Brent Venables’ first season as head coach saw the Oklahoma defense struggle as a unit, but in his second season, the head coach predicted significant changes.
These gains were made in a number of crucial areas, notable among them was at safety, where the Sooners had one of their finest players in general leading a unit that elevated the defense to a top-20 ranking in passing efficiency.
The good news for Brandon Hall, the safeties coach for the Sooners, is that his position group returns three important players from the previous campaign, including outstanding Billy Bowman Jr., who will undoubtedly be considered one of college football’s best safeties in 2024. Just Bowman’s return bodes well for Oklahoma’s safeties room and the Sooners’ defensive prospects. Other questions remain on the back end, but with Bowman and guys like Roberts Spears-Jennings and Peyton Bowen all in the mix, there’s reason to believe the Sooners will be in good shape at the position.
Leader Billy Bowman Jr.’s announcement that he will return for his senior season gave the Sooners’ safeties room, along with every other level of Oklahoma’s defense, a major boost for 2024. It is impossible to overestimate the significance of Bowman’s choice to rejoin the Sooners for their SEC debut, as the veteran was one of the finest playmakers for the defense in 2023, along with linebacker Danny Stutsman.
With six interceptions in the regular season, Bowman matched for the second-most among all FBS defenders; however, half of those picks were returned for touchdowns. Along with 63 total tackles, four pass breakups, and the nation’s highest three pick-sixes, he also had other impressive stats. For Bowman, it was an All-Big 12 campaign, starting 29 of the 35 games in which he has appeared. Now he’ll be back to bolster the secondary for one more round, looking to improve his game in some key areas.
Who will start with Bowman at free safety is a more pressing concern for Brandon Hall’s team at safety. This offseason, Oklahoma lost both Reggie Pearson and Key Lawrence. With 418 and 398 snaps, respectively, they were the Sooners’ second- and third-most-used safeties in 2023.
Lawrence started six games on the back end, while Pearson started five. However, the Sooners have a few more important players back who should contend for that slot. Robert Spears-Jennings played 240 plays and made two starts toward the conclusion of the season. As November approached, he saw a noticeable increase in playing time. Another former five-star prospect is Peyton Bowen, who spent time as a freshman at Cheetah before switching back to safety.
In his rookie season, he played 363 total snaps. Although he was listed as Bowman’s strong safety backup at the end of the season, it wouldn’t be shocking if the backup positions were considered interchangeable from a personnel standpoint. Whichever player ends up starting, Bowen and Spears-Jennings will both undoubtedly see a lot of playing time this autumn.
The Sooners lack experience in the remaining position group, especially after Lawrence and Daeh McCullough left this summer, aside from the three returning players. After missing the previous season to recover from an ACL injury he suffered during his final year of high school, Erik McCarthy is back in the mix.
In the 2024 class, the Sooners also signed four safeties, three of which are already on campus for the spring: four-star prospects Reggie Powers III, Jaydan Hardy and Michael Boganowski. The Sooners may need to lean on some of those fresh faces for depth purposes, but OU undoubtedly feels good about the three returning contributors at safety this spring.