Tag: lewis carter

West Virginia gave Zac Alley a significant pay raise, per Tulsa World

Former Oklahoma Sooners defensive coordinator received a significant pay increase to move to Morgantown.

When the Oklahoma Sooners lost former defensive coordinator/linebackers coach [autotag]Zac Alley[/autotag] to the same position at West Virginia late last month, it was a jarring surprise to say the least.

OU head coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] still hasn’t replaced Alley with a new defensive play-caller, and not many fans thought the first-year coordinator would be leaving.

But, according to a report by the Tulsa World’s Eric Bailey (Subscription Required), the young coach received a significant pay bump to go from Norman to Morgantown.

According to Bailey, the Mountaineers and Alley’s new boss, head coach Rich Rodriguez, nearly doubled Alley’s salary with the Sooners. Alley made $850,000 in 2024. According to the report, Alley will make $1.5 million a year and receive a moving $100,000. West Virginia will also be paying Oklahoma $350,000 to buy Alley out of his contract.

Alley spent only the 2024 season at OU but called the best defense the Sooners have had in years under Venables’ direction. Venables hired him to replace former DC Ted Roof just a year ago, and fans quickly took notice of the similarities between Alley and Venables and the pair’s outspoken admiration for each other.

Alley had a past with Venables from their days together at Clemson but also had a past with Rodriguez at Louisiana-Monroe and Jacksonville State. He’ll return to his former boss in 2025, adding the title of assistant head coach to the role he had at Oklahoma.

The Oklahoma Sooners are still searching for someone to replace Alley as the Sooners’ defensive play-caller.

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 @Aaron_Gelvin.

Former Oklahoma Sooners linebacker commits to UCF Knights

Former Oklahoma Sooners linebacker joining Alex Grinch at UCF.

Former Oklahoma Sooners linebacker [autotag]Lewis Carter[/autotag] has found his new home via the NCAA [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag].

Carter committed to Scott Frost and the UCF Knights on Saturday, per reports. He spent two seasons in Norman as a reserve linebacker but was in line for a larger role in 2025. He totaled 30 tackles, one forced fumble, and one recovered fumble in his time with the Sooners. He’s the second Oklahoma player to head to Orlando, joining Phil Picciotti. Former OU defensive coordinator Alex Grinch is the Knights’ defensive coordinator.

Carter’s departure is one of the biggest portal blows that OU has suffered on the defensive side, and he was the first player to leave the program after former defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Zac Alley left for the same role at West Virginia.

The Sooners are suddenly a little thin at inside linebacker heading into Year $ under head coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag]. The loss of Danny Stutsman was going to hurt regardless, but losing Carter, Picciotti and Dasan McCullough has emptied the room a bit.

Kip Lewis and Kobie McKinzie are in line to start on the inside, and Jaren Kanak could end up being asked to contribute more next season. The Sooners should also be looking to add a player or two at the position in the portal as well.

Oklahoma Sooners former 4-star linebacker entering the transfer portal

Oklahoma Sooners former four-star linebacker entering the transfer portal per report.

The Oklahoma Sooners’ 2024 season came to a close with their Armed Forces Bowl loss to the Navy Midshipmen.

This offseason, a number of Sooners have left the program via the [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag]. Arguably, the biggest surprise came on Saturday when it was reported that defensive coordinator Zac Alley was leaving the Sooners for the same job at West Virginia.

In the wake of Alley’s departure, the first defensive domino has fallen: Linebacker [autotag]Lewis Carter[/autotag] is entering the transfer portal, according to Hayes Fawcett of On3.

Carter was a four-star prospect in the 2023 recruiting class and the No. 11 linebacker in the cycle. Out of Tampa Catholic, Carter’s speed and athleticism made him one of the more highly regarded backers in 2023. He had 33 Power Four offers coming out of high school.

This season with the Sooners, Carter had his most significant playing time with 126 snaps. He played 22 snaps against Tennessee and recorded five total tackles and five stops, according to Pro Football Focus. He had his highest snap count on Friday against Navy, logging 31 snaps against the run-heavy Midshipmen. Carter recorded four total tackles, according to PFF.

At this point, the Sooners still have good depth at linebacker with Kobie McKinzie, Kip Lewis, Samuel Omosigho, Jaren Kanak and James Nesta.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DEK7-Q5yIoA/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

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.

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.

3 Stars from Oklahoma’s 51-3 win over the Temple Owls

The Oklahoma Sooners got off to a great start in their 51-3 win over the Temple Owls, and here are this week’s three stars.

The Oklahoma Sooners opened the season with a 51-3 win over the Temple Owls on Friday night. It wasn’t a perfect performance, but there were a great many positives to take away from the win.

But on both sides of the ball, there were impact players, so let’s take a look at this week’s three stars of the game.

Third Star: Jackson Arnold, QB

Seth Littrell and the Oklahoma Sooners didn’t ask [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] to do too much in this game, but he was effective with what he was asked to do. The first throw of the game was fantastic, a deep strike to Jalil Farooq for 47 yards.

Arnold attempted just two passes beyond 20 yards, which will not indicate his passing chart week-to-week. One was the reception by Farooq and the other was a beautiful deep ball down the sideline to a covered J.J. Hester who let the ball go through his hands.

Behind a patchwork offensive line, Arnold made good decisions, got the ball out quickly and tried to make things happen with his legs when it wasn’t there for him through the air.

Accounting for drops and throwaways, Arnold’s adjusted completion percentage was 83.3% on the evening and finished with an NFL passer rating of 121.8. A strong start to the season for the former five-star quarterback.

Second Star: Deion Burks, WR

Deion Burks was as advertised in the Sooners’ win, catching three touchdowns in the first half, which is the most ever by a player in their Oklahoma debut.

As was the case for the offense, the Sooners didn’t unveil all of the ways in which they’ll utilize Burks, but he was efficient and effective on his targets. He had six catches on seven targets for 36 yards and three touchdowns. He also took three sweeps for 14 yards, showing off his speed.

Burks displayed really good route running, creating separation in the red zone for his scores.

With the wide receiver depth chart taking a hit due to Farooq’s injury, the Sooners will need Burks to have a big season and he’s off to a great start.

Up Next: First Star of the Game

Pages: Page 1, Page 2

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.

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.

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.

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.

‘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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.