Tag: Jaren Kanak

Oklahoma Sooners name captains for Week 9 vs. Ole Miss Rebels

The Sooners have named their captains for this week’s game against Ole Miss.

The Oklahoma Sooners will try to avoid losing a third straight game in 2024, as they hit the road to Oxford, Mississippi to take on the Ole Miss Rebels.

Head coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] has decided on his captains for Week 9. Running back [autotag]Jovantae Barnes[/autotag], offensive lineman [autotag]Troy Everett[/autotag], linebackers [autotag]Kobie McKinzie[/autotag], [autotag]Jaren Kanak[/autotag] and [autotag]Owen Heinecke[/autotag] and kicker [autotag]Zach Schmit[/autotag] will represent the 4-3 Sooners as they head southeast.

Barnes is OU’s leading rusher on the season and a veteran that will be counted upon to help lead with the recent personnel changes on the offense. He had one of his better games of the season last week against South Carolina. He ran tough and showed a ton of fight throughout.

Everett got the start last week at center after getting his first significant action of the season against Texas. He’s been working back from an injury he suffered in the spring but looks to be healthy for the stretch run.

McKinzie is one of Oklahoma’s best inside linebackers, serving as an enforcer in the middle of the field, no matter who he’s paired with at the second level. He’ll be instrumental in OU’s future success as he continues to grow and develop.

Kanak is a reserve inside linebacker who has gotten some snaps at cheetah over the past month. Though he’s no longer a starter, he’s a veteran that the coaching staff feels they can count on in spurts to help the defense get stops.

Heinecke is another reserve inside linebacker who’s been buried a bit on the depth chart at OU’s strongest position group. But Venables and his coaching staff obviously like what they see from him enough to make him a game captain. He also contributes on special teams for the Sooners.

Schmit lost the kicker battle to begin the year but may have reigned the job, beginning with the South Carolina game. He made a field goal last week and handled all of the kicking duties. He’s one of the longest-tenured Sooners on the roster.

https://twitter.com/OU_Football/status/1848494881431318666

The Sooners are looking for answers this week, especially on offense, as they’ll look to pull off the upset against the Rebs. Here’s hoping their six game captains this week can have a big-time impact.

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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Stingy defense leads Sooners to 51-3 win over Temple Owls

The Oklahoma Sooners defense forced six turnovers to lead the way in a 51-3 win over the Temple Owls.

The Oklahoma Sooners took care of business in their 51-3 win over the Temple Owls.

On a night when OU honored the 1974 and 1975 national championship teams, squads that had great defenses, OU’s defense led the way for the Sooners, forcing six turnovers.

Temple took the opening kick, but couldn’t create much before going three and out. And that was about as productive as the Owls would be in the first half. Defensively, Oklahoma forced Temple to go punt, fumble, punt, interception, fumble, punt, punt, and fumble.

[autotag]Ethan Downs[/autotag] forced the Sooners first turnover of the season, a strip of quarterback Forrest Brock, which was recovered by Da’Jon Terry. Cornerback [autotag]Kani Walker[/autotag] grabbed Oklahoma’s first interception of the season picking off a tipped pass by cheetah linebacker [autotag]Kendel Dolby[/autotag]. [autotag]Robert Spears-Jennings[/autotag] and [autotag]Gracen Halton[/autotag] also forced fumbles in the first half to help create a strong start in the turnover department for the Sooners.

The Sooners offense took advantage of a stingy defensive effort by scoring on six of their eight possessions in the first half.

On the Sooner’s first offensive possession, [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] led OU on a seven-play 76-yard touchdown drive, culminating in a 14-yard scoring strike between Arnold and tight end [autotag]Bauer Sharp[/autotag]. It was the first of four touchdown passes for the Sooners five-star quarterback, who was making his first start at home.

The Sooners took advantage of good field position provided by the defense to lead a five-play, 46-yard drive ending on Arnold’s second touchdown pass of the day, this time to [autotag]Deion Burks[/autotag].

[autotag]Tyler Keltner[/autotag] provided some answers at kicker, nailing field goal attempts of 50 and 46 yards to put the Sooners up 20-0.

Though the offense slowed a bit in the second quarter, they closed the half strong, with touchdowns on two of their last three possessions. A nice return from [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag] gave OU the ball in the Temple half of the field, and Oklahoma drove the ball 44 yards on five plays for another Burks touchdown.

After OU punted late in the half, the defense forced yet another turnover inside the Temple 10-yard line, and Arnold cashed in with his fourth touchdown pass of the day and third to Burks to put Oklahoma up 34-0 at halftime.

In the second half, the Sooners’ offense struggled to get going punting on their first possession. The defense forced a three and out and Keltner pushed his third field goal of the day through the uprights to put the Sooners up 37-0.

Temple began to generate some offense on their second possession of the half, moving the ball inside the Sooners 20-yard line. However, sacks from [autotag]Ethan Downs[/autotag] and a combination of [autotag]Ashton Sanders[/autotag] and [autotag]Gracen Halton[/autotag] put the Owls in a 3rd-and-22 situation. After an incomplete pass, Temple kicked a field goal for their only points of the game.

The rest of the way, it was about the Sooners’ defense. [autotag]Lewis Carter[/autotag] forced a fumble on a punt, which was scooped up by [autotag]Jaren Kanak[/autotag] and returned for a touchdown.

True freshman safety [autotag]Jaydan Hardy[/autotag] recorded the first interception of his Sooners career, the sixth of the game for Oklahoma.

On Oklahoma’s final drive of the game, it was true freshman running back [autotag]Taylor Tatum[/autotag] doing the heavy lifting. He carried the ball four times for 66 yards, finishing the drive with an eight-yard touchdown. Fellow true freshman quarterback [autotag]Michael Hawkins[/autotag] also looked good on the drive, showing off his athleticism and quick release to help the Sooners move the ball down the field.

Defensive tackle [autotag]Markus Strong[/autotag] finished off the Owls with a pair of sacks on their final drive of the game.

It was a strong defensive performance, however, as the Sooners allowed just 197 yards of total offense and 1.9 yards per rushing attempt. The Sooners forced six turnovers, recorded six sacks nine tackles for loss, and rarely let the Owls offense create much momentum.

The Sooners offense looked good in stretches, but with several starters out along the offensive line, there wasn’t much cohesion up front. Arnold was sacked four times, and regularly the Sooners rushing attack was bottled up. A talking point for much of the offseason wasn’t resolved in week one and perhaps has created more questions.

Though the running game produced 217 yards at 6.2 yards per carry, it wasn’t a consistent performance, especially in the first half. Oklahoma ran for 87 yards in the first half and 130 yards in the second.

Arnold was efficient, going 17 of 25 for 141 yards and four touchdowns. Though his yards per attempt (5.64) will be nothing to write home about, he didn’t have a ton of time to work the ball down the field. Yet he played mistake-free football, and with a defense like Oklahoma’s is key.

Injuries along the offensive line will be important to monitor moving forward. [autotag]Branson Hickman[/autotag] exited the game with an ankle injury. [autotag]Geirean Hatchett[/autotag] and [autotag]Joshua Bates[/autotag] finished the game at center for the Sooners.

[autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag] is also an injury situation to monitor. He left the game early as well. Farooq came through with a big 47-yard possession on the Sooners opening drive of the game. Brent Venables revealed after the game that Farooq broke his foot and will be out 4-6 weeks.

It was a solid performance from the Sooners in all three phases. If they can continue to get defensive efforts like the one tonight against Temple, it’ll take a lot of pressure off of an offense that has some questions to answer along the offensive line. They’ll need to improve their rushing attack as they move forward, but there were some building blocks to work with.

The Sooners move to 1-0 on the season and get set to host the Houston Cougars in week two.

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What is Oklahoma’s best position group heading into the 2024 season?

Which position group is the Sooners best according to The Oklahoman?

The Oklahoma Sooners depth chart has improved every year under Brent Venables. Despite questions along the offensive line, this might be the Sooners’ best roster under Venables. How much success OU has with this collection of players remains to be seen, but it has the talent to make noise in Year 1 in the SEC.

The Oklahoman’s Ryan Aber and Colton Sulley ranked the Sooners position groups heading into 2024, and linebacker topped the list.

Overall, the best position group currently on OU’s roster is the one with arguably its best player. Stutsman was selected to the preseason All-SEC first team and is coming off a season in which he totaled 104 tackles. – Sulley, The Oklahoman

The duo over at The Oklahoman project [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag], [autotag]Kip Lewis[/autotag] and [autotag]Kendel Dolby[/autotag] (cheetah) to be the Sooners starters at linebacker when they open the season at the end of August.

Linebacker is one of the Sooners’ deepest positions, and Stutsman is the biggest piece to the defensive puzzle. The first-team All-SEC selection is also garnering preseason All-American love from around the country. He’s set to have what could be his best season yet with a bolstered defensive interior and improved linebacker play around him.

Lewis came on strongly in the Texas game and over the second half of the season to usurp a starting spot from [autotag]Jaren Kanak[/autotag]. Kanak, [autotag]Kobie McKinzie[/autotag], [autotag]Lewis Carter[/autotag], [autotag]Phil Picciotti[/autotag], [autotag]Dasan McCullough[/autotag], [autotag]Samuel Omosigho[/autotag] and [autotag]James Nesta[/autotag] provide incredible talent and depth to the linebacker spot. Every guy on the depth chart will provide meaningful snaps to the Sooners’ defense and special teams units in 2024 and beyond.

A strong argument could be made for wide receiver with starters [autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag] and [autotag]Nic Anderson[/autotag] returning for 2024 and the addition of [autotag]Deion Burks[/autotag] giving the position a big-time playmaker. Additionally, [autotag]Andrel Anthony[/autotag] will be back at some point this season, and [autotag]Jayden Gibson[/autotag] looks like a player primed for a breakout season.

It has been a while since a defensive position group could boast it was Oklahoma’s best unit, but the linebacker recruiting under Brent Venables, in particular the 2022 and 2023 classes, has stacked the depth chart with talent for the next several years.

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Oklahoma’s defensive leaders confident heading into the SEC

Danny Stutsman, Billy Bowman spoke confidently at SEC media days about the direction of the Oklahoma Sooners defense.

The Oklahoma Sooners defense took a huge step in 2023. They improved from 99th in the nation in scoring defense to No. 49, cutting their points per game allowed by nearly a touchdown in the process. It’s a group that is expected to take another step as the Sooners head into the SEC.

The challenges are different, but there is elite offense being played in the Southeastern Conference by teams like Tennessee, Texas, Ole Miss, Alabama, and LSU. The defensive unit knows they have to continue to grind, but to hear defensive leaders [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] and [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] speak at SEC media days, they’re a confident group.

“When you look at our team, we know what we’re capable of,” Stutsman said. “Like he said before, we’ve got to prove ourselves right. That comes from every single day, every single workout, we have to prove ourselves right. And then eventually you just have seen so much growth, so much progress that it comes to fruition.”

It’s a group that trusts the developmental process. From winter workouts to spring ball to summer workouts and fall camp, which will begin in a couple of weeks, the defense believes in what they’ve done this offseason.

“We’re very confident,” Bowman said. The preparation we have put in, the work we have put in, it allows us to be confident.

“Ever since the game ended in San Antonio versus Arizona, we’ve been hitting the road hard, working, grinding extra, doing everything we can to obviously come out here and perform better than we did last year.”

They’ve put the work in, but it’s also a talented group full of blue-chip players and a ton of experience. [autotag]Woodi Washington[/autotag], [autotag]Ethan Downs[/autotag], Stutsman, Bowman, [autotag]Da’Jon Terry[/autotag], [autotag]Damonic Williams[/autotag], [autotag]Caiden Woullard[/autotag], [autotag]Jaren Kanak[/autotag], [autotag]Kip Lewis[/autotag], [autotag]Kobie McKinzie[/autotag], [autotag]Robert Spears-Jennings[/autotag], and [autotag]Kani Walker[/autotag] have each had at least two years of collegiate experience. A number of those players have played three or more seasons of college ball.

That experience and the success they had in 2023 helped to fuel their offseason work, giving them confidence for 2024.

“It brings a lot of confidence, Bowman said. “Especially bringing back experienced guys all over the defense, from the (defensive line), to the linebacker core to the defensive backs. Going into this year three will be another big jump. We’re in control of our own destiny. I feel like we’re doing a great job of continuing to keep the foot on the pedal, and we know we’re nowhere close to where we need to be.”

It’s a hungry group. As good as they were in 2023, there’s another level they can go to. And for the Sooners to be successful in year one in the SEC, [autotag]Zac Alley[/autotag]’s defense will have to go to that level.

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‘Proud Dad,’ Danny Stutsman says OU linebackers have grown up

OU’s linebackers, led by “proud father” Danny Stutsman, have developed since a rough 2022.

The Oklahoma Sooners bounced back in 2023, their second under the leadership of head coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag]. OU’s 10-3 season followed up a dismal 6-7 year in 2022 that was derailed by, among other things, a poor defense in a rebuilding year.

Senior linebacker [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] has been a Sooner through it all, even the chaotic 2021 season when he was just a freshman. He was a member of that 2022 defense that gave up 30 points per game (99th in the country), leading to a 3-6 record in the [autotag]Big 12[/autotag].

Fast forward, and Stutsman was one of Oklahoma’s representatives at [autotag]SEC media days[/autotag] on Tuesday as the Sooners enter the conference for their first season in 2024.

Stustman was asked about his fellow linebackers, the group that caught the most criticism in 2022. Since then, the unit has improved drastically, but Stutsman illustrated just how much the younger players have grown up.

“I’m proud,” Stutsman said. “When I look at that team since the time they got on campus … it just puts a smile on my face seeing guys like [autotag]Lewis Carter[/autotag] and [autotag]Samuel Omosigho[/autotag] come in, to see where they are today, makes me so happy. Those guys are gonna be amazing players for the university. To see their growth and be a part of that, I feel like a proud dad. ”

Stutsman went on to say that throughout the linebacker rotation, he doesn’t expect a drop-off in skill or production, regardless of who’s on the field.

Carter and Omosigho are two young players who haven’t seen the field much yet, but their potential has Sooner fans excited for the future. But Stutsman’s remarks can apply to the entire linebacker room.

[autotag]Kip Lewis[/autotag] emerged as a starting option alongside Stutsman late last season, showcasing his speed and instincts. [autotag]Jaren Kanak[/autotag] gained valuable experience as a starter before Lewis took over at midseason. [autotag]Kobie McKinzie[/autotag] is a thumper who is an SEC-ready physical stud on the second level of the defense. All were just getting started a couple of years ago, but Stutsman has watched them grow.

Brent Venables and new defensive coordinator/linebackers coach [autotag]Zac Alley[/autotag] benefitted in 2024 from Stutsman’s decision to return to school. They’ll also benefit from his mentorship to the future of the unit, which has already grown so much in the past couple of years.

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Where does Danny Stutsman rank among the best players in the SEC?

Roll Tide Wire considers Danny Stutsman one of the best players in the SEC ahead of the 2024 season.

The Oklahoma Sooners have put together a defense that could be one of the best in the country in 2024. [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] and his staff have recruited well over the last three cycles and made timely additions in the transfer portal. But one of the bigger stories this offseason was the return of [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] and [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] who looked like they were heading to the [autotag]NFL draft[/autotag] after strong 2023 seasons.

Getting Stutsman back to lead the defense was huge for the Sooners. He’s improved each year he’s been in Norman and has become one of the best inside linebackers in the nation. Stutsman was a Walter Camp preseason All-American selection and has a good chance to be named to the SEC’s first team when preseason selections are made.

Heading into Oklahoma’s inaugural season in the SEC, they’ll need Stutsman to be that guy.

Over at Roll Tide Wire, Brody Smoot ranked the top 24 players in the SEC heading into 2024 and Stutsman came in at No. 11.

Speaking of tackling machines, another one is Oklahoma senior linebacker Danny Stutsman. In the past two seasons, Stutsman has recorded 229 tackles, six sacks, and three interceptions. Following the conlusion of the 2023-2024 season, Stutsman was named an All-Big-12 First-Team selection. There will be some that are speculative of how Oklahoma fairs in the SEC. One thing is for certain. Stutsman will continue to be a tackling machine for Boomer Sooner. – Smoot, Roll Tide Wire

Only five defenders ranked in front of Stutsman. Tennessee’s James Pearce, Jr., LSU’s Harold Perkins, Jr., Georgia’s Mykell Williams and Malaki Starks, and Ole Miss‘ Walter Nolen were the only defenders ahead of Stutsman.

Stutsman’s impact on the Oklahoma Sooners defense can’t be overstated. Without the Sooners linebacker for a game and a half against Kansas and Oklahoma State, the Sooners’ defense didn’t look quite the same and it led to Oklahoma’s two Big 12 losses. The depth is better heading into 2024 as [autotag]Kobie McKinzie[/autotag], [autotag]Kip Lewis[/autotag], and [autotag]Jaren Kanak[/autotag] have more experience, but Oklahoma needs Stutsman to have a clean bill of health throughout 2024 for the Sooners to contend.

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Sooners have the best back seven in the SEC per Phil Steele

College football expert Phil Steele thinks OU’s back seven can match up with anybody in the SEC.

Defense was long a strength for the Oklahoma Sooners. The [autotag]Bennie Owen[/autotag], [autotag]Bud Wilkinson[/autotag], [autotag]Chuck Fairbanks[/autotag] and [autotag]Barry Switzer[/autotag] days produced hard-nosed, hard-hitting defensive units that, along with explosive offenses, helped the Sooners win six national championships. Wilkinson and Switzer each took home three titles in the 20th century.

After the dreadful 1990s, [autotag]Bob Stoops[/autotag]’ arrival meant OU was back to being a contender on the national stage. “Big Game Bob” added Oklahoma’s seventh national title in 2000 and kept the Sooners in the title picture quite often in his time as the head coach.

Defense was Stoops’ calling card. He was the defensive coordinator for coaching legends Bill Snyder and Steve Spurrier. Oklahoma enjoyed stifling defenses for most of Stoops’ tenure as the head coach.

But, in the mid-to-late 2010’s, OU’s defense slipped below the standard in Norman. Stoops’ final season and the [autotag]Lincoln Riley[/autotag] era at Oklahoma saw the offense being required to carry too much of the load to keep the Sooners in the title hunt. [autotag]Baker Mayfield[/autotag], [autotag]Kyler Murray[/autotag] and [autotag]Jalen Hurts[/autotag] were able to do so, but as the decade changed, the Sooners had fallen out of the [autotag]College Football Playoff[/autotag].

After Riley’s departure to Southern California, [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] was hired to bring back the defensive standard. It has taken a couple of years, but Venables may finally have the pieces in the right place to do the things he wants to do on defense.

In 2022, Venables’ first season, the Sooners were horrid defensively, leading to a 6-7 season. They allowed 30 points per game, finishing 99th in the nation in scoring defense. Last season, however, Oklahoma went 10-3 and the defense took a major step forward, improving its scoring defense 50 spots to 23.5 points per game.

Now, going into Year 3 under Venables, one college football analyst thinks OU has two of the best position units in the [autotag]SEC[/autotag].

Phil Steele released his position rankings for every SEC team heading into the 2024 season. Oklahoma had two units ranked No. 1 in the conference.

OU’s linebackers are the SEC’s best, according to Steele. [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] leads the way on the inside, but [autotag]Kip Lewis[/autotag], [autotag]Kobie McKinzie[/autotag] and [autotag]Jaren Kanak[/autotag] join him to make the Sooners at least two deep at both spots. [autotag]Lewis Carter[/autotag] will also see more snaps in 2024 as well.

At the cheetah position, [autotag]Kendel Dolby[/autotag] and [autotag]Dasan McCullough[/autotag] will see the majority of the snaps, but [autotag]Samuel Omosigho[/autotag] and [autotag]Michael Boganowski[/autotag] are younger options who will be on the field quite a bit as well.

Steele also thinks OU’s secondary is the best in the conference. [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] headlines the safety position, with [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag] and [autotag]Robert Spears-Jennings[/autotag] in line for more playing time after graduation, NFL and portal losses.

At cornerback, veteran [autotag]Woodi Washington[/autotag] returns for his fifth season, but he will be playing a little bit of everything this year. [autotag]Gentry Williams[/autotag], [autotag]Kani Walker[/autotag] and [autotag]Dez Malone[/autotag] will all be experienced options on the outside, but there’s youth at corner as well. [autotag]Jacobe Johnson[/autotag] and [autotag]Makari Vickers[/autotag] both saw time last year due to injuries.

More: 5 Sooners who could see an increased workload in 2024

Of course, Oklahoma needs to keep improving to get back to the way things are supposed to be for the Sooners.

Competing for and winning championships are the expectations. Quarterback, offensive line and defensive line all ranked outside of the SEC’s top five in Steele’s estimation. While the QB ranking is due to [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag]’s inexperience, the Sooners have to get better in the trenches to be where they want to be.

However, it’s been a long time since the defense has been as loaded in Norman as it is right now. Combine that with an offense that certainly isn’t lacking in talent, and the Brent Venables vision is starting to become clearer for the Sooners. Venables has the makings of a complementary, holistic program from top to bottom.

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How did EA Sports rate Oklahoma’s defense in ‘College Football 25?’

When “College Football 25” drops, the Oklahoma Sooners will open with one of the best defenses in the country.

EA Sports is releasing “College Football 25” on July 19, and fans are excited for the return of the college football video game series.

On Thursday, EA released its defensive ratings for the 25 best defenses in the game, and Oklahoma is just outside the top 10.

“College Football 25” has OU as the No. 12 defense ahead of the launch of the highly anticipated video game. It’s the No. 4 best defense in the [autotag]SEC[/autotag]. This comes following the mutual parting of ways between the program and former defensive coordinator [autotag]Ted Roof[/autotag] and the hiring of his replacement, [autotag]Zac Alley[/autotag].

On the field, the Sooners have plenty of experienced talent returning on the defensive side of the ball. The secondary is led by [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] at safety and [autotag]Woodi Washington[/autotag] at cornerback, but features plenty of young talent as well.

[autotag]Gentry Williams[/autotag] and [autotag]Kani Walker[/autotag] will battle for the spot opposite of Washington. [autotag]Robert Spears-Jennings[/autotag] and [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag] will see an increase in snaps this year with the departures of [autotag]Key Lawrence[/autotag] and [autotag]Reggie Pearson[/autotag].

The defensive line sees some change but still has [autotag]Ethan Downs[/autotag] leading the way up front. [autotag]Da’Jon Terry[/autotag] and [autotag]Trace Ford[/autotag] are veterans who will aid in the development of younger players like [autotag]Damonic Williams[/autotag], [autotag]R Mason Thomas[/autotag], [autotag]Jayden Jackson[/autotag], [autotag]Adepoju Adebawroe[/autotag] and [autotag]David Stone[/autotag]. The defensive line is in a solid place moving forward even after losing [autotag]Jordan Kelley[/autotag], [autotag]Isaiah Coe[/autotag], [autotag]Jonah Laulu[/autotag] and [autotag]Rondell Bothroyd[/autotag]. The Sooners also saw [autotag]Jermayne Lole[/autotag] flip his commitment from OU to Texas in the spring portal window.

The strength of the defense is the talent and depth at linebacker. At the inside spots, [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] returns as the heart and soul of the unit. [autotag]Jaren Kanak[/autotag], [autotag]Kobie McKinzie[/autotag], [autotag]Kip Lewis[/autotag] and [autotag]Lewis Carter[/autotag] will all see plenty of snaps alongside Stutsman. The loss of [autotag]Justin Harrington[/autotag] at the cheetah position stings, but [autotag]Kendel Dolby[/autotag], [autotag]Dasan McCullough[/autotag] and [autotag]Samuel Omosigho[/autotag] provide Alley will plenty of options at that spot.

The Sooners open with an 88 overall defense in “College Football 25,” tied with Texas, Penn State, Utah, Florida State and Iowa.

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Linebackers and secondary are the Sooners’ strength in 2024 per PFF

According to Pro Football Focus, Oklahoma’s back seven will be its biggest strength in 2024.

It’s preview season in the world of college football, and the Oklahoma Sooners had the spotlight this past week from Pro Football Focus in their College Football Preview (subscription required).

PFF gave the Sooners just a 4% chance to win the SEC this year, but had OU 13th in the nation in their power rankings.

Max Chadwick and Dalton Wasserman, who co-wrote the article, named Oklahoma’s back seven as its biggest strength heading into the new season.

Here’s what PFF had to say:

Oklahoma’s defense features a top-10 secondary and a linebacker unit that is headlined by [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag], a third-team AP All-American last year.

OU is loaded at the linebacker positions with Stutsman as the clear leader. [autotag]Kip Lewis[/autotag], [autotag]Kobie McKinzie[/autotag] and [autotag]Jaren Kanak[/autotag] should see significant snaps inside as well. [autotag]Lewis Carter[/autotag] will likely have a role in his second year with the Sooners as well.

At the cheetah spot, [autotag]Dasan McCullough[/autotag] and [autotag]Kendel Dolby[/autotag] are intriguing options with experience, but don’t be surprised if [autotag]Samuel Omosigho[/autotag] sees plenty of time.

The secondary has plenty of headliners, beginning with [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] at safety. Playing alongside him will likely be [autotag]Peyton Bowen [/autotag] and/or [autotag]Robert Spears-Jennings[/autotag] to give OU a formidable trio to rotate at both safety spots.

Cornerback is lead by [autotag]Woodi Washington[/autotag] on one side, Oklahoma’s defensive leader in snaps a season ago. While he’ll see time at corner, the Sooners plan to move him around the secondary, even giving him snaps at cheetah in 2024. [autotag]Gentry Williams[/autotag] and [autotag]Kani Walker[/autotag] will likely battle all season long on the other side of the field with [autotag]Dez Malone[/autotag] factoring in as well. [autotag]Jacobe Johnson[/autotag] is a local product from Mustang, and he and [autotag]Makari Vickers[/autotag] saw some fill-in action last season.

[autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] has the makings of a high-level defense in 2024 as he enters his third season at the helm of the Sooners.

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