'Crazy' Oklahoma LB Danny Stutsman is Part Entertainer, All Football Player

Teammates and fans love the enthusiasm Stutsman brings, but coaches love his commitment to preparation and becoming a better linebacker.

NORMAN — The Danny Stutsman Experience at Oklahoma is a fully immersive, almost interactive encounter.

“He loves to play,” said Sooners head coach Brent Venables, “loves to compete.”

“Danny,” said wide receiver Marvin Mims, “is probably the craziest guy on the football team.”

Stutsman is two games into his sophomore season. Like he did as a true freshman, he’s deeply endeared himself to the fan base this season with fun, enthusiasm and excitement.

Danny Stutsman :: SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN -USA TODAY NETWORK

Stutsman is more than just a linebacker. When he hits a ball carrier like he did on Saturday against Kent State, he’s an entertainer — a carnival barker. Arms flail. Legs stomp. His head shakes.

“I mean, dude flies around and hits everything,” Mims said. “I love watching him play. I've never been a defensive guy. But Danny Stutsman makes me want to watch defense.”

Stutsman leads the Sooners with 21 tackles through two games. That includes 12 stops — nine of those solo — against the Golden Flashes. Last week against UTEP, he set his career high with nine tackles. His work against the Golden Flashes makes a good case for Big 12 defensive player of the week thanks to his prolific tackling, which included four tackles for loss and a quarterback sack.

“Sometimes that's how the game goes,” Stutsman said. “Sometimes they're going to try to target you and you've just got to do your best to make the plays, and sometimes they're going to run away and you've got to kind of scrape over the top and kind of help over there as well.”

“Danny is a guy who shows up every day and puts in extra work,” said linebackers coach Ted Roof. “You are seeing some of the fruits of his labor show up here.”

“He holds himself to a high standard,” Venables said. “The harder it gets, the tougher he plays. He’s got tremendous instincts, good natural feel. You know, wisdom is the application of knowledge, right? So he’s taken the knowledge that he’s learning, and he’s really applying it to his game. He’s playing with a lot of confidence right now. He’s like a sponge. He wants to learn more.”

Stutsman, from Windermere, FL, admits that the college game has slowed down for him this year.

“I think a lot,” he said. “Coach Venables really emphasized on preparing and that's something that we do very serious now and it really helps. It shows up on the field when you've already seen that play 100 times on film and you're able to recognize it and have that play recognition.”

The 6-foot-4, 240-pound Stutsman burst onto the Sooner scene last year when he played in 10 games and made 38 total tackles. He was exciting, he was captivating, and he was passionate. Funny and likable in person, irreverent and engaging in interviews, Stutsman quickly became a fan favorite.

But there’s substance to the show. Now the Sooners’ starting weakside linebacker, Stutsman’s physical talents are shining through his affable exterior. The work he puts in has laid a foundation that belies any notion of just another goofy college kid.

“We've had some pretty big talks when (Venables) first got here,” Stutsman said. “They were tough. They were very tough talks and just kind of — he told me what I needed to do to be where I wanted to go. And I was committed to do that change. It was tough at first, but now I've embraced it and I'm doing everything I can to just be where he wants me to be.”

The toughest part, Stutsman said, was adding to his level of personal commitment — to football and to school, he said.

Danny Stutsman :: SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN -USA TODAY NETWORK

“Just kind of sacrificing some things you know.” he said, “putting more time into the game, which is — I came here to do that, and he kind of put me in line. I'm very grateful for what he's done. I'm just blessed that he's here.”

Stutsman elevating his game under Roof and Venables isn’t a surprise. But is he already settling into Oklahoma’s long line of elite linebackers?

“Man, the kid’s a player,” said defensive end Reggie Grimes. “You know, he plays really, really hard. He does his job really, really well.”

“I just love the way he plays,” Mims said. “The person he is outside of football, I mean, he's a great guy. I love watching him play.”

Stutsman’s career trajectory, Venables said, is trending up.

“I expect to see … the needle keep moving in the right direction for Danny,” Venables said. “Everything’s still sitting in front of him.”