Tag: Teddy Lehman

Oklahoma linebacker Danny Stutsman named Butkus Finalist

Oklahoma Sooners linebacker Danny Stutsman was named one of five finalists for the Butkus Award.

The Oklahoma Sooners earned a legendary upset win over the Alabama Crimson Tide on Saturday night behind a strong defensive performance. Leading the charge for the Oklahoma defense this year has been senior linebacker [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag].

He’s been an important voice on and off the field for the Sooners and has been the face of the defensive turnaround in Norman.

For his efforts in 2024, Stutsman has been named a Butkus Award Finalist. The award is given to the best linebacker in the nation.

Stutsman was named alongside Barrett Carter of Clemson, Chris Paul Jr. of Ole Miss, Carson Schwesinger of UCLA, and Jalon Walker of Georgia.

Stutsman and Carter both spent time with Brent Venables as their defensive coordinator.

On the year, Stutsman has 100 tackles, eight tackles for loss, and a sack. It’s the third season in a row in which he’s registered 100 tackles for the Sooners.

The Sooners defense ranks 23rd in the nation in scoring at 20.2 points per game and 16th in total yards per game. And Stutsman’s been at the heart of it.

Oklahoma has had three players win the award. [autotag]Brian Bosworth[/autotag] won back-to-back awards in 1985 and 1986. [autotag]Rocky Calmus[/autotag] won it in 2001 and [autotag]Teddy Lehman[/autotag] in 2003. Each of Oklahoma’s past winners were instrumental to the OU’s defensive success, just as Stutsman has been.

Stutsman has one more game to cement his legacy with the Sooners as OU gets ready to go on the road to play LSU in Baton Rouge. It will be the first time the Sooners have made the trip to Death Valley, but Stutsman and the defense has risen to the occasion all season long.

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College Football experts say Sooners freshman DT has a chance to start

Could a freshman defensive tackle be on the verge of starting for the Oklahoma Sooners?

The Oklahoma Sooners worked overtime to reestablish a defensive culture over the last several years. In particular, head coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag], co-defensive coordinator and defensive tackles coach [autotag]Todd Bates[/autotag] and defensive ends coach [autotag]Miguel Chavis[/autotag] made improving the defensive line a top priority.

In their first two recruiting classes (2022, 2023), they made splashes, adding four-star prospects [autotag]Gracen Halton[/autotag] and [autotag]R Mason Thomas[/autotag] (2022) and five-star defensive end [autotag]Adepoju Adebawore[/autotag]. But the big recruiting win came in the 2024 recruiting class when they added five blue-chip prospects: [autotag]David Stone[/autotag], [autotag]Nigel Smith[/autotag], [autotag]Wyatt Gilmore[/autotag], [autotag]Danny Okoye[/autotag] and [autotag]Jayden Jackson[/autotag].

There’s a great deal of excitement about the defensive line that’s been put together, but it can be challenging to make the jump from high school football to playing in the SEC. A pair of college football experts believe one of those true freshmen could start up front for the Venables and [autotag]Zac Alley[/autotag]’s defense.

On a recent episode of “The Oklahoma Breakdown” with Sooners legends [autotag]Teddy Lehman[/autotag] and [autotag]Gabe Ikard[/autotag], the duo was asked what they thought the starting offensive and defensive lines would look like for Week 1. Lehman mentioned Jackson could start.

“Well I think defensive line, right now, I would say it’s probably going to be [autotag]Damonic Williams[/autotag]. Then, between [autotag]Jayden Jackson[/autotag] and [autotag]Da’Jon Terry[/autotag], I would probably say I slightly lean toward [autotag]Jayden Jackson[/autotag].”

Ikard said he considered Williams, Jackson and Terry to all be “starters,” with [autotag]Gracen Halton[/autotag], [autotag]David Stone[/autotag] and [autotag]Davon Sears[/autotag] working in rotation roles for the Sooners.

There have been reports Jackson has been having a great camp, continuing the upward trajectory in his development over the last few years. The former IMG Academy prospect had a number of offers out of high school. With his unique blend of size, strength and quickness, Jackson has a chance to be a three-down defensive tackle, making an impact against the run and on passing downs. He plays with really good leverage, and his first step is special. He’s disruptive and does a great job holding his spot when double-teamed.

The Sooners upgraded their defensive tackle room significantly this offseason by adding transfer Damonic Williams. While the hope was their 2024 signees would make an impact, the possibility of Jackson starting signals the potential the class offers in 2024 and beyond.

Along with Williams and Jackson, both Ikard and Lehman agreed [autotag]Ethan Downs[/autotag] and [autotag]R Mason Thomas[/autotag] would be the starting defensive ends for the Sooners Week 1 against Temple.

Downs has been the foundation of the Sooners defensive line over the last few years. His consistent ability as a pass rusher and run defender makes him invaluable along the defensive line. Entering his fourth season, the veteran will lead the way for the Sooners.

Thomas has special athleticism. Injuries have kept him from making a consistent impact, but when he’s been on the field, he’s flashed immense potential. If he can stay healthy this season, he’ll flirt with eight sacks.

The Sooners defensive line is better than what it was a year ago when they improved in short-yardage situations and really across the board. Now it’s only a matter of seeing how much better the defense will be as a whole with an improved unit up front.

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Danny Stutsman named to Butkus Award watch list

Danny Stutsman is the heart and soul of Oklahoma’s defense.

The preseason recognition continues to roll in for Oklahoma Sooners star linebacker [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag]. After making preseason watch lists for the Nagurski Award, the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award and the Bednarik Award, the senior made another watch list on Tuesday.

Stutsman has made the Butkus Award preseason watch list. The Butkus Award is given to the best linebacker in college football. It’s named after Dick Butkus, a two-time All-American at Illinois, who went on to have a spectacular career in the NFL, eventually being enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Oklahoma has had four winners of the Butkus Award. [autotag]Brian Bosworth[/autotag] is the only two-time winner in the awards’ history, winning for the inaugural two seasons the award was given out in 1985 and 1986.[autotag]Rocky Calmus[/autotag] (2001) and [autotag]Teddy Lehman[/autotag] (2003) also brought home the Butkus Award. The Sooners are one of two schools with four winners, joined at the top by Alabama.

Stutsman made the watch list before the 2023 season. What followed was a campaign where he was 15th in the nation in tackles for loss last season, averaging 1.3 per game. Stutsman led the Sooners with 104 total tackles, including 16 tackles for loss. He had three sacks, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery last year, as well as a pick-six. He also had three pass breakups in coverage. He came back to OU to get a chance to further develop and play in the [autotag]SEC[/autotag].

Stutsman has the most preseason watch list nods on the team with four, edging out safety [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] by one. He’s become one of the undisputed leaders of the Sooners along with Bowman and quarterback [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag].

Stutsman allows new defensive coordinator/linebackers coach [autotag]Zac Alley[/autotag] to have another coach on the field in his first season in Norman. Stutsman is going into his third year playing in the system and is able to lead the way for some of the less-experienced personnel.

Oklahoma looks ready to roll defensively in 2024, as Venables continues to transform the roster. If Stutsman can perform up to the standard that names like Bosworth, Calmus, and Lehman set at linebacker, it could be a special year in Norman.

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Oklahoma duo named to Bednarik Award watch list

Pair of Sooners named to the Bednarik Award watch list.

Preseason [autotag]watch list[/autotag] season rolls right along this summer, as we count down the days to the beginning of the 2024 college football season. The Oklahoma Sooners kick things off in less than three weeks. They’ll host the Temple Owls on Friday, August 30.

As OU enters the [autotag]SEC[/autotag], Sooner fans are as excited about the defensive side of the ball as they’ve been in a long, long time. Under third-year head coach and defensive maven [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag], that unit looks to finally be capable of playing up to the Oklahoma standard.

Star power and veteran leadership are certainly part of the reason why. The offseason returns of linebacker [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] and safety [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] meant the Sooners would have no shortage of experience at two key spots. That’s doubly important as OU breaks in new defensive coordinator [autotag]Zac Alley[/autotag].

Stutsman and Bowman had already been named to the Bronco Nagurski Trophy preseason watch list, but the duo wasn’t done.

The pair was named to the Chuck Bednarik Award preseason watch list on Monday. The Bednarik Award is given to the best defensive player in college football. The award is named in honor of Chuck “Concrete Charlie” Bednarik, who was an All-American at the University of Pennsylvania and later an All-Pro linebacker and center in the NFL. He is a member of both the College and Pro Football Hall of Fame. Oklahoma has one previous winner of the award, which was created in 1995. [autotag]Teddy Lehman[/autotag], one of Venables’ finest pupils at linebacker, took home the trophy in 2003.

Stutsman was 15th in the nation in tackles for loss last season, averaging 1.3 per game. He was Oklahoma’s lifeblood and the team’s leader. He was named a second-team Walter Camp All-American and a third-team AP All-American while tallying over 100 tackles for the second straight year.

Bowman was a nightmare in the secondary for opposing offensive coordinators. Three pick-six touchdowns accompanied his six total interceptions last year, making him one of the most dangerous defensive backs in all of college football.

The 2021 classmates have stepped into leadership roles for the Sooners, joining Venables and sophomore starting quarterback [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] at [autotag]SEC media days[/autotag] last month.

If Oklahoma wants to get back to playing dominating, suffocating defense, Stutsman and Bowman will need to continue leading the way. The Sooners have a chance to be special on that side of the ball in 2024, but they won’t be able to get there without their two Bednarik Award watch list stars.

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Sooner legend says Oklahoma needs the challenge of the SEC

Sooners linebacker legend says Oklahoma needed the challenge of moving to the SEC.

There have been many questions posed to coaches and players about Oklahoma’s readiness for the SEC at this week’s media days. Certainly there will be adjustments to the style of play and the overall talent, but one Sooner legend believes the SEC is just what Oklahoma needed.

Too many times, especially in recent years, Oklahoma would be caught off guard by a less-talented team. Whether it was 2020 when it was beaten in consecutive weeks by Kansas State and Iowa State. Or 2021 when it was Baylor and Oklahoma State that spoiled a strong start to the year. Then there was the 2022 season, which was a debacle. Even Brent Venables admitted that the Sooners didn’t handle success well after beating Texas in the Red River Rivalry game in 2023.

After that performance, Oklahoma struggled with UCF and then lost back-to-back games to Kansas and Oklahoma State to erase their 7-0 start.

[autotag]Teddy Lehman[/autotag], Oklahoma’s last Butkus Award winner and co-host of The Oklahoma Breakdown, took to X to clarify where OU stands heading into the SEC.

Lehman said: “I think the disconnect between SEC fans/media and OU followers is they think the Big 12 helped us because it was easy. We know it hurt us in recruiting, in competitiveness, in exposure and in countless other avenues. We needed the challenge. We’ve been sleep walking.”

Oklahoma’s recruiting on the offensive side of the ball was pretty good under Lincoln Riley, but it certainly fell off on the defensive side of the ball. Oklahoma felt the ramifications of the 2019 class underperforming.

During a run in which the Sooners won six straight Big 12 titles and made the playoffs four times, there was a sense they could show up and simply win because they were more talented. There was at times a lack of focus that jumped up and bit them because they were typically the more talented team, at least when they played someone other than Texas.

That will not be the case anymore. Oklahoma may recruit better than other programs, but SEC teams typically recruit better than Big 12 schools. So the talent the Sooners face each week in the fall will be on more equal footing. You can’t take a week off mentally in the SEC.

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Former Oklahoma LB Teddy Lehman calls Texas QB Quinn Ewers ‘average’

Teddy Lehman continues his bizarre crusade against the Quinn Ewers hype this week.

Former Oklahoma linebacker Teddy Lehman doesn’t mince words. He didn’t start this week. Continue reading “Former Oklahoma LB Teddy Lehman calls Texas QB Quinn Ewers ‘average’”

Ethan Downs named to 2023 Chuck Bednarik Award watch list

Ethan Downs ended the year playing really well in 2022. Now he’s found himself on the Chuck Bednarik Award watch list.

2022 was another poor defensive performance for the [autotag]Oklahoma Sooners[/autotag]. They ranked 122nd nationally in total yards, but one bright spot was ranking fourth in tackles for loss.

Head coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] feels they can build on that in 2023. A big reason they feel they can improve is they return their leader in that category, [autotag]Ethan Downs[/autotag], who finished with 13.5 tackles for loss a year ago.

Downs finished the season really strong with 7.5 TFLs in the team’s final four games. That has Downs making an appearance on a prestigious award watch list.

Downs was named to the [autotag]2023 Chuck Bednarik Award[/autotag] watch list, which is given to the nation’s top defensive player.

This is an award that’s been given out since 1995 and only one former Sooner has ever won. That was in 2003 when [autotag]Teddy Lehman[/autotag] took home the honor.

Downs is going to have his work cut out for him, though. Even though he finished the year strong, his head coach said, outside of [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag], there might only be one returning starter in the front seven. Guys like [autotag]R Mason Thomas[/autotag] are progressing. Not to mention the additions of [autotag]Rondell Bothroyd[/autotag], [autotag]Trace Ford[/autotag] and five-star [autotag]P.J. Adebawore[/autotag].

Those guys are looking to take a starting spot from a position group that wasn’t good enough a year ago. But with those additions comes “competitive depth, ” which should be much stronger this season.

That kind of competition could be what drives Downs to improve on his first year as a starter for the Sooners. Then ultimately being the first Sooner in 20 years to take home the Bednarik Award at season’s end.

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Danny Stutsman named to the 2023 Butkus Award watch list

Oklahoma’s heart and soul of its defense has made the watch list for one of the most prestigious awards in college football.

Danny Stutsman had one of the more positive seasons for the Oklahoma Sooners in 2022.

He was playing his best football at the end of the season but due to lack of depth, he would wear out late in games. Stutsman led the [autotag]Big 12[/autotag] in tackles.

Part of that was running away with the snaps lead as well. That should change with the “competitive depth” at that position.

Stutsman has also stepped into a leadership role. [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] said he’s led several player-led practices before fall camp.

Many people think a big year is in store and anything short of an All-Big 12 team would be a disappointment. Stutsman finished with 125 tackles, 10.5 for loss and three sacks. He also added two interceptions.

Those numbers have him on the [autotag]2023 Butkus Award[/autotag] preseason watch list given to the nation’s top linebacker. He would be the first Sooner to win the award since 2003.

The Sooners have four winners in its program’s history. [autotag]Teddy Lehman[/autotag] and [autotag]Rocky Calmus[/autotag] won the award once and [autotag]Brian Bosworth[/autotag] was the first winner in 1985. He won the award twice and remains the only two-time winner ever.

So, with a great season, Stutsman has the chance to join an elite group of players. But it’s something many think he could accomplish.

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Texas Football: It’s time to stop doubting Quinn Ewers

There aren’t five college quarterbacks playing better football than Quinn Ewers.

Quinn Ewers is the real deal. If you can’t tell by now, I don’t know what would convince you.

The redshirt freshman put on a clinic against Brent Venables’ defense on Saturday. The Oklahoma defense has been bad this season, but found itself in better position to make plays against Texas. Ewers simply carved them up.

One 3rd-and-6 throw illustrates how little Oklahoma’s efforts mattered against Ewers. The talented transfer exited the pocket, rolled left and placed a football right over a defender’s outstretched arms to Bijan Robinson near the sideline.

Quinn fit the ball to Bijan just inside the left boundary. It was the type of play you live with as a defensive coordinator. Unfortunately for Oklahoma defensive coordinator Ted Roof, it’s the type of play Robinson and Ewers routinely make.

As recently as last week, former Oklahoma linebacker Teddy Lehman and others asserted that Quinn Ewers should sit and allow Hudson Card to play in his place against Oklahoma. We discussed the topic but certainly never came to that conclusion. Respectfully, no hot hand is warm enough to justify sitting a healthy Ewers.

Presently, there aren’t five quarterbacks playing better football than Quinn Ewers. He is the reason Texas is capable of a Big 12 title run. It’s time to give the quarterback his respect.

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Former Oklahoma players preview game against Texas

Oklahoma’s defensive front is the Sooners’ only shot of stopping the Texas offense.

Oklahoma might face its biggest challenge on Saturday. At least that’s what two former Sooners players are indicating.

Former Oklahoma greats Teddy Lehman and Gabe Ikard discussed the matchup on their podcast, “The Oklahoma Breakdown.”

You may remember Teddy Lehman from the infamous 2001 Red River Shootout. In the game, Lehman intercepted Chris Simms near the goal line to seal an Oklahoma victory.

Lehman shared an insightful scouting report for the matchup with the Longhorns on Saturday. Among his observations, he noted Texas’ personnel versatility. Additionally he shared Texas seemingly always uses pre-snap motion with a purpose. The former linebacker warned that Oklahoma has to be ready for trickery every time Texas sends motion.

Gabe Ikard called Bijan Robinson, Xavier Worthy and Ja’Tavion Sanders the best players Oklahoma has faced at their respective positions (14:27). He concluded that for Oklahoma to win Saturday it will need to overpower the Texas offensive line.

Saturday will reveal Oklahoma’s plan of attack, but shutting down the Texas offense will not be easy. Even so, it is the Sooners’ best chance of making this game close.

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