Tag: Key Lawrence

Report Card: Defense flies high, offense stuck in a rut in 28-11 win over SMU

In our report card for Oklahoma’s performance against SMU, the defense leads the way with the highest marks.

The offense didn’t put its best foot forward in the Sooners 28-11 win over SMU. However, the defense kept Oklahoma in control until the Sooners were able to put together a couple of late scoring drives to seal the win.

Oklahoma knows it will have to play better as the season wears on. They’ll need to improve in all three phases to be in the mix for a Big 12 title berth in November. But for this game, it was enough.

Instead of a shootout, we got a game where neither team even scratched 40 points.

Here’s how each position group graded out in the 28-11 win over SMU.

Oklahoma Sooners win a defensive slugfest, beating SMU 28-11

Oklahoma’s defense took center stage as they hold a talented SMU team to just 11 points en route to a 28-11 victor on Saturday evening.

Saturday evening in Norman brought a fascinating twist. Instead of the high-octane, offensive shootout we all expected, we were treated to a defensive struggle most of the game as the Oklahoma Sooners beat the SMU Mustangs 28-11.

Oklahoma seemingly refused to put their foot on the gas as an offense, opting for a run-heavy attack.

Oklahoma came out with a game plan to dominate the line of scrimmage and control the ball. The plan seemed competent at times, but the scoreboard didn’t reflect an offense firing on all cylinders.

Oklahoma took advantage of a blocked punt by five-star freshman safety [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag]. The Sooners opened the scoring on a busted coverage by SMU, opening the door for a 29-yard pass from [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag] to [autotag]Andrel Anthony[/autotag] for his first touchdown as a Sooner.

The Sooners defense stood firm in the first half, only allowing 3 points.

The Sooners allowed the Mustangs to get to the 50-yard line numerous times but on a number of occasions, the Sooners forced punts shortly after. Oklahoma entered the half up 14-3.

After the half, SMU and OU traded punts before the Mustangs got the ball back.

Jaylan Knight gashed the Sooners’ defense for what looked like a momentum-stealing play before [autotag]Key Lawrence[/autotag] stripped the ball to force a turnover. [autotag]Woodi Washington[/autotag] kept the ball from skirting out of bounds and [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] got the recovery.

The Sooners drove 43 yards in eleven plays only to be stood up on 4th down when SMU stopped freshman quarterback [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] short of the line to gain on fourth down.

SMU rode that momentum down the field and scored their only touchdown of the evening on a [autotag]Preston Stone[/autotag] pass to Jake Bailey. The Mustangs also scored on the two-point conversion to make it 14-11.

Oklahoma had to answer and did.

Dillon Gabriel orchestrated an 11-play, 75-yard drive down the field, culminating in a 21-yard touchdown pass to junior receiver Jalil Farooq. That gave the Sooners a 21-11 lead with 9:11 remaining in the game.

On the ensuing drive, SMU was aggressive, going for it on fourth down deep in their own territory. A pass breakup from true freshman safety Peyton Bowen gave the Sooners the ball on downs.

Three plays later, [autotag]Marcus Major[/autotag] caught a pass from Gabriel and matriculated down the sideline on the way to paydirt, giving Oklahoma a 28-11 with 6:40 remaining on the clock.

Oklahoma’s defense capped off a solid effort with a Justin Harrington interception late in the fourth to seal the game with one last stop.

It was far from an aesthetically pleasing win like the Sooners had against Arkansas State. But the defense stepped up to the plate and played well for four quarters against a talented SMU offense. And in the second half, the offense made enough plays to pull away.

Oklahoma’s defense held the SMU Mustangs to 355 yards and gave up just 11 points. Offensively, the Sooners tallied 365 yards and had no turnovers.

Dillon Gabriel wasn’t asked to do a whole lot on the evening but completed 70% of his passes for 176 yards and four touchdowns.

[autotag]Tawee Walker[/autotag] led the way on the ground for OU with 21 carries for 117 yards. Walker also had three receptions for 25 yards, proving to be Oklahoma’s lead back through two weeks. Andrel Anthony was the leading receiver with seven catches for 76 yards and a touchdown catch.

Danny Stutsman had a huge game for the defense, totaling 17 tackles, (five solo), a sack, 2.5 tackles for loss, and a quarterback hit. [autotag]Kip Lewis[/autotag] was second on the team in tackles with nine total tackles.

Oklahoma (2-0, 0-0 Big 12) will now turn its sights to in-state foe Tulsa. They’ll travel to Tulsa to play the Golden Hurricane as the road team in a sold-out venue next Saturday. SMU (1-1, 0-0 AAC) will host Prairie View A&M in Dallas next week.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Bryant on Twitter @thatmanbryant.

‘Not as good as I know it can be’: Billy Bowman looks to take his game to ‘another level’

Billy Bowman is one of the few players on this defense that has flashed All-American type of potential. It’s now time for him to put it all together.

It’s been an up-and-down career so far for former four-star safety [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag]. During his freshman year, he was thrown to the wolves being asked to play multiple positions. There were flashes, but he suffered from being a man without a home.

Bowman’s sophomore year was much better. He finished with 60 tackles and three interceptions and really looked solid in the secondary playing safety full-time. But it wasn’t a perfect season for Bowman.

He told reporters after looking back at the film, there are a few things he wants to get better at.

“When I go back and look at it, it’s not as good as I know it can be or I want it to be or my coaches want it to be,” Bowman said. “So, everything from stance to getting in my pedal faster to tackling to tracking angles to football intelligence, knowing where I’ve got to be to knowing what the other person is doing. Everything for me needs to and will go up to another level.”

That’s the level that has a lot of Sooner fans excited. They know if he takes his game to another level, Bowman could be an All-American type of player.

It’s not just Bowman at the safety position that has fans excited. Bowman acknowledged he feels they have one of the deeper positions on the team.

“I would say so,” Bowman said. “A lot of guys like Daeh (McCullough) coming in, Peyton (Bowen) coming in, Reggie (Pearson) coming in, Key Lawrence still being here, myself, Robert Spears-Jennings, so we’ve got a lot of depth in the safety room.”

There is no doubt the ceiling for that safety room is very high. And so are the expectations. The hope is now they can reach that ceiling and become a dominant group. That’s something the [autotag]Oklahoma Sooners[/autotag] haven’t seen in more than a decade.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1366]

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on Twitter @JaronSpor.

Oklahoma freshman Peyton Bowen poised for a strong 2023 season

Peyton Bowen starting to settle in just a few weeks before the season starts.

The Oklahoma Sooners struck gold in the [autotag]2023 recruiting class[/autotag], landing three five-star players. Two of those players were in key positions on the defensive side of the ball.

[autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag], one of those aforementioned key defensive players, is on track to play a big role in the 2023 season.

After Tuesday’s practice, Bowen told reporters he’s thankful he decided to come to Norman early and get spring practice under his belt. But he believes this isn’t an easy position to play at Oklahoma.

“All of the movement,” Bowen said. “That’s the hardest part. I feel like I know the plays really well; it’s just how your alignment and disguising. I think that’s just the main thing, and that gets to me. Obviously, I’m getting better at it now from the spring, but it’s coming along.”

In addition to learning traditional safety, Bowen mentioned after practice that he’s played several spots in the Sooners’ secondary.

“I have moved around a lot,” Bowen shared with OUInsider’s Jesse Crittendon. “I’ve played five different positions in fall camp. It’s been a challenge, but I’m doing great at it. I feel like every day, I’m getting better at it. Obviously, it’s not perfect because I’m still learning five different positions and I get put in at five different places. So every time we’re learning a new install, I’m learning it at that position they put me in that day.”

The Denton, Texas, native is joining a room that has one returning starter, [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag]; one player who has played a lot at Oklahoma, [autotag]Key Lawrence[/autotag]; and a starter for another Power Five school, [autotag]Reggie Pearson[/autotag]. All are guys Bowen said he’s leaned on for help.

“The old guys have been great on if you ask them a question about the defense, they’ll easily teach you it and show you and take you under their wing,” Bowen said. “Even the young guys that came in too, the freshmen, they’re all trying to help each other out because you’re only as strong as your weakest link.”

While there is immense pressure on a five-star at any program, there’s even more when you are a five-star at Oklahoma and on defense. But if the spring game was any indication, Bowen is poised to live up to the hype and put forth a great freshman season.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1366]

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on Twitter @JaronSpor.

Safeties bring the most depth to the Oklahoma Sooners’ roster

Heading into 2023, the safety position arguably has the most depth of any other on the Sooners roster.

Last season the safety position was filled with inexperience. [autotag]Patrick Fields[/autotag] and [autotag]Delarrin Turner-Yell[/autotag] were gone after starting the previous three seasons.

Billy Bowman played some in a rotational role as a true freshman, but it has been a rocky couple of years in Norman. [autotag]Justin Broiles[/autotag] and [autotag]Key Lawrence[/autotag] had experience but were mainly role players.

This upcoming season the safety position arguably has the most depth of any on the Sooners’ roster. Lawrence and Bowman are back. They then added [autotag]Reggie Pearson Jr.[/autotag] who started at Texas Tech.

[autotag]Robert Spears-Jennings[/autotag] is also back this year after playing some as a true freshman last season. He’s been injured this offseason but is expected to be good to go by the start of the regular season.

Then the Sooners added five-star [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag]. If you read our article on the five freshmen who could make an immediate impact, you’ll see why he will factor into the safety room.

All in all, this room is the one with a ton of depth and talent. It could be the best position group on the team. The secondary as a whole could be very good in 2023.

Now, they’ll only be as good as their pass rush allows them to be. If the Sooners don’t get pressure on the quarterback, you could put Deion Sanders back there, and it won’t matter. Given enough time, wide receivers get open.

They have to work together as a team but if they do, this defense should see a ton of improvement in 2023.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1366]

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on Twitter @JaronSpor.

247Sports includes trio of Sooners among top 100 impact freshmen

247Sports believes these freshmen defenders are primed to make an impact in 2023 for the Oklahoma Sooners.

Oklahoma’s 2023 recruiting class could be legendary for Brent Venables’ tenure as Oklahoma’s head coach. In many ways, that class could lay the foundation for what the Sooners will be and look like with Venables at the helm.

It’s the best Oklahoma class on paper in years. Defensively, it’s undoubtedly the best defensive class the Sooners have had in quite some time. The 2024 class could top it defensively, but we won’t count those chickens before they hatch.

What we can count on, though, is that 247Sports agrees and believes that Oklahoma has some talented freshmen that can be playmakers from the start.  247 tabbed 100 freshmen they believe will be impact players in 2023. Three Sooners were included on the list, and each of them was on the defensive side of the ball. The names included safety Peyton Bowen, EDGE Adepoju Adebawore, and cornerback Jasiah Wagoner.

Bowen, No. 57 overall and the No. 3 safety in their final rankings has already made an impression in his first spring in Norman. He had one of the craziest recruitments in recent memory, but once he landed on campus, he made plays and culminated his first spring with an interception of starting QB Dillon Gabriel in the spring game. Brent Venables couldn’t speak highly enough of Bowen in the early part of his tenure.

You could argue safety is one of Oklahoma’s deepest positions with both Billy Bowman and Key Lawrence back, along with Texas Tech transfer Reggie Pearson. But good luck keeping Bowen off the field. Fans got a glimpse of his talents in the spring game when he intercepted Dillon Gabriel on a deep shot. Bowen is going to be in the two deep at safety and can also play some nickel. He’ll see plenty of reps this year, helping a Sooners pass defense that needs to take a major step. – Chris Hummer, 247Sports

Hummer believes Oklahoma’s safety group is better than last year’s and reasonably deep, but Bowen is known as a deep safety playmaker. Bowen’s athleticism and processing speed will make it hard for the coaching staff to keep him off the field. He’s gotten reps at both safety positions, nickel, and Cheetah throughout spring practice.

Joining him in the secondary is cornerback Jasiah Wagoner. Wagoner, a native of Washington, created a lot of spring buzz with his play inside and outside. He’s feisty, and while he’s only 5-foot-11 and 170 pounds but plays like he’s 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds. Oklahoma is in the business of finding steady play at cornerback opposite senior leader Woodi Washington. Wagoner may be someone that can provide that. Wagoner was the No. 31 CB in his class.

Speaking of players who could help a shaky pass defense, Wagoner is another to watch after a strong spring practice run. The Spanaway (Wash.) Lake product earned his share of first-team reps, and he’s well positioned to play important snaps for OU after Jaden Davis transferred and D.J. Graham switched to the offensive side of the ball. The 5-foot-11, 171-pound Wagoner has also drawn high praise from the Sooners staff publicly. – Hummer, 247Sports

And last but certainly not least, EDGE Adepoju Adebawore is the third Sooner freshman on the list. Adebawore looks physically ready to make an impact, but he’s just scratching the surface of what he can be. He has an NFL pedigree. His older brother was selected in the 2023 NFL draft after tearing up the NFL scouting combine with his athletic testing.

Adebawore is a player who could push for significant pass-rushing snaps throughout the season due to his insane athletic profile. Oklahoma’s pass rush was a huge reason their defense was terrible last season. Middle-of-the-road passing teams were able to do what they wanted against the Sooners’ defense. Adebawore could help with that from the outset. As the No. 9 overall player and No. 2 EDGE in the 2023 class, big things are expected from Adebawore.

One of the true athletic freaks from the 2023 class, Adebawore pairs his 6-foot-5, 225-pound frame with an 85-inch wingspan, 10-inch hands and a verified 4.8 seconds in the 40-yard dash — and 34 inches in the vertical jump. He’s an athletic marvel and someone who will only get freakier as he adds weight. As it is, Adebawore is fast and twitchy enough to make an immediate impact. Oklahoma needs him to do so, too. The Sooners struggled to generate pressure without blitzing last year (a usual staple of Brent Venables’ defenses), and Adebawore and a few transfers should help address that issue. – Hummer, 247Sports

Oklahoma’s season hinges on the defense’s ability to improve. If that happens, it is hard to imagine a scenario where Oklahoma doesn’t at least win nine games. Bowen, Wagoner, and Adebawore have a chance to make an impact this season and be cornerstones to Oklahoma’s defensive resurgence.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1366]

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Bryant on Twitter @thatmanbryant.

Oklahoma Sooners land Tennessee transfer defensive tackle Da’Jon Terry

The Oklahoma Sooners added another defensive tackle to the roster with the commitment of Tennessee DT Da’Jon Terry.

The Tennessee to Oklahoma transfer connection lives on. After adding Wanya Morris, Eric Gray, and Key Lawrence through the portal back in 2021, the Sooners landed another Tennessee transfer Friday morning. Defensive tackle Da’Jon Terry committed to the Oklahoma Sooners after spending time in Norman earlier this week.

Terry has the size to be a legit nose tackle for Oklahoma. He’s a physically imposing player and will help bolster the Sooners interior defensive line. He comes to Norman measuring 6-foot-4 and over 320 pounds.

Terry’s transfer to Oklahoma will mark his second stint in the Big 12, as he spent his first two collegiate years at Kansas. After joining Tennessee, he logged time in 34 games with the Vols. He started nine games across his two seasons in Knoxville.

Terry was never a consistent starter but has made a living as a crucial rotational defender, totaling 16 tackles, six tackles for loss, and two sacks. Someone of his size offers more value than statistics can quantify, as he can eat double teams, allowing other teammates to make plays.

Terry is still relatively new to football. He played just one year of football before his eventual commitment to Kansas. Out of high school, 247Sports had Da’Jon ranked as a three-star prospect and the 120th-best defensive tackle in the country. Terry will have two years remaining of eligibility.

Terry’s Tennessee career gave him invaluable experience playing in the best conference in the sport, and it should serve him well as he ventures to Oklahoma.

From a tactical standpoint, Terry gives Todd Bates and Ted Roof a legitimate space-eater to help improve their run defense and give them more flexibility up front. The Sooners want to play multiple fronts, and with the size and ability against the run that Terry provides, Oklahoma should feel more comfortable deploying three-man fronts.

He marks the third defensive tackle the Sooners have added via the transfer portal. Terry, Jacob Lacey, Davon Sears join Isaiah Coe, Jordan Kelley, and Jonah La’ulu, giving the Sooners a deep, experienced group to work with at defensive tackle heading into 2023.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1366]

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Bryant on Twitter @thatmanbryant.

Peyton Bowen among ESPN’s ‘newcomers to watch’ for the 2023 season

Peyton Bowen’s debut will be one of the more highly-anticipated of 2023, making the 5-star safety one of ESPN’s newcomers to watch.

One of the biggest storylines of the [autotag]2023 recruiting class[/autotag] was the recruitment and signing of [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag]. The five-star safety out of Denton Guyer was a top 20 player in the class and highly coveted because of his athleticism, ball skills, and processing speed.

This year is a huge season for the Sooners’ defense. For Oklahoma to contend, the defense needs to improve and Bowen could be a big part of it.

As ESPN looks ahead to the 2023 season, Bowen is one of their newcomers’ to watch.

Bowen’s recruitment became one of the wilder stories heading into the December signing period. The five-star safety from Texas (ESPN’s No. 17 overall prospect) initially committed to Notre Dame for a year before flipping to Oregon and then Oklahoma during a furious 24 hours. He joins quarterback [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag], his high school teammate and ESPN’s No. 3 overall prospect, in Norman. Bowen and five-star defensive end Adepoju Adebawore are the types of defensive recruits Oklahoma hired coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] to sign, especially with the SEC transition on the horizon in 2024. They should see the field this fall, and their performances could open eyes of similar defensive prospects toward OU and the chance to play for Venables. Bowen is Oklahoma’s highest-rated defensive recruit since ESPN launched its rankings. – Adam Rittenberg, ESPN

Bowen didn’t do anything to slow down the hype train during the spring game, where he intercepted a deep ball down the left sideline. The positioning and ball skills were a welcomed site playing in a one-on-one situation.

As part of a safety group that includes [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag], [autotag]Reggie Pearson[/autotag], and [autotag]Key Lawrence[/autotag], Bowen may not see a ton of snaps as a true freshman, but he’ll certainly get on the field.

Brent Venables has spoken highly of Bowen all offseason. As Oklahoma looks to improve its defense, the Sooners will be looking forward to the athleticism and range Bowen can provide in the secondary.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1366]

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on Twitter @john9williams.

Oklahoma safety Damond Harmon enters the transfer portal

Oklahoma safety Damond Harmon intends to transfer. Harmon was a former four-star recruit in the class of 2021.

Oklahoma’s defensive back takes another hit as the Sooners lose their second defensive back to transfer portal this week. According to Brandon Drumm and Parker Thune of OUInsider safety Damond Harmon has decided to enter the transfer portal following Oklahoma’s spring game.

Harmon, a former four-star recruit becomes the eighth signee of Oklahoma’s 2021 class to depart for other opportunities. Harmon made his most notable splash as a player in two starts last year after playing primarily special teams as a freshman in 2021.

For his career, Harmon amassed 22 tackles in 23 career games. Harmon’s departure is a case of where he was on the depth chart.

Billy Bowman, Reggie Pearson, Key Lawrence, and Robert Spears-Jennings all seemed to have supplanted him on the two deep and it seemed unlikely for Harmon to supplant either this upcoming season. The addition and rapid rise of Peyton Bowen complicated his path to playing time as well.

Harmon broke thru last year as a consistent rotational member at safety before a concussion, and other players returning from injury, pushed him back down the depth chart.

Harmon was listed as the No. 26 cornerback and No. 304 overall prospect in the 2021 class and picked Oklahoma over schools like Michigan and Florida.

Harmon, Jamarrien Burt, and Jaden Davis have all entered the transfer portal in the past two weeks. Oklahoma only figures to bring just one high school defensive back in four-star safety Daeh McCullough this summer.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1366]

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbz7cqqgxy50qwt player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=]

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Bryant on Twitter @thatmanbryant.

Peyton Bowen among CBS Sports’ freshmen to watch in 2023 spring games

With spring game season upon us, CBS Sports’ Shehan Jeyarajah includes Peyton Bowen among 10 freshmen to watch in 2023 spring games.

In his first spring with the Oklahoma Sooners, [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag] is already an intriguing name to watch. The final few days of his recruitment took the college football world by storm as he went from committed to Notre Dame to Oregon before signing with Oklahoma.

But more than a recruiting story, the Sooners signed one of the best defensive players in the 2023 recruiting cycle. Because of his prowess at the safety position and a mandate to improve the secondary, Bowen has a chance to have an impact as a true freshman.

CBS Sports’ Shehan Jeyarajah included Bowen as one of his true freshman to watch during spring game season. The Sooners’ safety joins Texas’ Arch Manning and Tennessee’s Nico Iamleava as first-year players to watch on the spring game circuit.

After a bizarre recruitment saga, Bowen is finally on campus in Norman. Rated the No. 3 safety in the Top247 rankings, Bowman headlines the class with a big, athletic frame ready to contribute. Needless to say, the Sooners could use any reinforcements on defense after putting together their worst season since Y2K. Safety contributors [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] and [autotag]Key Lawrence[/autotag] are back, but Bowen could push his way into the rotation. The Sooners could also try Bowman at the versatile “Cheetah” role, which blends safety, corner and linebacker into one package. – Jeyarajah, CBS Sports

With word coming down that Robert Spears-Jennings will miss the rest of the spring after undergoing shoulder surgery, the Sooners’ safety depth has taken a hit. Though Oklahoma added a potential starter in [autotag]Reggie Pearson[/autotag], Bowen will get more work this spring to prepare him for a role in Brent Venables’ defense.

He’s got the talent and, according to Venables, the understanding of the game to be an impact player in year one with the Oklahoma Sooners.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1366]

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbz7cqqgxy50qwt player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=]

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on Twitter @john9williams.