How Renewed 'Confidence' Has Fueled Billy Bowman's Growth This Offseason at Oklahoma
NORMAN — Brent Venables’ first year back at Oklahoma failed to usher in immediate defensive success.
The Sooners finished ranked No. 122 overall in total defense as teams gashed OU both on the ground and through the air.
Oklahoma’s secondary allowed 273.5 yards per game through the air, a mark that finished 119th in the FBS.
Defensive back Billy Bowman had his own challenges within the framework of OU’s disappointing 2022 season.
Not only was he learning a new position, moving to work at safety under new coach Brandon Hall after getting yo-yo’d across the entire secondary as a freshman, but Bowman had to overcome a mid-season knee injury.
As a result, Bowman didn’t enjoy the breakout sophomore campaign he had hoped.
He did pull down three interceptions and seemed to make progress from the start of the season to the end, but Bowman’s struggles mirrored the rest of his teammates throughout Big 12 play.
But the offseason allowed Bowman to hit a reset button alongside the rest of the secondary.
Billy Bowman
Kevin Jairaj / USA TODAY Sports
Now another year into Venables’ defense, Bowman said the difference between fall camp last year to now is stark.
“It's confidence,” Bowman said after OU’s practice on Monday. “Not just from me but the whole defense and the offense.
“ … Last year we knew what we were doing but we didn't know why we were doing it. So now that we know that why factor we can play much faster, much more confident and make more plays.”
Once things went south for the defense last year, Bowman said it was hard to break out of the funk. Throw in his injury, and the circumstances worked against Bowman to continue to grow into the defense in 2022.
The proverbial lightbulb never quite flipped on, but a second spring with Venables and Hall helped Bowman and the safeties truly grasp the mental side of the scheme.
“I feel like it took a second spring install,” Bowman said. “When you're going through a season and it's not going sort of the way you want it to go, you tend to lose track.
“And so forcing that track to get back on, you lose focus of those things. And so I feel like this second spring around and how I'm finishing up fall camp, everything's there.”
The learning didn’t grind to a halt after spring football concluded, either.
Like the rest of the defense, OU’s secondary continued to meet and run player-led walkthroughs to continue to take mental reps without the coaches this summer.
“You can’t just like take a year off from it,” true freshman safety Peyton Bowen said last week. “You have to constantly learn it. We always had installs during the summer, especially when the new guys came.
“We were installing and learning the stuff all over again and just making sure you had the details down.”
Recruiting efforts both in the transfer portal and the 2023 recruiting class helped push returners like Bowman and Key Lawrence, too.
The arrival of Texas Tech transfer Reggie Pearson and Bowen opened up a legitimate competition at safety. Bowman and the rest of the safeties needed to make strides mentally, or they face the prospect of losing playing time on Saturday’s this fall.
“It's pushed me a lot,” Bowman said. “Come out here and no spots are given. Everything has to be worked for.
“You bring in a whole group of new freshman, young freshman, transfers and things of that nature. It helps push a lot of guys. It's good.”
So far, the response on the back end of the defense this offseason has pleased the coaches.
“They’re ahead of where we were last year,” defensive coordinator Ted Roof said. “Again, it’s a long way to go. But we’re pleased. I think Billy Bowman’s had an outstanding camp so far. But still got a lot do. But he’s had a great camp so far.”
There hasn’t been one focus in particular for Bowman ahead of the 2023 season. The former 4-star recruit is dedicated to becoming the best all-around football player he can, from his work in the secondary to contributions on special teams.
“Everything (can improve),” he said. “When I go back and look at it, it's not as good as I know it can be or I want it to be or my coaches want it to be. So everything from stance to getting in my pedal faster to tackling to tracking angles to football intelligence. Knowing where I've got to be and why I've got to be there. Knowing what the other person's doing.
“So everything from me needs to (improve). It will go up another level.”
All of Bowman’s efforts to improve have been bolstered by his newfound confidence in the defense, as it’s allowed him to push himself even further this offseason.
“I feel like confidence allows you to compete at an even higher level,” Bowman said. “So that's been the biggest difference.”
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