The Oklahoma Sooners’ transition to the SEC will be among the most intriguing storylines to follow in all of college football for the 2024 season. Not only do they bring in another impressive recruiting and transfer portal class, but they’re building off a ten-win season.
Brent Venables is entering his third season as the program’s head coach — typically the most defining and the one that should see the biggest leap for him. He’s helping change the culture in Norman after Lincoln Riley left the program high and dry — and the defense has benefitted from it. There was plenty of promise in that department during the 2023 campaign.
Of the defense’s resurgence, the linebacker position was pivotal for the Sooners.
Oklahoma Sooners linebackers disrespected in national rankings
Pro Football Focus recently released a list of the top ten programs with the strongest linebacker rooms. Evidently, there were a few of the Sooners’ SEC foes ranked, with Kentucky No. 3, Georgia No. 4, LSU No. 5 and Alabama No. 6. Oklahoma’s former Bedlam and Big 12 foe — Oklahoma State — was even ranked No. 9 with their linebacker group.
For the Sooners, this is a bit odd. Their linebackers played a key role in Oklahoma hoisting potential on the defensive side of the football. Danny Stutsman, a star Oklahoma defender, could very way play his way into a first-round draft projection for the 2025 NFL Draft class.
Oklahoma linebackers to anchor strong defense in 2024 season
With Stutsman, who has surpassed the 100-tackle mark in each of the past two seasons, along with Kip Lewis, Jaren Kanak, Kobie McKinzie and more, the Sooners’ linebacker rotation will be strong for the 2024 season. They’ll be stout behind an elite defensive line, and their secondary will back them up, allowing them to shine as they did in the 2023 college football season.
With Stutsman leading the group, the young linebacker room will translate well to the SEC as the Sooners are building off a 10-3 season. Venables is a great defensive-minded coach who specializes in linebackers, and he’ll have them more than equipped heading into the gauntlet conference.
READ MORE: Sooners to Host Georgia Tech, Javian McCollum in ACC/SEC Challenge
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