotag] is the only first-rounder on defense in that time period, all the way back in 2020. The early days of the [autotag]Bob Stoops[/autotag] era, when Venables was the co-defensive coordinator, produced first-rounders on defense on a number of occasions.

Stutsman is trying to be the first to restart that trend, and with another good season this year could find himself selected in the first 32 picks when April rolls around.

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 duo named to Bednarik Award watch list

Pair of Sooners named to the Bednarik Award watch list.

Preseason [autotag]watch list[/autotag] season rolls right along this summer, as we count down the days to the beginning of the 2024 college football season. The Oklahoma Sooners kick things off in less than three weeks. They’ll host the Temple Owls on Friday, August 30.

As OU enters the [autotag]SEC[/autotag], Sooner fans are as excited about the defensive side of the ball as they’ve been in a long, long time. Under third-year head coach and defensive maven [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag], that unit looks to finally be capable of playing up to the Oklahoma standard.

Star power and veteran leadership are certainly part of the reason why. The offseason returns of linebacker [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] and safety [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] meant the Sooners would have no shortage of experience at two key spots. That’s doubly important as OU breaks in new defensive coordinator [autotag]Zac Alley[/autotag].

Stutsman and Bowman had already been named to the Bronco Nagurski Trophy preseason watch list, but the duo wasn’t done.

The pair was named to the Chuck Bednarik Award preseason watch list on Monday. The Bednarik Award is given to the best defensive player in college football. The award is named in honor of Chuck “Concrete Charlie” Bednarik, who was an All-American at the University of Pennsylvania and later an All-Pro linebacker and center in the NFL. He is a member of both the College and Pro Football Hall of Fame. Oklahoma has one previous winner of the award, which was created in 1995. [autotag]Teddy Lehman[/autotag], one of Venables’ finest pupils at linebacker, took home the trophy in 2003.

Stutsman was 15th in the nation 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.

Bowman was a nightmare in the secondary for opposing offensive coordinators. Three pick-six touchdowns accompanied his six total interceptions last year, making him one of the most dangerous defensive backs in all of college football.

The 2021 classmates have stepped into leadership roles for the Sooners, joining Venables and sophomore starting quarterback [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] at [autotag]SEC media days[/autotag] last month.

If Oklahoma wants to get back to playing dominating, suffocating defense, Stutsman and Bowman will need to continue leading the way. The Sooners have a chance to be special on that side of the ball in 2024, but they won’t be able to get there without their two Bednarik Award watch list stars.

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.

Danny Stutsman selected to USA TODAY Sports preseason All-American team

Oklahoma’s leader on defense adds another preseason accolade ahead of his senior year.

It was a breakout season for [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] in 2023. He was so good that he could have declared for the NFL draft and would have likely been a top 100 pick in 2024. However, Stutsman opted to forgo the draft and return to Oklahoma for his senior season, providing the Sooners defense with playmaking and leadership as OU heads into the SEC.

As Stutsman prepares for his senior season, he’s considered one of the best defenders in the country. The Sooners linebacker was named to the Walter Camp preseason All-American team and was a first-team All-SEC selection by the media. Stutsman has been named to a number of watch lists ahead of the 2024 season and can now add one more accolade to his preseason resume.

On Monday, Stutsman was named to the first team of USA TODAY Sports All-American team. LSU‘s Harold Perkins and Iowa‘s Jay Higgins were the other linebackers named to the first team.

Stutsman’s hoping to build upon a 2023 season in which he racked up 104 total tackles, 16 tackles for loss, three sacks and an interception. If the Sooners are going to realize their potential on defense in 2024, Danny Stutsman will be leading the way.

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.

Where does Oklahoma land in ESPN’s SEC preseason power rankings?

OU’s first preseason in the SEC sees some doubt from national analysts.

The Oklahoma Sooners are about three weeks away from beginning the 2024 football season, their first as a member of the [autotag]SEC[/autotag]. Talking season and prediction season are almost over, but for now, we still have a few more weeks of projections to go.

ESPN has been previewing the college football season, going conference-by-conference to look at each team. On Thursday, staff writers Chris Low and Mark Schlabach previewed the SEC, giving their power rankings and [autotag]College Football Playoff[/autotag] outlook for the conference.

The duo had the Sooners as the eighth-best team in the conference, matching ESPN’s Football Power Index and the SEC media poll. Here’s what they had to say about the Sooners landing in the middle of the league.

“In his third season at OU, [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] likes the experience on this team, with many players having been in the program for three years now,” Low and Schlabach wrote. “The Sooners’ schedule in Year 1 in the SEC is challenging, to say the least.”

The pair also had Oklahoma as a playoff long shot along with Texas A&M. In all, they believed three SEC teams should make the [autotag]playoff[/autotag] (Georgia, Texas and Alabama) with four more in the running (Ole Miss, Missouri, Tennessee and LSU) ahead of the Sooners and Aggies, who they believe have less of a chance.

“There’s no question the Sooners were better in Venables’ second season in 2023, but it might be rough sledding in Year 1 in the SEC,” they said. “Oklahoma faces a brutal road slate that includes games at Auburn, Ole Miss, Missouri and LSU, as well as home contests against Tennessee and Alabama, and the [autotag]Red River Rivalry[/autotag] game against Texas. Quarterback [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] takes over for [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag], who left for Oregon. The bigger question is up front on offense, where all five starters departed. The Sooners are hoping five transfers can help: tackles [autotag]Spencer Brown[/autotag] (Michigan State) and [autotag]Michael Tarquin[/autotag] (USC), guards [autotag]Geirean Hatchett[/autotag] (Washington) and [autotag]Febechi Nwaiwu[/autotag] (North Texas) and center [autotag]Branson Hickman[/autotag] (SMU).”

Oklahoma’s home matchup with Tennessee was specifically highlighted. OU’s first conference game is starting to generate plenty of buzz. After all, it’s not every day that the program’s most recent national championship-winning starting quarterback and his team come to town.

“It’s Oklahoma’s SEC debut and a homecoming of sorts for [autotag]Josh Heupel[/autotag], who played quarterback for the Sooners and was the runner-up for the [autotag]Heisman Trophy[/autotag] in 2000,” Low and Schlabach said. “But his exit as OU’s offensive coordinator in 2014 wasn’t his fondest memory as he was fired by [autotag]Bob Stoops[/autotag]. Both teams have talented young quarterbacks in their first years as starters, Nico Iamaleava at Tennessee and Jackson Arnold at Oklahoma. It should be a wild atmosphere in Norman with the winner making a major statement in the playoff chase.”

Lastly, linebacker [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] was named one of the duo’s favorite players in the conference heading into the season. The senior will have to be instrumental if OU will be better again defensively.

“Stutsman is a big reason the Sooners improved from 106th in the FBS in rushing defense (187.5) in 2022 to 44th (138.6) last season,” they said. “Stutsman is a tackling machine with more than 100 stops in each of the past two seasons to go with six sacks and two forced fumbles. His return should help OU take another step forward under Venables.”

As previously stated, the Sooners have been picked to be middle-of-the-pack, specifically eighth in the conference, multiple times in the last month. Venables and his team have reiterated time and time again that they aren’t focusing on any outside noise or anything but themselves and getting better. Still, you have to think they’re seeing the lists and predictions and remembering that the national media thinks they’ll be an average SEC team in 2024. As the games come closer, Oklahoma is almost through talking season. They’ll finally have an opportunity to prove themselves on the field.

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.