Tag: Eli Bowen

3 Oklahoma Sooners true freshmen to watch against Alabama

3 Oklahoma freshmen that need to have stand out performances against the Alabama Crimson Tide.

The Oklahoma Sooners are still looking to secure bowl eligibility in 2024, needing one more victory to get that job done. It’ll be a tall task this week, as the Sooners will host the Alabama Crimson Tide in front of a primetime, national television audience in Week 13.

OU has had to rely on more freshmen than usual this season due to injuries and poor play at multiple positions, especially on offense. So many young players have been asked to step up, with varying results.

As the Sooners look to pull off a huge upset on their home field, they’ll be once against counting on first-year players to play a major role all night long. Here are three true freshmen to keep your eye on when Oklahoma hosts Alabama.

1. Taylor Tatum, RB

Running back [autotag]Taylor Tatum[/autotag] could have had one of the plays of the year against Missouri when he connected with quarterback Jackson Arnold on a halfback throwback pass that scored a touchdown to tie the game at 16 apiece. Instead, the OU defense gave up the lead and Arnold gave the game away with under a minute left.

Tatum didn’t jump off the page in his first start against the Tigers, but he’ll have to against the Tide if Barnes can’t play or is limited. Tatum is the future of the running back position in Norman. He’s got the talent to impact the game in a variety of ways. It’s time for him to take another step forward towards being the full-time feature back next season.

2. Xavier Robinson, RB

Two running backs on this list show how crucial the OU rushing attack will be in this game. [autotag]Xavier Robinson[/autotag] was the best back the Sooners had against the Tigers, and he won’t redshirt this season, meaning he’ll be a full go over the last two weeks. He’ll be needed in a big way if Barnes can’t go or is hampered by his injury.

The local product doesn’t have the same burst or explosiveness as Tatum, but he runs hard behind his pads and can get the tough yards between the tackles. The best drive of the game two weeks ago came when Robinson was fed the ball again and again in the fourth quarter. His efforts set up Tatum’s touchdown pass to Arnold.

More: Key matchups to watch for Oklahoma vs. Alabama

3. Eli Bowen, DB

One of OU’s best true freshmen this season, defensive back [autotag]Eli Bowen[/autotag] was in perfect coverage on the game-tying touchdown against Missouri’s Theo Wease, Jr. However,  the larger wideout came down with the ball in the corner of the endzone.

Bowen is by far Oklahoma’s best cover corner and will have to have a big game for the Sooners this week.

That’s because the Crimson Tide employs fellow true freshman Ryan Williams, who is already one of the best wide receivers in all of college football. Williams will be a handful for the SEC for years to come, including the Sooners again next year when they make the return trip to Tuscaloosa. Bowen may be matched up 1-on-1 against Williams a lot this week, so he’ll have to play a whale of a game.

The Sooners and the Crimson Tide will get going at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday. The game will be broadcast on ABC.

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Oklahoma Sooners true freshman one of the best in Power Four, per PFF

Eli Bowen has quickly become the best cornerback on Oklahoma’s roster.

For all of the successes of the Oklahoma Sooners defense in 2024, the biggest weakness has been the cornerback position. Multiple times, we’ve seen high-level play from OU’s defensive line, inside linebackers, cheetahs and safeties, but the cornerbacks haven’t been able to consistently perform at that level.

But that certainly isn’t the fault of true freshman [autotag]Eli Bowen[/autotag]. He began the year buried on the depth chart at corner, but began playing more and more once [autotag]SEC[/autotag] action rolled around. With the season-ending injury to Gentry Williams, it turns out Bowen’s presence has become even more crucial.

He’s been so good so fast that Pro Football Focus currently has him as the fourth-highest graded true freshman at the Power Four level in 2024. He’s the second in the SEC behind Texas’ Colin Simmons.

With instability at the position opposite him, Bowen has become rock-solid in just a few games on one side of the field. Despite being inexperienced and undersized, he’s playing much older and bigger than anyone expected less than a season into his collegiate career.

3 stats that tell the story of Oklahoma’s loss to Ole Miss

Stats to know from Oklahoma Sooners loss against the Rebels.

The Oklahoma Sooners fell to 1-4 in [autotag]SEC[/autotag] play and 4-4 overall on the 2024 season with a tough loss against the Ole Miss Rebels on Saturday. OU has now lost three straight games and four out of their last five contests.

This game was closer than the previous two weeks, as the Rebels won by a score of 26-14. The 12-point loss certainly isn’t what Sooner Nation was hoping for, but it wasn’t nearly as embarrassing as the losses to Texas and South Carolina.

In a game where [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag]’ team led at halftime, Lane Kiffin’s team pitched a shutout in the final two quarters, scoring the 16 points they needed for the comfortable victory.

OU did some things that you hope they can build on offensively, but it wasn’t enough against a very good team in Oxford. Here are three stats that ultimately led to Oklahoma’s demise in week nine.

1. Ole Miss Passing Yards: 311

Oklahoma’s secondary had their worst day of the season, as the Rebels got whatever they wanted through the air. Quarterback Jaxson Dart took care of the football and made big plays down the field, attacking the OU cornerbacks specifically.

Whichever corner lined up opposite [autotag]Eli Bowen[/autotag] on OU’s defense was typically the victim, as Ole Miss showed off their versatile and explosive passing attack.

Oklahoma picked a bad day to play their worst defensive game of the season. They actually played the run well, holding Ole Miss to just 69 rushing yards and 2.2 yards per carry.

Unfortunately, the pass defense wasn’t up to snuff.

2. Turnovers: Oklahoma 2, Ole Miss 1

When Oklahoma wins the turnover battle this season, they’re 4-0. They did so against Temple, Houston, Tulane and Auburn. When Oklahoma loses the turnover battle this season, they’re 0-4. That was the case against Tennessee, Texas, South Carolina, and Ole Miss.

This game was a bit different, as a Taylor Tatum fumble was immediately given back, as J.J. Hester forced and recovered a fumble on the return of the Tatum giveaway. However, on the very next play, nobody on the offensive line blocked an Ole Miss edge defender and [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] got smacked at the mesh point as OU was setting up a reverse. Though the ensuing Rebel drive ended in a fourth-down stop, it was a momentum swing that went away from the Sooners.

3. Oklahoma Sacks Allowed: 10 (School Record)

The game’s most telling stat was once again on the shoulders of Oklahoma’s inept offensive line. After giving up a school record nine sacks last week, they allowed ten sacks against Ole Miss. That’s an absurd 19 sacks in eight quarters of football.

Sure, there are injuries at some spots on the offensive line, but it’s not like the Sooners have never had a banged-up unit up front before. You give your quarterback no chance to be effective when he’s sacked that many times, and you give your team no chance to win when you can’t block a pass rush any better than that.

Oklahoma showed a bit of improvement overall offensively, and it’ll be interesting to see what the offense looks like over the final four games. There are some things to build on, but there’s still so much that’s got to be cleaned up.

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3 Oklahoma Football Freshmen to watch against Ole Miss

Oklahoma has had standout performances from several freshmen this season, who should you keep your eyes on against Ole Miss?

The Oklahoma Sooners are 4-3 so far in the 2024 season, with just a 1-3 record in [autotag]SEC[/autotag] play. They’ve lost two straight games and three of the last four, all in league play, after a 3-0 nonconference start.

OU has been thoroughly embarrassed in their last two outings following the bye week, failing to reach double digits in blowout losses against Texas and South Carolina. Third-year head coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] now leads Oklahoma on the road for just their third game away from home all season. It’s just the second true road game of the campaign.

The Ole Miss Rebels are OU’s opponent this week as the Sooners look to get back on track in a hostile environment against a very good football team.

With everything going on with Oklahoma’s offense this week, there will be no shortage of opportunities for true freshmen to step up and try to garner more snaps moving forward.

Here are three players in their freshman seasons to keep your eye on this week when the Sooners battle the Rebels.

1. Jacob Jordan, WR

Wide receiver [autotag]Jacob Jordan[/autotag] was one of the few bright spots of last week’s game, leading the Sooners in receiving. He showed a knack for getting open, and had a beautiful move on the sideline after his very first catch.

As the Sooners search for someone to step up on offense, especially at wideout, maybe it’s time to get this true freshman walk-on more snaps and more involved in the gameplan.

2. Eli Bowen, DB

[autotag]Eli Bowen[/autotag] has been a standout at defensive back, ever since he got plenty of run in the Tennessee game a few weeks back. Though undersized, he’s shown coaches that he can play with plenty of effort and good technique at cornerback. Bowen is Oklahoma’s highest-graded player according to Pro Football Focus.

Putting it bluntly, Oklahoma doesn’t look like a team that can score very many points offensively right now. That means that the defense is under even more pressure to allow fewer points if the Sooners want to win on Saturday. Bowen will be called upon to perform at a high level once again this week against an explosive Ole Miss passing attack.

3. Jaydan Hardy, DB

[autotag]Jaydan Hardy[/autotag] is part of a very intriguing group of young defensive backs that Oklahoma has on the roster, especially at safety. Behind the excellent trio of players at that position, there’s a few players that all have different skills and abilities that represent the future of the defensive backfield.

With the Sooners playing more three safety looks in conference play, Hardy has played more and more alongside a combination of Billy Bowman, Peyton Bowen, and Robert Spears-Jennings. He figures to be a part of that rotation once again on Saturday, as Lane Kiffin and his Rebel offense will be a big-time test for this defense.

The Sooners and the Rebels will kick things off at 11:00 a.m. in Oxford, Mississippi, on Saturday. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.

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3 freshmen to watch for Oklahoma Sooners against South Carolina Gamecocks

Three Oklahoma Sooners Freshmen that will be key against the South Carolina Gamecocks.

The Oklahoma Sooners return home this week, looking to bounce back after a humbling loss against Texas. OU will host the South Carolina Gamecocks in a game that is suddenly much bigger than previously anticipated.

[autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] and his coaching staff will once again be relying on plenty of members of the [autotag]2024 recruiting class[/autotag] to play big roles in this game. These true freshmen may not be ready yet, but they’re being asked to step up and help the team get victories in the mighty [autotag]SEC[/autotag].

Here are three freshmen to keep your eye on as the Sooners try to take down the Gamecocks.

1. Eli Bowen, DB

One of the few bright spots in the loss against the Longhorns last week was the play of [autotag]Eli Bowen[/autotag]. The undersized cornerback showed plenty of heart and technique on the outside. If it weren’t for him, Texas may have scored even more points than they did.

Bowen will be asked to play extremely well once again, as there’s essentially no margin for error for this OU defense right now. One busted coverage or lost jump ball could spell doom for Oklahoma with the way the offense looks right now.

2. Michael Boganowski, DB

Another young member of OU’s secondary, [autotag]Michael Boganowski[/autotag] gets the nod here because of the physicality he brings to the table. No, he won’t start in this game behind the excellent trio of safeties the Sooners have, but if Venables wants his team to be more physical, few on this team lay the hammer like Boganowski.

As Oklahoma tries to win games without the aid of their offense, there’s no substitute for stopping the run and being physical. That’ll be paramount against a Gamecock offense that is also struggling, and depth will certainly play a role, as the Sooners will have to play plenty of snaps on defense.

3. Michael Hawkins Jr., QB

The last spot could go to defensive tackle Jayden Jackson or running back Taylor Tatum, but we’ll include quarterback [autotag]Michael Hawkins Jr.[/autotag] here.

Hawkins will make his third career start in this game, Venables confirmed on Monday night. He did enough to get the win over Auburn before the bye week, but struggled against Texas last week. He certainly isn’t getting any help from anyone calling the offense or the injury situation at wide receiver, but there is definitely room to improve.

The true freshman needs to take care of the ball yes, but he should also be encouraged to sling it and trust what he sees. He’s likely still in the game because of his poise and athletic ability, and because Venables believes he’s the best man for the job. He needs to prove his head coach right by taking a step forward on Saturday against the Gamecocks and by taking a firm hold of the starting gig under center.

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3 Oklahoma freshmen that need to standout this week against the Longhorns

Taking a look at three freshman not named Michael Hawkins Jr. the Sooners need to show up on Saturday.

Saturday is a massive moment in the Oklahoma football season. It always is when they take on Texas, but even more so considering how the season has unfolded.

The Sooners entered with the belief they had their quarterback of the future in [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag], only for doubt to be cast after he struggled for multiple games. Head coach Brent Venables benched Arnold for former four-star freshman [autotag]Michael Hawkins Jr.[/autotag] to jumpstart his offense.

True freshman Hawkins showed grit and determination and, with his legs, added another component that helped give Oklahoma other ways to move the ball. He is set to start his second game and the first Red River game of his career this Saturday. His play as the team’s starting quarterback is paramount to Oklahoma’s chances of pulling off the upset of the No. 1 team in the country.

However, instead of focusing on the obvious, we wanted to highlight three other freshmen not named Hawkins who need to have big games for Oklahoma to pull off something it hasn’t done since 1982: beating Texas when they were ranked 10 spots or lower than their opponent.

Eli Bowen, CB

Texas has the best combination of wide receivers and quarterbacks that Oklahoma has faced this season. That much really cannot be argued. Quinn Ewers has incredible talent, and the combination of Isaiah Bond, Matthew Golden, DeAndre Moore, and Johntay Cook is formidable.

Oklahoma is likely not that worried about Texas’s run game as it is not nearly as dynamic and potent as last year with the departure of Jonathon Brooks to the NFL and injuries to multiple impact runners.

Oklahoma’s bigger worry should be containing the Longhorns’ passing attack. With a dynamic group of wide receivers, [autotag]Eli Bowen[/autotag] must continue his terrific play on Saturday, no matter who he may be matched against.

Pro Football Focus has Bowen as the Sooners’ highest-graded cornerback through five weeks, and his coverage grade is third on the team. He’s adapted to college football fine, and now he’s become a contributor for the Sooners. He needs to play well every week.

Up Next: Dynamic skill player set to return

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3 freshmen to watch for Oklahoma Sooners against Tennessee Volunteers

OU will need great efforts from everyone on the depth chart to take down the Vols, including these three true freshmen.

The Oklahoma Sooners will try to stay unbeaten in 2024 when they take on the Tennessee Volunteers on Saturday night in Norman. Both teams are 3-0, and OU’s first conference game as a member of the [autotag]SEC[/autotag] is one of the most highly-anticipated home games the Sooners have had in a long time.

While [autotag]Josh Heupel[/autotag]’s Vols have looked very impressive in their three games to begin the year, [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag]’ OU team has struggled offensively but has managed to stay undefeated.

As Oklahoma continues to deal with injuries all over the roster, we’ve seen plenty of true freshmen get big-time experience this season. However, the stakes haven’t been as high as they will be on Saturday on national television. Here are three freshmen to keep your eye on in this primetime matchup.

1. Jayden Jackson, DT

As Oklahoma’s only true freshman starter, [autotag]Jayden Jackson[/autotag] has been excellent at defensive tackle. He’s part of an excellent group of interior defensive lineman. Despite playing at the high school level this time last year, he hasn’t looked overwhelmed at all through three weeks.

Tennessee’s offensive line is by far the best the Sooners have played this year, and the Volunteers have a high-flying up-tempo spread offense that can be a nightmare for defenses. How Jackson handles his first real test as a Sooner could be crucial to the outcome of this contest.

2. Taylor Tatum, RB

Running back [autotag]Taylor Tatum[/autotag] was more involved in the game plan last week against Tulane than he was in week two against Houston. He responded with two touchdowns, one through the air and one on the ground.

Tatum runs with a burst that is desperately needed right now in the OU run game. If Oklahoma can find a way to run the ball effectively, it can open up the rest of the offense, which hasn’t reached expectations yet this season.

Though Tatum is still behind both Gavin Sawchuk and Jovantae Barnes on the depth chart, he needs to be a bigger part of the offense going forward.

Tatum’s biggest issue has been in pass protection, a common theme for young running backs. Aside from that, he’s been dynamic when called upon.

3. Eli Bowen, DB

Defensive back [autotag]Eli Bowen[/autotag], the younger brother of safety Peyton Bowen, got snaps in big moments of the fourth quarter last week versus Tulane. With starting cheetah Kendel Dolby out, the Sooners were forced to shuffle some pieces around in the secondary, and one of the beneficiaries was Bowen.

Though his most natural position is at cornerback, Bowen is capable of playing safety and cheetah as well. He isn’t primed for a big role with Dolby likely to play against the Vols, but with Gentry Williams out and Woodi Washington moving around the defense, don’t be surprised if Bowen makes an appearance in OU’s secondary again this week.

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All in the Family: Sooners land commitment from 4-star DB Maliek Hawkins

Oklahoma Sooners earn commitment from four-star cornerback Maliek Hawkins.

The Oklahoma Sooners like to keep it in the family. Last year, the Sooners added the Dasan and Daeh McCullough. This year, the roster will feature Peyton and Eli Bowen. Next year, joining the Bowens, the Sooners will have the Hawkins brothers after Maliek Hawkins committed to the Sooners 2025 recruiting class.

The four-star cornerback, according to Rivals and On3’s Industry Rankings committed to Oklahoma on Wednesday.

Hawkins’ is the younger brother of Sooners freshman quarterback [autotag]Michael Hawkins[/autotag].

The younger Hawkins is a talented athlete who will earn his keep on defense. There, he can showcase his elite athleticism and versatility to play multiple spots in the secondary. He’s got great size for the position at 6-foot-1 and displays great change of direction ability, necessary when covering wide receivers in the open field. But he isn’t simply an athlete, Maliek Hawkins is aggressive at the point of attack, bringing a physicality on the outside.

 

From the moment the Sooners were interested in Michael, they became similarly interested in Maliek. From there, the rest took care of itself. It helps that their father, Mike, also played for the Sooners under Brent Venables and Bob Stoops.

In a nutshell, this recruitment was likely to end only one way.  Predictions had been flowing in for Oklahoma to land Maliek Hawkins since last March, which isn’t a coincidence. That’s when Michael committed to Oklahoma. Oklahoma earned Maliek’s commitment over the Texas Longhorns, Arkansas Razorbacks, and the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

With Hawkins in the class, Oklahoma has its second commitment in the secondary, joining three-star safety [autotag]Marcus Wimberly[/autotag].  Hawkins gives Oklahoma its 12th commit of the 2025 class, currently ranked 6th in the country per 247Sports.

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Where each of the Oklahoma Sooners signees finished in final 2024 recruiting rankings

A look at where each Oklahoma Sooners 2024 signee finished in the final rankings for the 2024 recruiting cycle.

The 2024 recruiting class finished in the top 10 for the Oklahoma Sooners. It was an important class, as it marked the first group of players that would play their entire career in the [autotag]SEC[/autotag].

Given the need to rebuild the offensive and defensive lines to be able to contend in the SEC, additional importance was placed on landing a strong offensive and defensive line class. And [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] and his staff did just that.

But that’s not where the impressive returns stopped. Oklahoma also came through with the top running back in the cycle and a blue-chip set of wide receivers. It was an impressive cycle for [autotag]Emmett Jones[/autotag] and [autotag]DeMarco Murray[/autotag].

[autotag]Davon Mitchell[/autotag] was considered the top tight end in the 2025 recruiting cycle before reclassifying to 2024, giving Joe Jon Finley a bonafide star to work with.

At defensive back, Jay Valai and Brandon Hall continued to pull in impressive talents, landing four-star prospects [autotag]Jaydan Hardy[/autotag], [autotag]Reggie Powers[/autotag], [autotag]Jeremiah Newcombe[/autotag], [autotag]Mykel Patterson-McDonald[/autotag], [autotag]Eli Bowen[/autotag], and [autotag]Devon Jordan[/autotag].

At quarterback, the Sooners landed highly productive passers from two big football states in [autotag]Michael Hawkins[/autotag] from Texas and [autotag]Brendan Zurbrugg[/autotag] from Ohio. Two years ago, the depth at the position was questionable. Now [autotag]Seth Littrell[/autotag] has an impressive group of passers to lead his offense into the future.

Looking back at the trenches. The Sooners landed two legit studs in [autotag]David Stone[/autotag] and [autotag]Jayden Jackson[/autotag] for the interior and three blue-chip prospects to work along the edge in [autotag]Nigel Smith[/autotag], [autotag]Danny Okoye[/autotag], and [autotag]Wyatt Gilmore[/autotag].

It was a necessity heading into the SEC, where the offensive line play and physicality in the trenches go to another level. And as much as we love the defensive line recruiting, the offensive line recruiting could end up being just as impactful.

Sure, aside from [autotag]Eugene Brooks[/autotag], Bill Bedenbaugh’s group didn’t receive a ton of recognition in recruiting circles. But it’s an athletically impressive group with a strong work ethic and a lot of upside.

So as we turn the page on Oklahoma’s 2024 recruiting class, let’s take a look at how each player finished in the final player rankings from ESPN, Rivals, 247Sports, and On3.

At the end, you can see which recruiting service liked each of Oklahoma’s signees the most.

Oklahoma Sooners continue Denton Guyer pipeline, sign cornerback Eli Bowen

The Sooners have had a lot of success recruiting Denton Guyer recently and they continue that with the signing of Eli Bowen.

[autotag]Jay Valai[/autotag] had his hands full in 2023 thanks to a lot of injuries at his position. The one steady spot was [autotag]Woodi Washington[/autotag], but the other side constantly saw guys in and out.

A lot of those young guys showed their youth but also showed promise, which just shows how important it is to recruit the right guys. Valai hopes he has another one of those guys with the signing of [autotag]Eli Bowen[/autotag].

Bowen is the younger brother of [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag] but is no slouch himself. He’s a four-star cornerback who is 5-foot-9 and weighs 165 pounds.

His role in 2024 is unclear. As I mentioned before, it’s a position that suffered a lot of injuries, so he could be thrown into the fire in year one. He joins a group that includes Gentry Williams, Kani Walker, Kendel Dolby, Makari Vickers, and Jacobe Johnson. Ideally, he spends a year with [autotag]Jerry Schmidt[/autotag] getting bigger because he has a bright future in the Crimson and Cream.

More from the [autotag]2024 Early Signing Period[/autotag]

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