Tag: Samuel Omosigho

Oklahoma Sooners lose defensive starter for the season

Kendel Dolby had become an integral part of the OU defense, but will miss the rest of the year.

The injury bug continues to bite the Oklahoma Sooners in 2024. After losing two key players on the offensive side of the ball for the season due to injury (wide receiver Jayden Gibson and offensive lineman Geirean Hatchett), they’ve now lost a starter from the defense as well.

After suffering an injury last week in the loss against Tennessee, starting cheetah linebacker [autotag]Kendel Dolby[/autotag] will miss the remainder of the 2024 season. George Stoia, who covers Oklahoma for On3 Sports and SoonerScoop, took to social media to report the news, which was confirmed by head coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] on his Monday night coaches show.

Dolby had become a vital contributor for the Sooners in his senior season after having some breakout moments a year ago. After multiple players rotated through at cheetah in 2023, Dolby made the role his own in 2024. He was carted off the field after suffering an ankle injury in the second quarter against Tennessee. The home crowd and Dolby’s teammates came to the support of the senior as he was being taken off the field.

Dolby could come back next season despite this being his senior year. He missed the Tulane game with a concussion, meaning he’s only played in three games this year. That qualifies him for a redshirt season if he’s healthy enough and chooses to return to OU in 2025.

Replacing Dolby will not be easy. Behind him on the depth chart is sophomore [autotag]Samuel Omosigho[/autotag], who was thought to be the future of the position after Dolby was finished. He’ll be the primary player to be asked to step up and take over.

True freshman [autotag]Reggie Powers III[/autotag] will likely move into the backup role, though defensive coordinator [autotag]Zac Alley[/autotag] has lined up plenty of players at cheetah, depending on health and offensive personnel. Senior [autotag]Woodi Washington[/autotag] played there this season when Dolby was on the sideline. OU is also awaiting the return from injury of [autotag]Dasan McCullough[/autotag], who played plenty of cheetah last year. He had been moved to inside linebacker, but might move back outside if the staff sees fit.

Dolby took to social media after the game, simply posting “God, I trust you.”

https://twitter.com/kd_937/status/1837717149244444838

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Where does Oklahoma land in Athlon Sports’ defensive back unit rankings?

Oklahoma’s secondary has plenty of potential, featuring a good mix of veterans and youth.

The Oklahoma Sooners will be looking to take another step forward on defense in 2024, as OU enters Year 3 of the [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] era.

Venables was hired because of his defensive acumen and because of his championship merit at both Oklahoma and Clemson. In his first season, the Sooners gave up 30 points per game on their way to a subpar 6-7 record. Last year, Oklahoma bounced back to go 10-3, giving up just 23.5 points per game.

Now the time has come to make another leap on that side of the ball, and one unit that can help make that happen is the secondary. It’s a unit that was bad in 2022 but improved last season, along with the rest of the defense. It’s also a unit that gave up too many big plays, had the occasional coverage bust last year, and needs to continue improving.

Fortunately, Athlon Sports thinks Oklahoma will have one of the best secondaries in the nation this year, as they revealed their Top 20 defensive back units in the country on Saturday. The Sooners came in at No. 11 overall, third in the SEC. Only Georgia (No. 2) and Texas (No. 10) came in above OU. Ohio State topped Athlon’s list.

The reason for the optimism is the mix of experienced veterans and talented youngsters that have the opportunity to mesh well and create great things for the Sooners in 2024.

Cornerbacks coach [autotag]Jay Valai[/autotag] has plenty of different options to work with on both sides of the field. Sixth-year senior [autotag]Woodi Washington[/autotag] will still likely play multiple positions on the defense (cornerback, safety and Cheetah), but is going to reportedly be playing a bunch of cornerback once again. The trio of [autotag]Gentry Williams[/autotag], [autotag]Kani Walker[/autotag] and [autotag]Dez Malone[/autotag] will also be counted upon heavily, and all four will see plenty of action. [autotag]Jacobe Johnson[/autotag] and [autotag]Makari Vickers[/autotag] could also get some run, as they’re both younger players with very high upside.

Similarly, safeties coach [autotag]Brandon Hall[/autotag] will get to mix-and-match different combinations in the back end of the defense. Safety might be even deeper than corner on this year’s team. The return of [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] is what unlocks this position group. The senior is one of the best players on the team in 2024. He’s become a leader for the Sooners and was a ball hawk last year, making big play after big play.

The combination of [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag] and [autotag]Robert Spears-Jennings[/autotag] will share snaps at the other safety spot, and OU is excited about what that duo can do.

The depth at the position is strong with [autotag]Reggie Powers III[/autotag], [autotag]Jaydan Hardy[/autotag], [autotag]Erik McCarty[/autotag], [autotag]Michael Boganowski[/autotag] and [autotag]Mykel Patterson-McDonald[/autotag] providing an interesting group of skillsets and plenty of youth. If the injury bug bites, Washington, [autotag]Samuel Omosigho[/autotag], and [autotag]Kendel Dolby[/autotag] could move from primary positions to help out on the back line.

Venables and new defensive coordinator [autotag]Zac Alley[/autotag] know that the defense has to continue their ascent to get where they want to go in the [autotag]SEC[/autotag]. Fortunately, the time for talking is almost over, as the Sooners will begin their season in less than two weeks. The Temple Owls come to Norman on Friday, August 30th.

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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.

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‘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.

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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.

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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.

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Linebackers and secondary are the Sooners’ strength in 2024 per PFF

According to Pro Football Focus, Oklahoma’s back seven will be its biggest strength in 2024.

It’s preview season in the world of college football, and the Oklahoma Sooners had the spotlight this past week from Pro Football Focus in their College Football Preview (subscription required).

PFF gave the Sooners just a 4% chance to win the SEC this year, but had OU 13th in the nation in their power rankings.

Max Chadwick and Dalton Wasserman, who co-wrote the article, named Oklahoma’s back seven as its biggest strength heading into the new season.

Here’s what PFF had to say:

Oklahoma’s defense features a top-10 secondary and a linebacker unit that is headlined by [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag], a third-team AP All-American last year.

OU is loaded at the linebacker positions with Stutsman as the clear leader. [autotag]Kip Lewis[/autotag], [autotag]Kobie McKinzie[/autotag] and [autotag]Jaren Kanak[/autotag] should see significant snaps inside as well. [autotag]Lewis Carter[/autotag] will likely have a role in his second year with the Sooners as well.

At the cheetah spot, [autotag]Dasan McCullough[/autotag] and [autotag]Kendel Dolby[/autotag] are intriguing options with experience, but don’t be surprised if [autotag]Samuel Omosigho[/autotag] sees plenty of time.

The secondary has plenty of headliners, beginning with [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] at safety. Playing alongside him will likely be [autotag]Peyton Bowen [/autotag] and/or [autotag]Robert Spears-Jennings[/autotag] to give OU a formidable trio to rotate at both safety spots.

Cornerback is lead by [autotag]Woodi Washington[/autotag] on one side, Oklahoma’s defensive leader in snaps a season ago. While he’ll see time at corner, the Sooners plan to move him around the secondary, even giving him snaps at cheetah in 2024. [autotag]Gentry Williams[/autotag] and [autotag]Kani Walker[/autotag] will likely battle all season long on the other side of the field with [autotag]Dez Malone[/autotag] factoring in as well. [autotag]Jacobe Johnson[/autotag] is a local product from Mustang, and he and [autotag]Makari Vickers[/autotag] saw some fill-in action last season.

[autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] has the makings of a high-level defense in 2024 as he enters his third season at the helm of the Sooners.

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2023 Position Review and Recruiting Outlook: Sooners’ linebackers shine in bounceback year

The Sooners showed a lot of growth at the linebacker position in 2023. Now they hope to build upon that going into next season.

The Oklahoma Sooners’s linebacker group is our next [autotag]position review[/autotag]. Overall, the group produced an All-American and the young guys at the position showed a ton of promise as well.

[autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] was the leader of the whole defense. He’s been named to two All-American teams. [autotag]Jaren Kanak[/autotag] showed flashes of what he can be but also showed his youth.

[autotag]Kip Lewis[/autotag] and [autotag]Kobie McKinzie[/autotag] came along at the end of the season as well, making this group one of the deeper groups on the team. [autotag]Lewis Carter[/autotag] and [autotag]Samuel Omosigho[/autotag] were mainly special teams contributors but did see some playing time toward the end of the year.

The recruiting class, though, isn’t a great one, so let’s take a look at the linebacker position.

Sooners linebacker Danny Stutsman headed to the NFL per report

According to a report from SoonerScoop.com, Oklahoma linebacker Danny Stutsman is headed to the NFL.

One of the biggest questions heading into the offseason focused on a pair of standout defenders in 2023. Would [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] and [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] return for the 2024 season, Oklahoma’s foray into the SEC?

According to a report from SoonerScoop.com’s Carey Murdoch, we have the answer to one of those questions. Junior linebacker Danny Stutsman will forego the remainder of his eligibility and declare for the NFL draft. According to sources, Stutsman informed Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables on Wednesday prior to making that decision.

There had been speculation that Oklahoma’s defensive leader could return for the 2024 season. Now we know the Sooners will be without one of the best linebackers in the game.

Over the last two years, Stutsman’s racked up 224 total tackles, 26.5 tackles for loss, six sacks, and three interceptions, two of which he returned for a touchdown. He became an important leader for the Sooners who saw significant jumps in nearly every defensive category, helping Oklahoma rebound from their 6-7 season in 2022 to 10-2 this year.

The Sooners missed Danny Stutsman in their losses to Kansas and Oklahoma State after the veteran linebacker was injured just before halftime against the Jayhawks.

The Sooners have a young and improving linebacker corps. [autotag]Jaren Kanak[/autotag] started much of the season alongside Stutsman and was replaced by [autotag]Kip Lewis[/autotag] late in the season. [autotag]Kobie McKinzie[/autotag] earned his first significant playing time this year in his second with the Sooners. Venables and the Oklahoma coaching staff like what they have in freshmen linebackers [autotag]Samuel Omosigho[/autotag], [autotag]Lewis Carter[/autotag], and [autotag]Phil Picciotti[/autotag], but they played sparingly this season.

There’s a good chance we’ll get to see Oklahoma’s young linebackers play a lot against Arizona.

As the Oklahoma Sooners prepare to play Arizona in the Alamo Bowl, the question becomes, will Stutsman play, or will he opt out to begin getting ready for the pre-draft process?

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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.