Although Oklahoma’s defense isn’t quite where head coach Brent Venables would like it to be, the Sooners are still in a strong position defensively going into their first SEC season.
The news on Tuesday night that starting cornerback Woodi Washington will return to Norman in 2024 for a sixth season with the Sooners further solidified that. Along with All-America linebacker Danny Stutsman, first-team All-Big 12 safety Billy Bowman Jr., second-team All-Big 12 defensive end Ethan Downs, and defensive tackles Da’Jon Terry and Jacob Lacey, Washington is the most recent veteran defensive player to opt to stay on at Oklahoma for an additional season.
This provides Oklahoma with important defensive returners at every level who might have chosen to enter the NFL Draft this offseason, but instead chose to guide the team into this new SEC era.
Defensive coordinator Ted Roof stated last week in San Antonio, “Absolutely, it does (feel good), because that—not only as players that are experienced and have played at a very high level, obviously, we’re talking about All-Americans.” However, there are also All-American citizens and leaders. And as I mentioned earlier, it is a great win-win situation not only on the football field but also in our locker room and across our program to have them return to pour into those other players for another year. That makes a big difference.
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