Tag: Peyton Bowen

2023 Position Review and Recruiting Outlook: Defensive backs battle through injuries

The defensive back room was hit by injuries all season long but battled through it to have a solid season.

The Oklahoma Sooners’ defensive back room had one of the strangest seasons among the position groups. When they were healthy, they were really pretty good, but when they weren’t healthy, they really struggled.

They also would show games where they were dominant but had several games where they struggled in coverage. The inconsistency in availability created an inconsistent performance.

The other part was the come-and-go nature of the pass rush. There were games where the pass rush created a lot of pressure and games where they applied very little.

The defensive back group struggled in zone coverage often throughout the season.

But let’s take a look at how the position did this season and what’s to come in the future at the position.

Oklahoma safety Billy Bowman returning to Sooners for senior season

The Oklahoma Sooners got great Friday night as Billy Bowman announced he’s returning for his senior season.

Christmas came early for the Oklahoma Sooners on Friday evening as [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] announced he’s returning for his senior season. Bowman had a career year for the Sooners defense and had a chance to be taken in the top 50 of the 2024 NFL draft, but will forego the draft next April to play one more year for the Sooners.

Bowman’s decision was one of the more highly anticipated of this offseason. Now, the Sooners go into 2024, their first in the SEC, with a senior leader for their secondary.

In 2023, Bowman was second in the nation in interceptions with six and led the country in interception returns for touchdowns. He finished second on the team in tackles and also had three tackles for loss. Bowman was second on the team in snaps behind [autotag]Woodi Washington[/autotag].

Bowman earned a first-team All-American selection from CBS Sports and 247Sports and earned first-team All-Big 12 honors.

What would have been an inexperienced group at safety, the Sooners bring back a star who’s played 31 games and more than 1,700 snaps in his three years with the Sooners.

Bowman leads a young but talented group that includes [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag] and [autotag]Robert Spears-Jennings[/autotag], who played a lot for the Sooners in 2023. Oklahoma also has [autotag]Erik McCarty[/autotag] and [autotag]Daeh McCullough[/autotag], who red-shirted this season. Expected to join the group in the 2024 signing class are [autotag]Jaydan Hardy[/autotag], [autotag]Reggie Powers[/autotag], and [autotag]Mykel Patterson-McDonald[/autotag], three guys who are considered four-star prospects by at least one of the recruiting services.

This is a huge win for Brent Venables and a Sooners defense that made a big jump in 2023. With the expected loss of Danny Stutsman to the NFL, getting Bowman back helps mitigate the loss of their defensive leader.

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Sooners expected to host highly-touted Clemson defensive back per report

The Oklahoma Sooners are expected to host Clemson safety transfer Andrew Mukuba.

The Oklahoma Sooners have been active in the [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag], targeting guys with experience who can come in and add to the competitive depth on the roster. They’ve added Michigan State offensive tackle Spencer Brown, and it looks like they’re in the mix for one of the top transfers in the portal.

According to Jason Suchomel of Orange Bloods, the Oklahoma Sooners will be one of several teams to host elite Clemson safety Andrew Mukuba. Along with Oklahoma, Mukuba will visit Texas, Oregon, and Ole Miss in the coming week.

Mukuba is a former four-star safety out of Austin, Texas, who has played the last three seasons with the Clemson Tigers. He’s amassed more than 1,700 snaps in his collegiate career.

More: 2023-2024 Oklahoma Sooners Transfer Portal Tracker

The Texas Longhorns are the favorite to earn Mukuba’s commitment in the transfer portal, given they’re the hometown team. However, given Mukuba’s ties to Brent Venables from their time together at Clemson, there’s a chance the Sooners could add Mukuba to their defensive backfield.

Mukuba spends most of his time as the free safety but will also line up in coverage on opposing slot players. In three seasons, he’s totaled 143 total tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, one interception, and 16 passes defended. In 2023, quarterbacks had an NFL passer rating of 64.7 when targeting Mukuba in coverage, which was the 13th-best opposing passer rating in the ACC among defensive backs with at least 453 snaps on the season.

The Oklahoma Sooners will return [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag], [autotag]Robert Spears-Jennings[/autotag], and [autotag]Daeh McCullough[/autotag] at safety for 2024. There’s still a highly-anticipated decision coming from [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] about his future. Even if Bowman returns, the Sooners could use another difference maker in the secondary with [autotag]Woodi Washington[/autotag] (expected to go to the NFL), [autotag]Key Lawrence[/autotag] (transfer), and [autotag]Reggie Pearson[/autotag] (eligibility) out the door.

Mukuba is a do-it-all player who is good in every aspect that’s needed to play the safety position. He’s excellent in coverage and a sure tackler. His experience would help further solidify the Sooners’ safety position and provide more versatility on the back end.

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Nic Anderson and Cayden Green named freshman All-American by College Football Network

Nic Anderson and Cayden Green’s big freshmen seasons were capped off with All-American honors.

Coming into the 2023 college football season, wide receiver was a major question mark for the Oklahoma Sooners. By the time the season ended, it might have been the strongest position group on the team.

There’s some debate on that but there is no debate it was a pleasant surprise. A big part of that was redshirt freshman [autotag]Nic Anderson[/autotag]. Anderson finished with 31 catches for 725 yards and nine touchdowns. He led the nation with 23.4 yards per reception and was second on the Sooners in yards and touchdowns.

For his performance this season, Anderson was named a freshman All-American by the College Football Network. But he wasn’t the only one. True freshman guard [autotag]Cayden Green[/autotag] was also named to the freshman All-American team.

Green started to receive real playing time after moving to guard from tackle during the [autotag]Red River Rivalry[/autotag]. He filled in nicely and never gave his spot back. Also, the Sooners’ running game took off in the back half of the season once he took over the position.

Both of these guys have a ton of potential. Green has a real chance at turning that freshman All-American nod into an All-American selection in the future. Anderson has the chance to do the same and could be a future high-draft pick in the NFL.

While former five-star true freshman [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag] didn’t make the freshman All-American defensive team, he was an honorable mention. Injuries definitely played a role in him not making the team, but he made a strong first impression in Norman.

There is no doubt, they’ve all shown this season their futures are bright for the Sooners.

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Oklahoma Safety Key Lawrence to enter the transfer portal per report

Sooners safety Key Lawrence to enter the transfer portal.

According to Matt Zenitz of 247Sports, Oklahoma Sooners safety [autotag]Key Lawrence[/autotag] is entering the [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag].

After Gabriel, Lawrence marks the most significant departure for the Sooners and easily the biggest loss on defense at this point.

Lawrence started 14 games across three seasons after transferring from Tennessee following the 2020 season. Each year in Norman, he improved, showing a playmaking ability in coverage and the ability to come up and support in the run game.

In his Oklahoma career, he tallied 149 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, three interceptions, and 12 passes defended.

His playing time began to diminish late in the season. Over the final four games, Lawrence played fewer than 20 snaps for the Sooners defense.

Heading into 2024, the Sooners will rely on young safeties [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag] and [autotag]Robert Spears-Jennings[/autotag] and hope that [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] will return for his senior season.

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Nic Anderson, Peyton Bowen named finalists for Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year award

After strong 2023 seasons, freshmen Nic Anderson and Peyton Bowen were named finalists for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award.

The Oklahoma Sooners had a ton of freshmen play this year. It wasn’t only in mop-up duty either. A number of freshmen played significant snaps for the Sooners in 2023.

Two players, Nic Anderson and Peyton Bowen, were key to Oklahoma’s success this year. And with their strong performances, they were named finalists for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year award.

Anderson emerged early in the season as the Sooners’ No. 4 wide receiver. He caught touchdown passes left and right and came through on the Sooners’ biggest drive of the season with the game-winner against Texas. In that game Andrel Anthony was lost for the season due to a knee injury and Anderson became a starter for the Sooners on the outside.

This season, Anderson caught 31 passes for 725 yards and nine touchdowns. He was second on the team in yards and touchdowns. No player averaged more yards per reception than Anderson’s 23.4 yards per catch this season.

Peyton Bowen earned an opportunity to be a part of both the safety and cheetah rotations in Brent Venables’ defense. And though he battled injuries, put up a solid season with 33 total tackles, a tackle for loss, and a sack. He also had a pair of blocked punts and five passes defended.

Anderson and Bowen were part of a freshman group that led the nation in snaps among the top 25 teams. Oklahoma was the only school that had two freshmen nominated for the award.

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Sooners announce date for 2024 Spring Game

The Oklahoma Sooners released the date for the 2024 spring game.

As the Oklahoma Sooners prepare for their first season in the SEC, we’ve learned a couple of the dates on the 2024 calendar. The Sooners will open SEC play against Tennessee on Sept. 21 and then face Alabama on Nov. 23.

Now we know when they’ll hold their annual spring game. The University of Oklahoma announced the Sooners spring game will be held on April 20.

The spring game is a significant event on the Sooners calendar. Under Brent Venables, the spring game has been part football game, part pep rally. Each of the last two years, Oklahoma has honored former Heisman winners [autotag]Baker Mayfield[/autotag] and [autotag]Kyler Murray[/autotag].

Last spring, we got our first glimpse of [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag], who is expected to be the Sooners starting quarterback in 2024. This year, we’ll get to see Arnold get a healthy amount of snaps with the first-team offense.

The 2023 spring game is also where [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag] showed that he was going to be a major part of the Sooners defensive back rotation. Though he battled injuries this season, Bowen showed the potential that made him a five-star prospect and one of the most highly sought-after players in the nation.

Like it did in 2023, the 2024 spring game will provide the opportunity to see some highly-touted prospects that will join the Sooners this spring.

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5 positions the Oklahoma Sooners should target via the transfer portal

With the transfer portal set to open up next week, what position groups could the Sooners target for some help?

With just one game left to put a bow on the 2023 season, Oklahoma’s vision has widened a bit to prepare for 2024. 2024 is a significant year in the history of Oklahoma football as the Sooners will be moving to the SEC along with the Texas Longhorns.

Oklahoma’s 2023 season is a success after a dismal 2022 campaign where they won just six games. The Sooners have already won 10 games and have shown a lot of growth on and off the field.

Looking at the roster heading into the new calendar year, it’s easy to see that while Oklahoma got better, they will have some holes they must address immediately.

And that’s where the transfer portal comes in.

Oklahoma could lose significant pieces on the offensive and defensive lines and at quarterback. They could also add talent to the secondary and the linebacker unit.

This year, they benefitted from the transfer portal by landing Walter Rouse from Stanford, a rock-solid left tackle who routinely posted some of the best pass-blocking grades on the team, per Pro Football Focus. Da’Jon Terry was a foundational piece of a defense that took a step forward.

Other names like Andrel Anthony, Dasan McCullough, and Reggie Pearson made immediate impacts in their first year with the Sooners.

The transfer portal doesn’t officially open until Dec. 4, but players nationwide have begun announcing their plans to enter the portal.

Here’s a look at five positions the Sooners could target in the transfer portal.

Report Card: Offensive fireworks help gloss over Sooners’ defensive woes

Offense dominates the day and passes final Big 12 test en route to a 69-45 win over TCU. We graded the team’s performance in this week’s report card.

Oklahoma has rebounded from the nightmarish season from 2022. They’ll spend the rest of Thanksgiving weekend at 10-2, a sharp contrast from the 6-6 record they amassed before their bowl game last year.

Friday saw the Sooners end their final regular season as Big 12 members in true Big 12 fashion with an old-fashioned shootout. The two teams combined for over 1,000 yards of total offense and 114 points in a 69-45 Oklahoma win.

Senior Day festivities preceded the game, with more than 20 Sooners recognized. Oklahoma’s win also solidified their 59th undefeated home record as well.

As Oklahoma waits to see how the rest of the Big 12 race plays out, we’re here to grade their performance in the win over TCU. Here’s the final report card for the regular season.

Report Card: Defense bent but didn’t break as Oklahoma escaped BYU

How did the Oklahoma Sooners grade out in their win over the BYU Cougars?

Saturday was an odd day for the Oklahoma Sooners. The result is all that matters, but how the Sooners got there was a fascinating journey.

Oklahoma lost Dillon Gabriel at halftime to a concussion, and the Sooners had to roll with untested five-star freshman Jackson Arnold off the bench. The defense was not up to par and jeopardized Oklahoma’s chances of winning. However, two big plays from Billy Bowman and Danny Stutsman changed the game’s complexion.

The game was anything but clean, yet somehow, the Sooners passed their final road test of the season after failing in their last two trips away from Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.

Without further ado, here are grades for the Sooners win against BYU.