Why Oklahoma DB Billy Bowman is Optimistic About Defense’s Progress

The Sooners rank sixth in the nation in total defense thanks to veteran play from Bowman, linebacker Danny Stutsman and others throughout the defense.

Oklahoma Sooners defensive back Kendel Dolby (15), defensive back Kani Walker (26) and defensive back Billy Bowman Jr. (2) bring down Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver Chris Brazzell II (17) during a college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Tennessee Volunteers at Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. / BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

NORMAN — Oklahoma senior defensive back Billy Bowman Jr. feels the Sooners’ defense has played to 75 percent of its full potential through this point in the season.

“I mean, I might be a little off,” said Bowman, a near permanent team captain of the past two years, at Monday’s post-practice interviews inside Memorial Stadium. “We've got to eliminate the big plays. That's something we've done better at rather than, you know, the past couple of seasons, we gave up a lot more big plays. And then just tackling better. I feel like we've tackled good for most of the season.  But first, Tennessee, there was a lot of missed tackles.”

Yes, defensive backs’ tackling certainly was not its best for one week, but defense has been the difference-making unit in two wins this season for the Sooners (3-1, 0-1). If Bowman, one of the team’s two defensive frontmen, is right, that’s promising for the defensive arsenal that hung in for a 25-15 loss to the now-No. 5 team in the country. 

Bowman, who and caught a conference-leading six interceptions and returned a school-record three for touchdowns as a junior, described the feel of the locker room as “smooth” — no nervous chatter.

“I feel like once the week goes on, you know, that Tennessee game will fade out the mind and we'll get locked in and be ready for Auburn,” Bowman said. “They just, you know, they got a lot of good guys around. They got a quarterback controversy going on [Payton Thorne and Hank Brown] you know, great running backs. They got a good freshman receiver, a good receiver transfer from Penn State and Lambert (KeAndre Lambert Smith). And then they got good tight ends that they use very well. So we'll need to hone in on the run game and things of that nature.”

Unranked Auburn is no gimme in a league like the SEC, especially with a non-conference loss to an inauspicious Cal team.

“We try to pick the offense up,” Bowman said, “but at the end of the day, we get the defense together as leaders. And we understand that we can win on that side of the ball, too. We can win on defense. We can go score points on defense, too. So, you know, we go into each game and we get this mentality from our coaches, too, you know, 'If they don't score, they don't win.' So we gave up, what, 23 points? And I mean, that's too much.”

Honesty and confidence were common themes among the defenders Monday evening.

“Defensively, we did a good job,” said third-year sophomore linebacker Kobie McKinzie, “but we’ve still got areas to clean up in as well. We gave up some big plays. You don’t win when you give up big plays, simple.”

"They [Tennessee] have an amazing offense," linebacker Sammy Omosigho said. "They really showed me we can play with anyone in the country and we’re ready for whatever comes next. Auburn’s a great offense. They have a great quarterback, great running backs, young receivers, [Cam] Coleman is a great guy. The other receivers as well, they’re a great team. We’re ready to play like they’re the best team in the country."

Aug 30, 2024; Norman, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma Sooners defensive lineman Gracen Halton (56) celebrates with Oklahoma Sooners linebacker Danny Stutsman (28) and Oklahoma Sooners linebacker Kobie McKinzie (11) during the first quarter against the Temple Owls at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

A way to build traction in this league will be to claw for tough wins — and, sometimes, lose as close as possible. As the truly tough stretch of football ensues at Auburn, then v. No. 1 Texas, at No. 6 Ole Miss, at No. 11 Mizzou, v. No. 4 Alabama, play like they're the best team in the country is just the way you have to think to achieve scores that build rapport with the College Football Playoff Selection Committee, especially by winning some of those closer games, too.

Both the defense's pitch and its play have been the team's inspiration so far this year. While the offense has failed to launch to dead last in total offense within the SEC, the defense has soared to sixth in the opposing stat.

"We are a team, so one side has to be able to help the other side. It’s like a family — the brother, the sister, you have a father," Omosigho said. "Coach V’s our father figure and we’re the brother and sister. So we have to make sure we look out for our other side of the ball, the other teammates are our family."