Tag: Oklahoma Sooners football 2024

Danny Stutsman, Billy Bowman earn Athlon Sports preseason All-American selections

Danny Stutsman grabbed the first-team spot in Athlon Sports’ preseason All-America predictions.

Oklahoma Sooners linebacker [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] will see plenty of preseason honors roll in over the next couple of months. The senior got some big-time recognition from Athlon Sports earlier this week.

Steve Lassan, writing for Athlon Sports, unveiled the publication’s All-America Team prior to the 2024 season. Stutsman made the first team at his linebacker position and safety Billy Bowman was a third team selection.

Back in December, Stutsman decided to return for another season of college football, changing course after initially choosing to enter the [autotag]2024 NFL Draft[/autotag]. His announcement on social media was met with excitement by Sooner fans everywhere.

Stutsman will once again serve as a veteran leader for [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag], as the head coach enters Year 3 in Norman. Stutsman will also be instrumental in helping to smooth Oklahoma’s transition from the [autotag]Big 12 [/autotag] to the [autotag]SEC[/autotag].

Stutsman tallied 104 total tackles and 16 tackles for loss as a junior. He was an All-Big 12 First Team selection in 2023 and was also named to the Associated Press’ third-team defense.

Another player who could’ve turned pro but decided to stay, Bowman will have an opportunity to improve Oklahoma’s defense and his draft grade ahead of the 2025 NFL draft.

Bowman was another first-team all-conference player for Oklahoma’s defense a year ago. He was second in the nation in interceptions with six and led the country in interception returns for touchdowns. He also finished second on the team in tackles.

One former Sooner made the list as well. Oregon quarterback [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag] was named the second-team quarterback after transferring to Eugene.

Gabriel spent two seasons at Oklahoma, hitting the [autotag]portal[/autotag] following the 2023 regular season. Gabriel reportedly made the decision to leave because, according to Gabriel’s mom via the Athletic (subscription required), the former Sooners quarterback was concerned “[autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] might leave, and he didn’t want that for the program.”

With the 2024 season quickly approaching, we won’t have to wait long to see if these current and former OU players live up to lofty expectations.

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Curtis Lofton officially promoted to general manager of Oklahoma football

The former star linebacker is now officially the new general manager for the Sooners.

Nothing says 2024 in college football like the term general manager that is popping up at programs across the country. Previously only really seen at the professional ranks in sports, it’s one more thing that is different in the new world of college athletics.

The Oklahoma Sooners football program officially has one of its own in Norman. [autotag]Curtis Lofton[/autotag], who played linebacker for [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] in the mid-2000s, was officially promoted to general manager of the Oklahoma football program. Expected for some time, it is an agenda item on the Board of Regents meeting scheduled for Friday.

Lofton is the director of the Sooners’ S.O.U.L. Mission, and is set to earn quite the pay increase, going from $101,500 to $300,000 per year.

George Stoia of SoonerScoop and On3 took to social media to deliver the news.

Lofton was named general manager in February and has been performing GM duties for months. He becomes the first general manager in OU’s history, and the job will evolve as the landscape of college sports takes shape in the future.

But it’s clear that Venables decided he needed a full-time GM to help with roster management and other aspects of the program. It’s a move that, just like everything other Venables move, is being made to help the Sooners compete in the [autotag]SEC[/autotag] and compete for national championships.

Venables was extremely complimentary of his former player in the lead up to spring practice.

“Curtis has been doing what he has been doing in the last couple of years. He’s been fantastic, S.O.U.L. Mission as a whole is fantastic, and remember, S.O.U.L. Mission isn’t just one job. It’s, again, holistic development. And they’re leaders, they’re mentors, they’re recruiters, they’re therapists, they’re competitors. And Curtis brings a lot to the table. The same things he did as a player, now he’s using those transferable skills as a leader in our program. So, he’s been fantastic.”

Lofton was a great player for the Sooners for three seasons from 2005-2007, earning consensus All-American honors in his final year. During his 2007 junior season, the linebacker totaled 157 tackles, with 10 1/2 tackles for loss. He had three interceptions and a fumble recovery, giving him a pair of defensive touchdowns. Lofton was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year that season.

Colton Sulley of The Oklahoman also reported the news on social media, adding the pay bump for Football Operations Administrator [autotag]Woody Glass[/autotag]. His salary will increase from $310,000 annually to $350,000 annually.

Glass’ position is essentially a chief of staff role. He joined the staff in 2022 as special assistant to the head coach before being promoted to his current position last year. Glass replaced [autotag]Thad Turnipseed[/autotag], who resigned from his position in June of 2023.

Clear leadership will be important in the brave new world of the SEC and the shifting sands of college football. Current players and future recruits will want to know who’s running the show. The Oklahoma Sooners have their leaders in place going into all of the changes. Venables, Lofton, Glass, athletic director [autotag]Joe Castiglione[/autotag] and university president [autotag]Joseph Harroz[/autotag] are the faces of a new era of Sooner football.

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Where does 247Sports expect the Sooners to finish in 2024?

Where will the Oklahoma Sooners finish in the SEC standings, according to 247Sports?

The Oklahoma Sooners have been predicted to finish ninth in the Southeastern Conference by Brad Crawford of 247Sports.

Crawford predicted final records and finishing order for all 16 teams in the [autotag]SEC[/autotag] for 247Sports. He picked OU to finish 8-4, landing in ninth place in the conference.

Oklahoma’s first season in the SEC could start in impressive fashion if the Sooners handle Tennessee at home, then topple Auburn at Jordan-Hare Stadium to conclude a perfect opening month. The pressure of being unbeaten and ranked inside the top 10 could wear on Oklahoma thereafter, beginning with [autotag]Red River[/autotag] and then going through the SEC gauntlet late against a bevy of national championship contenders. By the time the dust settles on the 2024 season, Oklahoma will be out of the SEC title race, but should be in for a respectable finish inside the top 25. – Crawford, 247Sports

At first glance, a ninth-place finish in the SEC seems like a slight toward the program in Year 3 of the [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] era. But digging deeper into the prediction, Crawford has the Sooners losing to Texas, Missouri, Alabama and LSU to finish 4-4 in league play and 8-4 overall. For context, that’s a game behind Mizzou in eighth and the same record as Auburn in 10th. Crawford’s predictions come with wins over Tennessee, Auburn, South Carolina and Ole Miss. The new SEC is so loaded that Crawford believes the ninth-best team in the league will still finish respectably in the top 25.

An 8-1 start with an 0-3 finish would certainly not please Sooner fans, but 8-4 in the SEC is a lot different than 8-4 in the [autotag]Big 12[/autotag]. The schedule Oklahoma will face this year is the toughest the program has seen in some time. Every week in conference play will be against a team with better, equal or slightly less talent than the Sooners.

Crawford has the Texas Longhorns finishing first in the conference at 11-1 and heading to the SEC title game.

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Sooners overrated in ESPN’s Football Power Index per The Oklahoman

The Sooners placed fourth in the SEC in ESPN’s Football Power Index, trailing only Georgia, Texas and Alabama.

The Oklahoma Sooners football team was ranked fourth in the [autotag]SEC[/autotag] in ESPN’s Football Power index prior to the 2024 season.

OU came in at No. 8 overall in the country; six of the top 10 teams are from the SEC. [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag]’ team trailed only Georgia (No. 1), Texas (No. 3) and Alabama (No. 5) in the Southeastern Conference.

Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman took a look at each SEC team relative to the ESPN Football Power Index. According to Martinez, the Sooners are overrated by the FPI.

Martinez had this to say.

OU has given the keys to sophomore quarterback [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag]. And while he has a lethal receiver group that features Purdue transfer [autotag]Deion Burks[/autotag], he’ll be behind an offensive line that’s made up almost entirely of new pieces. The Sooners will lean on their defense, which boasts returners such as linebacker [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] and safety [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag]. But the No. 4 spot is high for a team that’ll likely be closer toward the middle of the pack. – Martinez, The Oklahoman

Martinez certainly has a point. Eighth in the country and fourth in the SEC would be a lofty finish for OU in Year 3 under Venables. The Sooners are transitioning from the [autotag]Big 12[/autotag] to a much more difficult conference in the SEC. The schedule and quality of athletes they’ll have to face this year will be much stronger than in past seasons.

Oklahoma will also be breaking in new coordinators on both sides of the ball. [autotag]Zac Alley[/autotag] takes over on defense, while [autotag]Seth Littrell[/autotag] and [autotag]Joe Jon Finley[/autotag] will run the offense.

Then, there’s the often-talked-about offensive line, which will probably be the hinge point of the entire season. As Martinez notes, it has been entirely rebuilt.

But what if the offensive line jells in 2024? What if [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] is a star and has an all-conference type of year? What if the defense continues to improve in Year 3 under Venables? These are the questions that give OU fans so much reason for optimism heading into a new conference.

The culture and identity of the program under Venables is growing and building on top of the foundation set over the past two years. Culture, identity and defense are what brought Venables to Soonerland in the first place.

The 2024 season is fascinating in Norman because there are so may ways this year can go for Oklahoma. First impressions can be lasting impressions, so it’s almost time for the Sooners to announce their presence in the SEC early and often when the season begins.

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University of Oklahoma suspends classes on day of Sooners’ 2024 opener

It just means more: Oklahoma’s season opener being moved to a Friday means classes and campus operations will be suspended on Aug. 30.

There has been all kinds of talk the past few months (and years) on whether the Oklahoma Sooners are “[autotag]SEC[/autotag] ready.”

[autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] has had two years to try to get the program ready for the toughest conference in football. Two years to build a culture and a level of discipline and toughness that deteriorated under the previous head coach.

While I and many others believe the Sooners have the right head coach at the controls, making the program ready for the Southeastern Conference can sometimes extend even beyond Venables’ reach.

The university itself is making an SEC-like move for OU’s first game of the 2024 season.

Oklahoma’s opener against the Temple Owls was moved from Saturday, Aug. 31 to Friday, Aug. 30. In response, the school announced it is suspending normal academic and campus operations that day.

The Oklahoman’s Colton Sulley took to social media to announce the move by the university. Sulley said “there was no way they could hold classes during a game day with the parking/tailgating realities on campus.”

The SEC has been made fun of or even criticized by people in other parts of the country due to the fans of their member schools placing an emphasis on athletics (especially football) above all else over the years. This is one small example from the University of Oklahoma, but it will not seem small when game day comes.

This is an SEC type decision. It allows students to make the atmosphere that much better on that Friday night in Norman, because they will not be busy with classes in the hours leading up to kickoff on that day. This is the game you get into when you decide to join the SEC, like it or not.

It just means more.

As to why the game was moved in the first place, athletic director Joe Castiglione said in a statement: “We were asked to consider moving up the season opener by a day so ESPN could televise our first game as a member of the SEC in a prime-time window.

“It’s a unique and exciting opportunity for us, as it will be our first Friday night game in the history of Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium and will give our team tremendous visibility nationally. Another major plus is, given the kick time, our players and fans should benefit from a cooler temperature. It’s reasonable to expect that playing in the evening will significantly mitigate some of the heat issues we typically deal with during early season day games. Our first-ever ‘Friday Night Lights’ will undoubtedly be one for the books, and we’re excited to open the season and our first year in the SEC in such a spectacular fashion.”

Oklahoma versus Temple will kick off on Aug. 30 at 6 p.m. CT. The game will take place on ESPN.

Trace Ford brings much-needed experience to Oklahoma’s defensive line

Trace Ford will step into a leadership role in his second season as a Sooner.

The Oklahoma Sooners return plenty of experience on the defensive side of the ball in 2024. However, most of it comes at the linebacker position and in the secondary.

Defensive line is a different story for OU entering Year 3 under head coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag]. While there is some experience in the trenches with Ethan Downs and Da’Jon Terry, a number of new faces will have to get acclimated to [autotag]Miguel Chavis[/autotag]’ and [autotag]Todd Bates[/autotag]’ way of doing things.

Oklahoma lost standout performers [autotag]Rondell Bothroyd[/autotag], [autotag]Jonah Laulu[/autotag], [autotag]Isaiah Coe[/autotag], [autotag]Jacob Lacey[/autotag] and [autotag]Jordan Kelley[/autotag]. The veterans were crucial to last year’s step forward up front.

Each of those players were redshirt seniors, and all but Lacey ran out of eligibility. Lacey was forced to medically retire prior to spring football.

But another redshirt senior, [autotag]Trace Ford[/autotag], decided to return for his second season in Norman. He’ll step into more of a leadership role as OU moves from the [autotag]Big 12[/autotag] to the [autotag]SEC[/autotag].

Ford isn’t the most experienced player on the D-line for the Sooners (that would be Downs). He may not be a starter at his defensive end position (it’ll likely be [autotag]R Mason Thomas[/autotag] opposite Downs). But, his experience in college football will be extremely valuable for the bevy of talented true freshmen that Chavis and Bates brought in. As a former transfer, he’ll also be a resource for the younger transfer portal additions, such as [autotag]Damonic Williams[/autotag].

Ford played mostly in a reserve role last year on a crowded defensive line. After transferring from Oklahoma State following 8 1/2 sacks in three seasons, he had 18 tackles last year for the Sooners. He also snagged one interception against Tulsa.

Modest stats, sure, but Oklahoma is entering a conference where the trenches are the difference between winning and losing games. Teams that are strong up front and have the athletes to get the job done, typically win in the SEC. The teams that don’t get swallowed up and exposed quickly.

The offensive line remains a question mark for the Sooners, but the defensive line is an area to watch after a lot of player movement since this winter. Having a player like Ford, who provides depth and experience, can only serve to help OU the deeper they get into the season.

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Takeaways from Athlon Sports’ season preview for Oklahoma Sooners

Athlon Sports previewed Oklahoma’s 2024 season, focusing on reasons for optimism and concern.

The Oklahoma Sooners are still almost three months from beginning their first season in the [autotag]SEC[/autotag]. Year 3 under head coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] will be a crucial one, as OU tries to build upon a 10-3 record in 2023.

With the dog days of summer and the college football calendar upon us, Athlon Sports is doing season previews for multiple teams, including the Sooners.

In its Oklahoma Sooners preview, Athlon notes the Sooners haven’t won a conference title since 2020 after previously owning the Big 12. They also note OU hasn’t produced a first-team All-American since 2019.

But it wasn’t all criticism. The reemergence of defense in Norman and the talented wide receiver unit were cited as reasons for optimism. [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag]’s obvious talent is a big plus as well.

In fact, according to the article, “Oklahoma’s big-picture transition — leaving the relative comfort of the Big 12 for the snake pit of the SEC — revolves around a more micro transition: Jackson Arnold’s growth at quarterback.”

Arnold holds the present and future of the program squarely on his shoulders. If he grows and becomes the star OU fans believe he could be, the Sooners could be poised for a great deal of success. If he isn’t developed properly, it could set Oklahoma back for years.

Athlon Sports also highlighted the retooled offensive line, falling in line with just about everyone else predicting 2024 for Oklahoma. With the pieces at the skill positions on offense, led by the talented wide receiver corps and running back [autotag]Gavin Sawchuk[/autotag], the offensive line will be a hinge point for the offense and the team overall.

While Athlon Sports had concerns about the offense, it was very complimentary of the defense. According to the article: “Eleven of the top 13 tacklers return, led by two first-team All-Big 12 performers in linebacker [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] and safety [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag]. Stutsman led the unit with 104 tackles, while Bowman’s six interceptions tied him for third nationally.”

Sooner fans have been fooled by heightened expectations for defenses quite a few times over the years, but OU might actually have the talent and coaching to make a return to high-level defense this year. Besides Stutsman and Bowman, [autotag]Damonic Williams[/autotag], [autotag]Woodi Washington[/autotag], [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag] and [autotag]Ethan Downs[/autotag] will be players to watch out for on that side of the ball.

Overall, a bit of a mixed bag from Athlon Sports in its season preview, but Oklahoma was ranked No. 16 nationally in the article. Only time will tell if the national media is undervaluing Venables and the DNA of the program, or if OU fans are a bit too glass-half-full entering football’s most unforgiving conference.

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Sooners have a top 10 WR corps in the country according to PFF

Oklahoma is deep and talented at wide receiver this year, and Pro Football Focus ranked the Sooners as one of the ten best WR units in America.

The Oklahoma Sooners have an embarrassment of riches at the wide receiver position heading into the 2024 season. As OU football exits the [autotag]Big 12[/autotag] and moves to the [autotag]SEC[/autotag], they’ll be leaning on their strengths in Year 3 of the [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] era. Wide receiver is one of the deepest and most talented units on the roster, even after losing [autotag]Drake Stoops[/autotag].

[autotag]Emmett Jones[/autotag] has been excellent since joining the Oklahoma staff from Texas Tech. He’s recruited very well and the unit improved noticeably in his first season as wide receivers coach.

Pro Football Focus agrees that the Sooners are very good at wideout heading into 2024, ranking the Sooners as one of their top 10 receiving corps in the country.

Oklahoma snuck onto the list at No. 10.

Oklahoma brings back five of its six leading receivers from a year ago, losing only Drake Stoops. [autotag]Nic Anderson[/autotag] is the leader of those returners and was second in the Big 12 last year with 10 touchdowns to only Adonai Mitchell. [autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag] and [autotag]Andrel Anthony[/autotag] also came back and combined for 1,109 receiving yards this past season.

The Sooners also found a couple starting pass-catchers in the transfer portal in Purdue wide receiver [autotag]Deion Burks[/autotag] and Baylor tight end [autotag]Jake Roberts[/autotag]. Burks was second in the Big Ten with 18 forced missed tackles on receptions in 2023. Despite serving as Baylor’s backup tight end in 2023, Roberts was still ninth in the Big 12 at the position with 143 yards after the catch. – Max Chadwick, Pro Football Focus

Anderson, Farooq, Anthony, and Burks figure to be the four players who receive the most targets, but [autotag]Jayden Gibson[/autotag] came on very strong as the 2023 season progressed.

Younger players like [autotag]J.J. Hester[/autotag], [autotag]Brenan Thompson[/autotag], [autotag]Jaquazie Pettaway[/autotag], [autotag]Zion Kearney[/autotag], [autotag]Zion Ragins[/autotag], [autotag]Ivan Carreon[/autotag] and [autotag]K.J. Daniels[/autotag] are all providing plenty of depth and were all talented recruits.

At tight end, Roberts may not even start, as [autotag]Bauer Sharp[/autotag] got those snaps in the spring game. Four-star true freshman [autotag]Davon Mitchell[/autotag] joins [autotag]Kaden Helms[/autotag] and [autotag]Josh Fanuiel[/autotag] in the tight end room as well. [autotag]Joe Jon Finley[/autotag] will be able to mix and match what he wants from that position, tasked with replacing [autotag]Austin Stogner[/autotag].

With a talented but unproven quarterback and an overhauled offensive line, look for the weapons in the passing game to be something the offense can lean on this season.

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Sooners add Akron transfer QB Steele Wasel

OU’s quarterback room grew by one with the addition of Steele Wasel in the transfer portal.

The Oklahoma Sooners football team made another addition via the [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag] on Saturday, this time at the quarterback position.

OU added [autotag]Steele Wasel[/autotag], who was previously at Akron and was a three-star prospect in the class of 2023, according to Rivals. Wasel is an in-state product, hailing from Choctaw, Oklahoma.

Wasel posted a picture of Sooner legends [autotag]Baker Mayfield[/autotag] and [autotag]Kyler Murray[/autotag] on social media with no caption. But multiple sources have confirmed that the former Zip will be returning to his home state.

Wasel entered the portal on May 1 and will have four years of eligibility remaining. He’ll be a preferred walk-on in Norman for [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] and [autotag]Seth Littrell[/autotag], making him the fifth member of a QB room that has changed in a big way this offseason.

Wasel will compete for any reps he can get behind starter [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag], and will add to the depth behind the sophomore at the position. [autotag]Casey Thompson[/autotag], [autotag]Michael Hawkins Jr.[/autotag] and [autotag]Brendan Zurbrugg[/autotag] are all either more experienced walk-ons or scholarship quarterbacks that figure to slot in ahead of Wasel on the depth chart.

Wasel was a standout at Choctaw High School, throwing for over 3,000 yards and 38 touchdowns as a senior. He led the Yellowjackets to an 11-2 record in 2022.

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Oklahoma is a spring transfer portal winner according to 247 Sports’ Josh Pate

Josh Pate of 247Sports thinks the Oklahoma Sooners are one of the big winners of the spring transfer portal window in 2024.

The Oklahoma Sooners were very busy in the spring [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag] window. It’s caught the eyes of at least one national college football analyst.

247Sports’ Josh Pate named four teams that were transfer portal winners from the spring window on his show The Late Kick with Josh Pate. Oklahoma was the very first team he mentioned.

“I think Oklahoma is one of the winning teams,” Pate said, “When they got [autotag]Damonic Williams[/autotag] … it is symbolic that Oklahoma gets where they are.”

Pate is referring to Williams’ high-profile recruitment earlier this month. It was a battle that [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] and [autotag]Todd Bates[/autotag] won to get the All-Big 12 honorable mention defensive tackle to Norman.

Williams’ commitment sent a signal to Pate and the rest of the college football world. That signal is that the Sooners are going to do whatever it takes with name, image, and likeness to acquire talent, especially now that they’re in the [autotag]SEC[/autotag].

“Oklahoma’s not taking a backseat to anyone when it comes to aggressiveness and when it comes to exploring every possibility to fortify their roster,” Pate said.

Pate also highlighted [autotag]Branson Hickman[/autotag], who transferred to Oklahoma from SMU. Hickman was a big get for [autotag]Bill Bedenbaugh[/autotag] at the center position. He should start right away after starting all 14 games for the Mustangs last year and with more than 2,400 snaps to his name.

[autotag]Deion Burks[/autotag], the Purdue transfer was also mentioned, though he came in the winter portal window. Burks dominated in the [autotag]2024 Spring Game[/autotag], and could be the go-to option in the passing game this season.

Pate’s other three spring portal winners were Miami, UCF, and Oregon. The Ducks added former OU quarterback [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag] in December and were busy again this spring. He also chose four losers from the spring window with LSU, who missed out on Williams when he chose the Sooners, Michigan State, Colorado, and Clemson making the list.

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