Oklahoma LB Danny Stutsman to Return for 2024 Season

“I’M NOT … LEAVING,” Stutsman wrote in a tweet with a video in which he teamed with OU legend Brian Bosworth that ended with “SEC, see you soon.”

Getting Stutsman back at the heart of the defense is a huge boost for Venables headed into 2024 — especially with OU’s move to the SEC finally becoming reality.

More than just the vocal leader of the team, Stutsman took his game to another level in 2023.

After leading the Big 12 in tackles in 2022, Stutsman lead the Sooners with 99 total tackles in in the 2023 regular season, adding 16 tackles for loss, three quarterback sacks, two forced fumbles and one pick six.

The Oklahoma linebacker was also voted as a 2023 All-Big 12 First Team selection by the league’s coaches. 

Stutsman exited the Sooners’ loss to Kansas with an ankle injury at the end of the first half, and the injury held him out of Bedlam, which were the only two contests OU dropped in 2023.

His play earned him AP All-American Third Team honors, but he was left off the semifinalist list for the Butkus Award given annually to college football’s best linebacker.

With Stutsman back in the fold, Venables will head into the SEC with both talent and experience at linebacker.

Stutsman will continue to lead as a third-year starter, and the emergence of Kip Lewis and Kobie McKinzie alongside Jaren Kanak will give the Sooners four experienced options to pair with second year players in Lewis Carter, Samuel Omosigho and Phil Picciotti.

Venables spoke glowingly of Stutsman's dedication to both his teammates and the program as a whole during an Alamo Bowl press conference last Thursday. Retaining Stutsman adds to the Sooners' pool of proven leaders headed into the SEC. 

Friday, safety Billy Bowman announced his plans to return to Oklahoma in 2024, giving OU plenty of veteran help as the defense looks to make another jump in Year 3 under Venables. 

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