From Solo Tackles to INTs, Oklahoma Linebackers Are Showing Improvement
NORMAN — From DaShaun White’s career-high 14 tackles to Danny Stutsman’s first career interception, the Oklahoma linebackers had their best game of the year on Saturday.
The Sooners beat Iowa State 27-13, and excellent linebacker play was one of the big reasons why.
“I thought that as a group that was one of our best games,” said OU defensive coordinator Ted Roof. “There was a lot of strain. A lot of physicality. I thought we tackled well.”
OU produced seven total tackles for loss against the Cyclones, and the starting linebacker trio of Stutsman, White and David Ugwoegbu had three of those.
“I think just as a whole we just executed very well,” White said after the game. “We tackled fairly well. I mean that’s what I was most pleased with was our execution.”
White had 10 solo tackles, while Ugwoegbu and Stutsman each had three. Ugwoegbu finished with six total stops, while Stutsman had five.
“That was awesome,” Stutsman said afterward. “It was a great team win. We really came together. It really felt unified.”
A month ago, maybe Iowa State finds some weakness to exploit. Back then, linebackers were bumping into each other, reading the wrong keys, failing to react to the football and not getting off blocks. But after Saturday, the OU linebacker crew stands as an example for how much the defense has grown overall in Brent Venables’ first season.
“There’s some areas that we’ve got to get better at, like most every area,” Roof said. “But I thought overall, from a physicality and a production standpoint, I thought they did a nice job and I was proud of them.”
Roof pointed to Stutsman’s play on two interceptions — one his own, the other by Justin Broiles — to illustrate the sophomore’s progression.
“On Justin’s interception, Danny put some color underneath the receiver and forced the quarterback to throw it high and Justin was in great position and picked it off,” Roof said. “ … Being able to play team defense, where I think Danny had enough depth in his drop that forced the quarterback to elevate the throw, which Justin caught.
“And then on Danny’s ball, his interception, he was playing zone coverage and playing off the eyes of the quarterback, vision and break. Any time you take the ball away its big plays to put our offense on a short field and play complementary football.”
Roof sits in the coaches box during games and communicates with the rest of the defensive staff via radio headsets. He said even from his vantage point upstairs, he could see Stutsman learning over the course of one Saturday afternoon.
“There were some things in the game we saw, got communicated on the sidelines, got things corrected,” Roof said, “and to be able to take that and apply it to the next time you go out and get it fixed so the same thing doesn't keep happening over and over and over again, yeah there was some of that. Which is a wonderful thing.
“We're getting better, but like we said, we've got to get better real quick.”
Baylor comes to Norman this week for a 2 p.m. kickoff (the telecast is Big 12 Now on ESPN+), and the Bears bring with them the Big 12’s No. 3 scoring offense and No. 3 overall offense.
Baylor is certainly more dynamic than Iowa State offensively, but coaches seem happy with the improvements the defense has made over the last three weeks — particularly the linebackers.
“I think they played with more confidence Saturday,” Roof said, “and as the game got going played with a lot of energy, lot of enthusiasm, played together. It was fun to watch.”
