The Oklahoma Sooners are a legit SEC defense, just ask Tulane head coach Jon Sumrall, who after the game admitted that the Sooners’ defense is one of the best in football. That’s what you get with Brent Venables, as he’s in year three now, so his guys are already in the system and some are on their way out.
Guys like linebacker Danny Stutsman and safety Billy Bowman are going to be on NFL teams next year, most likely. Those are two cornerstones of this defense gone in 2025, along with a few others possibly, too. But, that doesn’t mean this team and their defensive mantra will just go away or fall off.
They have young guys all over the roster that are just waiting for their time, just waiting to be released, as their all eager to just go and hit someone. We saw a bit of that on Saturday against Tulane, and, man, it looks like this defense will be in great hands in the future.
Freshman safety Eli Bowen was one guy who showed that he was going to be very good when his time comes.
“Talk about a talented dude as a freshman,” defensive coordinator Zac Alley said after their win over Tulane. “Just an encouragement to know that you have a really, really good young player who’s going to be here for a while and that you feel confident you can go in the game and execute for yourself.”
Bowen committed to Oklahoma, following in the footsteps of his brother Peyton Bowen, who also plays for the Sooners. This familial connection not only brought attention to Eli but also set a high bar for performance, given Peyton’s successful freshman season and now sophomore season.