Tag: OU

Oklahoma Sooners announce captains for week one vs. Temple

Oklahoma names Jackson Arnold, Billy Bowman, Danny Stutsman, and Bauer Sharp captains for week one vs. Temple.

The first game week of the season is at hand and the Oklahoma Sooners have announced their first set of captains for their week on matchup vs. Temple.

The Sooners select captains for each game during the regular season and then will select season captains when they get to the postseason.

Leading the Sooners into the game against Temple and into 2024 are the guys you’d expect to get a captain nod. Quarterback [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag], linebacker [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag], and safety [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] represented the Sooners at SEC Media Days in July. They’ll be joined by transfer tight end [autotag]Bauer Sharp[/autotag], who has impressed this offseason with his work ethic, attitude, and physicality.

Stutsman and Bowman are going into their fourth season with the Sooners. They were a part of Lincoln Riley’s final recruiting class in Norman but have become two of the most valuable pieces of the first three years of the Brent Venables era.

Stutsman and Bowman turned down an opportunity to go to the NFL for one more year at Oklahoma and a swim through the SEC. SEC media and coaches have taken note of the development of Oklahoma’s defensive stars, voting the dynamic duo to the preseason All-SEC first team.

They’ll be relied upon as the Sooners enter the SEC. Their experience and playmaking ability is a part of what has so many optimistic about the potential of Oklahoma’s defense in 2024.

Arnold is entering his first year as a starter. The former five-star prospect and Gatorade National Player of the Year has all the tools to be one of the next great quarterbacks to wear the crimson and cream. Venables has praised Arnold’s leadership and work ethic this offseason as the Denton Guyer product takes over for [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag].

More: Takeaways from Oklahoma’s official 2024 depth chart release

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Where does Oklahoma land in ESPN’s tier rankings?

Oklahoma has their work cut out for them in 2024 with a touch schedule.

The 2024 college football season is underway. Week Zero served up an appetizer platter on Saturday before Week 1 has wall-to-wall football from Thursday to Monday on Labor Day weekend.

With less than a week before the Oklahoma Sooners begin their season, the anticipation is palpable for the first season in the [autotag]SEC[/autotag]. Third-year head coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] thinks he has OU ready to excel on defense, and he hopes the offense can show out as well.

Nationally, the Sooners were ranked No. 16 by both the US LBM Coaches Poll and the Associated Press to begin the season. That number should rise with No. 10 Florida State‘s upset loss against Georgia Tech to open up the college football season. OU was picked to finish eighth in the SEC media poll.

ESPN took on the challenge of ranking all 134 FBS teams into 24 different tiers (ESPN+) before most schools kick off the year.

Oklahoma landed in Tier 4, with ESPN staff writer David Hale saying that either a berth in the [autotag]College Football Playoff[/autotag] or a 7-5 record is possible. The Sooners were grouped with Arizona, Kansas State, Missouri, Tennessee, and Utah. A total of five SEC teams were placed in the three tiers above the Sooners, Tigers, and Volunteers.

Consider Oklahoma’s 2023 season. A 10-win campaign. A win over a playoff team. One loss came on a touchdown with less than a minute to play. The other, by three, when the offense was stuffed on a fourth-down try at midfield. The Sooners were ranked ninth in the final FPI and were top 10 in offensive and defensive efficiency. Now consider that Oklahoma returns 86% of its defensive snaps from last season and will feature a former five-star recruit at QB. Why is it, exactly, that so many folks seem to think Oklahoma is in for a tough transition to the SEC? – David Hale, ESPN

Hale would go on to take an overview of the strength of the SEC, stating that nine teams in the league have legitimate playoff aspirations. Each of those nine teams is inside the top 16 of ESPN’s SP+ rating, meaning one of those teams could likely finish in ninth in its own league, but among the top 25 best teams in the nation. Teams in the SEC that normally have very high expectations may have to settle for feeling lucky to make a bowl game, which doesn’t mean the team wasn’t good. That’s how strong the conference is. The toughest conference in the sport got even more difficult when Oklahoma and Texas joined.

“The bottom line is that some SEC fanbases that have long viewed eight wins as a failure might now be living in a world where it’s a best-case scenario,” Hale said.

That reality will likely happen to at least one of the top teams in the SEC. The Sooners have to do their best to make sure it’s not them. With [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] and [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] returning to lead the defense and [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] stepping into the spotlight on offense, the expectations are high once again in Norman, even with the brutal realities of their new conference.

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Anton Harrison selected top 15 in latest mock draft from ESPN’s Mel Kiper

Mel Kiper has Oklahoma Sooners offensive tackle Anton Harrison going in the top 15 in his latest mock draft for ESPN.

Oklahoma Sooners offensive tackle [autotag]Anton Harrison[/autotag] has been a popular man this mock draft season. Though USA TODAY Sports latest mock draft had Harrison slipping out of the first round, ESPN’s Mel Kiper’s thinks very highly of the Sooners left tackle (ESPN+). Kiper has the big man heading to the Big Apple. With the 13th pick in the NFL Draft, Kiper believes that the New York Jets will select Harrison.

The Oklahoma Sooners and offensive line coach [autotag]Bill Bedenbaugh[/autotag] got a lot of positive publicity during the playoffs. [autotag]Creed Humphrey[/autotag] and [autotag]Orlando Brown[/autotag] were both coached by Bedenbaugh at Oklahoma and were a huge part of the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl win. Having his former left tackle selected in the top 15 to a New York team would be quite the feather in his cap on recruiting trips.

Here’s what Kiper had to say about Harrison.

The Jets have major issues at offensive tackle. Mekhi Becton, the No. 11 overall pick in 2020, has played one game over the past two seasons. George Fant, who was limited to seven starts last season, is a free agent, while Duane Brown is 37 years old. They might have to fill both tackle spots this offseason. Luckily for New York, this is a Round 1 filled with solid tackles. Harrison started 24 games at left tackle for the Sooners over the past two seasons, allowing one sack and seven total pressures. He could play right tackle, too. He’s a great fit for the Jets, who could have a new quarterback for which to block.-Mel Kiper, ESPN

Harrison is the only Sooner present in this mock draft, which is consistent with what we’ve seen so far this season. If there’s one Sooner taken in the first round in the NFL Draft this year, it’s going to be Anton Harrison.

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Oklahoma Sooners shut out of first round in USA TODAY Sports mock draft

No Oklahoma Sooners were selected in a recent USA TODAY Sports mock draft.

If there’s going to be one Oklahoma Soone r who hears his name called on day one of the NFL Draft, it’s probably going to be offensive tackle Anton Harrison. However, in this mock draft from Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz of USA TODAY, not one Sooner is projected to be selected in the first round.

The first Big 12 player taken in this mock was Tyree Wilson of Texas Tech. Middlehurst-Schwartz has him taken at fifth overall to the Seattle Seahawks. TCU’s Quentin Johnson and Texas’ Bijan Robinson were the only other players from Big 12 schools present in this mock draft.

Three offensive tackles are mocked to be selected in this mock draft, with Paris Johnson Jr. of Ohio State being the first from the position to be taken. Peter Skoronski of Northwestern and Broderick Jones of Georgia were the other two tackles taken in this mock.

Harrison could very well fall through the entire first round, or he could end up being selected between 10-20. This offensive tackle class lacks a true top dog, but has several very good options.

Sooners fans might have to wait until day two to hear one of their players’ names called.

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Oklahoma Sooners reclaim top spot of D1 Softball top 25

The Oklahoma Sooners are back on top of D1 Softball’s rankings after a brief stint at No. 2

The Oklahoma Sooners clearly took umbrage with being dropped to No. 2 for the first time in 29 polls in last week’s rankings. They proceeded to take out their frustrations on No. 1 UCLA. After Sunday’s statement win over the Bruins, the Sooners are 13-1 and back on top of this week’s D1Softball rankings.

OU went 5-0 at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic with four run-rule victories. Along with UCLA, the Sooners run-ruled Cal State Fullerton, Texas A&M, and Loyola Marymount. The tournament was held in Cathedral City, California, a two-hour drive from Los Angeles.

The Pac-12’s UCLA was bumped down to No. 2 in this week’s rankings, with Oklahoma State at No. 3. Baylor and Texas are the only other representatives from the Big 12 at No. 10 and No. 15.

The Sooners return home to Marita Hynes field for the OU Tournament with two games against both Illinois-Chicago and Kentucky. Kentucky comes to Norman ranked No. 14 in the nation.

At the beginning of the season, there were some outside concerns that the OU bats weren’t quite awake yet. After this weekend’s events, it’s safe to say that the Sooners are looking just as imposing as ever.

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Kyler Murray to be honored in Heisman Park at Oklahoma Sooners’ Spring Game

Athletic Director Joe Castiglione revealed to 94.7 The REF in Norman that Kyler Murray will get his Heisman statue unveiled at the 2023 Oklahoma Sooners Spring Game.

[autotag]Kyler Murray[/autotag] will be getting his statue added to Oklahoma’s Heisman Park this April at the OU Football Spring Game, Athletic director Joe Castiglione told The REF on Thursday.

Castiglione confirmed the news while on the “T-Row in the Morning Show” with the voice of the Sooners, Toby Rowland. Murray’s likeness being added to Heisman Park will, for now at least, complete the collection of OU’s Heisman Trophy winners outside of [autotag]Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial[/autotag] Stadium.

Last year’s “Pack the Palace” campaign for the 2022 spring game, which involved the unveiling of Baker Mayfield’s statue, was a huge success. Giving Murray his statue a year later as Brent Venables tries to build momentum for his program is a no-brainer.

The 2022 spring game was a good get-right moment for both the football program and its fans. Both of which were still feeling the effect of Lincoln Riley’s departure for USC. That game was the first time a lot of OU fans became reacquainted with Venables since his return to Norman.

Mayfield was on the verge of being traded during his statue unveiling, and Kyler Murray will still be recovering from an ACL tear sustained last December while playing for the Arizona Cardinals.

A former two-sport star at Oklahoma, Murray attended last year’s spring game in an OU Baseball jersey. Murray will be immortalized alongside past Heisman winners Mayfield, [autotag]Sam Bradford[/autotag], [autotag]Jason White[/autotag], [autotag]Billy Sims[/autotag], [autotag]Steve Owens[/autotag], and [autotag]Billy Vessels[/autotag].

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Oklahoma Sooners make Pro Football Focus’ early top 25 for 2023

The Oklahoma Sooners just made the cut for Pro Football Focus’ way too-early 2023 rankings

The people at Pro Football Focus see a reason for optimism with the 2023 Oklahoma Sooners. While the 2022 season was filled with disappointment for OU, PFF has the Sooners just making the cut at No. 25 in their “way too early” 2023 rankings.

After a 6-7 finish and a loss in the Cheez-it Bowl, seeing the Sooners included in power rankings is refreshing to see. While there has been a lot of turnover on the roster, Brent Venables is getting a lot of talent on both sides of the ball back from last season. Additionally, the Sooners have an infusion of talent coming via the transfer portal.

After starting the year in the top 10, Oklahoma suffered its first losing season this century in head coach Brent Venables’ first year at the helm.

Still, there are reasons to be optimistic for the Sooners in 2023. Of Oklahoma’s seven losses, five came by one score. Quarterback Dillon Gabriel is back after having the Power Five’s second-lowest turnover-worthy play rate this season (1.1%). -Max Chadwick, Pro Football Focus

Having Dillon Gabriel is better for this squad than some Oklahoma fans would admit. Gabriel’s presence and quality of play are the stabilizing force the Sooners need in 2023.

Brent Venables believes they have a better roster ahead of the 2023 season. If that comes to pass and the defense is better, No. 25 might end up being too conservative of a ranking for OU this Fall.

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College football games could be shorter, rule changes welcomed

Rule changes and advertising changes to shorten the runtime of college football games aren’t such a bad idea. via @bendackiw

The recent buzz about proposed rule changes to shorten the length of college football games created quite a stir among sports fans. The college football purists were angered at these considered changes, and some of the proposed rules do seem like overkill. Running the clock after an incompletion is just nonsensical.

However, there is some merit to changing a rule or two to shorten college football games. Four hours is just too long for any sporting event, not just football.

In the South, September games will be played in 100+ degree heat. Combine that heat with crowded stands, and that’s a recipe for disaster. I’ve personally seen fans collapse in the stands at Oklahoma Sooners games due to heat exhaustion. Having the players and coaches on hot fields for more than three hours is also asking for trouble.

These changes wouldn’t be about making this game “more like the NFL.” They would be about making the games a better product for television. Again, college football purists will not be happy with that, but that’s just the reality of the situation. A game between Oklahoma and Oklahoma State running an hour longer than scheduled isn’t good for a TV schedule.

While slight rule changes can be made to speed things up, such as running the clock after first downs, changes can be made on the networks’ side as well.

Shortening the ad breaks or cutting the number of advertisements per break would definitely shorten the games and cut out a lot of standing around by the teams on the field. That would mean less money for the networks, however, so that’s probably not going to happen. But like English Premiere League soccer, there are ways to generate revenue via advertising without commercial breaks.

There is definitely a middle ground to be found to accomplish what the leaders of this sport want. College football doesn’t need much change to become a better product for television.

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‘Seamless’ transition for returning Sooners TE Austin Stogner

Sooners TE Austin Stogner’s return to Oklahoma ‘seamless’ according to Brent Venables.

With [autotag]Brayden Willis[/autotag] leaving the Oklahoma Sooners for the NFL Draft, the offense needed a big, dependable target to rely on. They got one in the transfer portal when South Carolina Gamecocks tight end Austin Stogner announced that he would be coming back to OU.

Any Sooners fans who owned their very own [autotag]Austin Stogner[/autotag] jersey were no doubt thrilled when they heard the news that he would be returning from South Carolina. Even in this transfer portal era, a player returning to a school that he transferred from a year prior is pretty unheard of.

Transferring can bring a long adjustment period, but according to [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag], Stogner isn’t having a hard time getting acclimated to his new environment.

He’s really happy to be back,” Venables said of Stogner’s return.”And I think he’s in a comfortable place. I think he enjoyed his time at South Carolina, and maybe something that he needed in, you know, in that time of his life.

“I think it gave him an opportunity to, to have the right perspective about this opportunity here at the University of Oklahoma and being close with his family and having an opportunity to be in this type of system to highlight, quote, unquote, you know, his ability in the use of our tight end.”

Stogner has the athleticism and could finally receive a full complement of snaps to have a breakout season for the Sooners in 2023. But it’s not simply the things he can do that provide excitement for what could be a big year for Stogner. It’s also the stuff he does off the field in preparation for the season.

“He’s a worker,” Venables continued. “He’s a tough guy. He’s got a lot of juice and energy when it comes to competing.”

With Willis gone and the Sooners young at the tight end position, Oklahoma needed a veteran presence to lead the unit in 2023. Stogner has the benefit of familiarity with [autotag]Joe Jon Finley[/autotag] to give him the opportunity to have a big year in the passing game.

In addition to Willis, the Sooners have to find a way to replace [autotag]Marvin Mims[/autotag]’ production. With a lot of new and unproven faces in the wide receiver room and a new WR coach in Emmett Jones, [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag] will need a security blanket to get the ball to as other targets emerge.

Stogner is no doubt looking for a similar draft stock-boosting year that Brayden Willis got in 2022. With Willis gone, the top tight end spot on the depth chart is up for grabs.

With experience in Norman, Stogner was able to come in and hit the ground running. That should provide the right environment for everything to come together for Stogner in 2023.

“Obviously had previous relationships with some guys,” Venables shared about the move. “A lot of guys are gone, but he’s just very comfortable. Easy, seamless transition for him thus far.”

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Oklahoma Sooners snap losing streak, take down No. 12 Kansas State

The Oklahoma Sooners took down the No. 12 Kansas State Wildcats 79-65 to end their four-game losing streak.

In front of a sparse crowd at the Lloyd Noble Center, the Oklahoma Sooners took down the No. 12 Kansas State Wildacats 79-65 to end their four-game losing streak. OU had been winless since their stunning upset against the now No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide back on Jan. 28. 17 days later, the Sooners are back in the win column.

This win puts the crimson and cream back to .500 on the season and at 3-10 in Big 12 play.

Four out of five OU starters scored in double digits, with Grant Sherfield and Tanner Groves leading the way with 22 and 16. Otega Oweh was the only Sooners starter held under 19 points but was an absolute pest on the defensive end of the floor.

The Sooners played a very good defensive game, and Kansas State didn’t help themselves with how they were shooting. The Wildcats shot just 20% from three-point range and committed 14 turnovers. This loss dropped them to fifth in the Big 12.

Nothing will be pretty or come easily for this OU squad for the remainder of this season. They’ll be the underdog in every game going forward, but they have a certain grit to them that keeps them in games like this one. Their physical defense kept K-State reeling for 40 minutes.

While a tournament bid is very unlikely, it’s not out of the cards for OU. Of their five remaining games, four of them are against ranked opponents. Winning more than three of those is a very tall order, but it could get the Sooners into March Madness.

The Sooners will travel to Austin to take on the No. 6 Texas Longhorns on Saturday. The last time these teams met, the burnt orange took home a 70-69 win at the Lloyd Noble Center.

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