Oklahoma Continues to Pick Up Accolades After Impressive Victory Over Texas
The Associated Press recently conducted a midseason survey of its Big 12 writers, with multiple Oklahoma players and even a coach earning recognition in the poll.
According to AP, the Sooners have the Top Coach, Top Offensive Player, Top Defensive Player and Top First-Year Freshman in the Big 12 midway through the season. OU is current 6-0 and sits atop the conference standings after a thrilling 34-30 victory over then-No. 3 Texas.
After a lackluster debut season at Oklahoma, Brent Venables has turned the tides in year two. The Sooners were the nation's No. 119 defense in 2022, but with Venables at the helm, OU has righted the ship and is No. 1 in the country for turnover margin.
Venables squad has also jumped nearly 70 spots in the NCAA's total defense ranking, a huge upgrade from where the team was last season.
The Sooners' head ball coach has already equaled his win total from last season, and is quickly quieting many of his doubters after going 6-7 in year one. If Oklahoma is able to finish out the year on a high note, Venables will likely be a top candidate for national coach of the year.
OU quarterback Dillon Gabriel was also recognized in the AP's survey, being named the league's Top Offensive Player by voters. This comes on the heels of a gutsy performance in the Red River Rivalry that saw Gabriel become the first Sooners' QB to pass for at least 250 yards and rush for at least 100 yards in the same game against the Longhorns.
This season, Gabriel has tallied 1,878 yards, 16 touchdowns and just two interceptions through the air and 208 yards and five touchdowns on the ground in six games. After his stellar performance against Texas, the Oklahoma signal caller has started to appear in the Heisman discussion.
OU also has the Top Defensive Player in the Big 12 according to AP's survey, with Danny Stutsman taking home the midseason award. After leading the Big 12 in tackles last year, Stutsman was not named to the Preseason All-Big 12 Team.
Stutsman may not have gotten much recognition before the season started, but after an outstanding start to 2023, the Florida native is firmly in the race for the prestigious Butkus Award, given annually to the nation's top linebacker.
Through six games, Stutsman has 58 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, one pass deflection and an interception that the 6-foot-4, 240-pound linebacker returned for a touchdown against the Tulsa Golden Hurricane.
The Sooners' final representative on AP's midseason poll was Peyton Bowen, who was voted the league's Top First-Year Freshman.
A former 5-star recruit, Bowen has already made an impact in Norman, recording 23 tackles, four pass breakups, two blocked punts and one forced fumble. The Denton Guyer (TX) product has made multiple big-time plays for OU, including a fourth down pass deflection against SMU and a forced fumble on Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers.
With the rest of his freshman season still ahead of him, Bowen has already become one of Oklahoma's key rotation players in the secondary.
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