One of the biggest things to happen for the Oklahoma Sooners this offseason was Billy Bowman announcing he’d be returning for one final season. That helps the Sooners have one of the more veteran defenses in the country.
Bowman said with coming back, he wanted to take a more vocal leadership role. He talked about that after practice on Monday. “I feel like I have progressed with that,” Bowman said. “Being an older guy, I have a lot of experience so I can get my words across and things like that. I feel like I have made progress with that, and I’m continuing to do so.”
One way Bowman highlighted how he’s become more of a leader is by taking some of the younger players under his wing during film study.
“We watch a little bit of everything,” Bowman said. “We’ll go back into the archives. One time I showed them some of my freshman practices when I got here as a freshman and what it was like. Then helping them understand that it’s not going to happen like a click. It’s a process. Some of them get down coming out here. It’s only the fourth practice. It’s good that they are hard on themselves but understand it’s still a process.”
Billy Bowman was a four-star prospect coming out of Denton Ryan High School in Denton, Texas. There were high expectations early for Bowman, joining a Sooners defense under then defensive coordinator Alex Grinch that struggled to gain much respect nationally.
Bowman played a lot as a freshman in a variety of roles due to injuries, but that experience has helped inform the player he is today. And like many on the Sooners defense, year two in Brent Venables scheme went better than year one for Bowman, who had a breakout season in 2023 with six interceptions and three interceptions returned for touchdowns.
If there’s a player that can impart to Oklahoma’s talented group of freshmen safeties to be patient with their development, it’s Bowman who’s gotten better each season he’s been in Norman.
Robert Spears-Jennings is the only other primary safety that’s been on the roster for more than one season, but the youth they have on the safety depth chart is very talented. Oklahoma has blue-chip prospects Michael Boganowski, Peyton Bowen, Jaydan Hardy, Reggie Powers, and Mykel Patterson-McDonald looking to earn snaps on the Sooners defense.
And while it’s a talented group, the developmental timeline may look different for each player.
The Sooners are definitely going to need Bowman’s leadership and elite play next season. Like the wide receiver room on the offensive side of the ball, the safety room is arguably the deepest on the defensive side of the ball. It’s going to be looked upon to have a big year next season.
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