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15 highest-graded Oklahoma Sooners through Week 5 per Pro Football Focus

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15 highest-graded Oklahoma Sooners through Week 5 per Pro Football Focus


Football is a team game, but it’s made up of individual performances that enhance the whole. This season, the Sooners are playing well on both sides of the ball and have a top-five scoring offense and defense.

But what’s happening in 2023 is a change of pace from years past.

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Of the Sooners’ top 15 highest-graded players, according to Pro Football Focus, nine of them are on the defensive side of the ball. Oklahoma has an elite offense but looks like they have an elite defense to match for what feels like the first time in forever.

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Minimum Offensive Snaps: 99

Minimum Defensive Snaps: 89

Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports

PFF Grade: 73.1

Snaps: 188

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Key Lawrence has been great this season. His ability in both pass and run defense has been incredibly impactful. The coverage bust against Iowa State aside, the Sooners are getting a career year out of Lawrence.

Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

PFF Grade: 74.3

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Snaps: 97

Isaiah Coe may not show up a ton on the stat sheet, but he’s made a huge impact on the interior for Oklahoma’s run defense.

Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

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PFF Grade: 74.5

Snaps: 119

Jonah Laulu’s move to defensive tackle has been fantastic for the former Hawaii transfer. His quickness on the interior has been difficult for guards to handle. He’s tied for second on the team in total pressures in 2023.

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Nathan Fish, The Oklahoman

PFF Grade: 75.3

Snaps: 224

Drake Stoops has been as steady a player as the Oklahoma Sooners have on their roster. He’s first in receptions and second in touchdown receptions. He’ll likely be called upon heavily again this week against Texas.

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Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

PFF Grade: 75.4

Snaps: 144

Gentry Williams has four tackles for loss this season and two interceptions. His aggressive mentality has provided a huge boost to the Sooners secondary. We’re watching a star in the making.

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Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

PFF Grade: 75.8

Snaps: 173

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While a lot of attention is going to Danny Stutsman and members of the secondary, Ethan Downs is quietly putting together a strong season. He leads the Sooners in total pressures and is tied for third in Pro Football Focus “stops” metric.

Nathan Fish, The Oklahoman

PFF Grade: 76.2

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Snaps: 151

Marcus Major’s led the Oklahoma Sooners in carries each of the last two weeks against a pair of stout run defenses. It’s been tough sledding, but Major has shown great burst and wiggle in the open field.

Sarah Phipps, The Oklahoman

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PFF Grade: 76.4

Snaps: 173

Oklahoma’s five-star safety has been incredibly impactful through five games of his Sooners career. He’s been fantastic on both defense and special teams and his stock is only trending upward.

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Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

PFF Grade: 79.1

Snaps: 115

The Oklahoma Sooners have one of the better run defenses in college football. They’re rotating their defensive tackles, with none earning more than 33% of the snaps. Jordan Kelley is second among interior players and has recorded the second most quarterback hurries and stops at defensive tackle.

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Nathan J. Fish-USA TODAY Sports

PFF Grade: 79.5

Snaps: 235

Oklahoma’s leading receiver didn’t do a whole lot against Iowa State, but he didn’t have to. The Sooners moved the ball at will through the air. They’ll need him to be a big-time factor this week in the Cotton Bowl.

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Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

PFF Grade: 81.2

Snaps: 156

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As Gentry Williams has dealt with some minor dings here and there, Kani Walker has stepped up to fill the gap and played really well. Though he didn’t play in Oklahoma’s win over Cincinnati, he’s been effective at cornerback in a rotational role. He’s allowing a reception on just 53.3% of his targets.

Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports

PFF Grade: 81.4

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Snaps: 275

There isn’t a defender in the Big 12 playing as well as Danny Stutsman is for the Oklahoma Sooners. One of the best things about the way Oklahoma has won is that it hasn’t required Stutsman to be on the field for 100% of the snaps. He’s leading the Big 12 in stops and is tied for third among linebackers with 10 pressures.

Nathan J. Fish-USA TODAY Sports

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PFF Grade: 82

Snaps: 131

Nic Anderson saw his largest snap count of the season in the win over Iowa State, seeing the field on offense for 45 snaps. He’s become an integral part of the wide receiver rotation and he leads the Oklahoma Sooners in touchdown receptions.

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Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports

PFF Grade: 82.3

Snaps: 103

Everyone’s favorite running back, Tawee Walker, has provided a physical presence every time he’s touched the football. A significant part of the running back room, Walker could be called upon this week to set the tone for the offense.

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Nathan Fish, The Oklahoman

PFF Grade: 84.2

Snaps: 333

There are few quarterbacks in college football playing as well as Dillon Gabriel is right now. His 400 total yards of offense and five total touchdowns was an incredible day that could have been even bigger had the coaching staff not called off the onslaught in the fourth quarter.

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Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on Twitter @john9williams.





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Oklahoma

Oklahoma open primary proposal gets mixed reaction • Oklahoma Voice

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Oklahoma open primary proposal gets mixed reaction • Oklahoma Voice


OKLAHOMA CITY – A proposal to open Oklahoma primaries is drawing criticism.

Earlier this week, supporters announced State Question 835 that seeks to obtain 172,993 signatures to get the issue on the November 2026 ballot.

Under the proposal, Oklahoma primaries would be open to all voters with the top two vote getters advancing to the general election.

Supporters said they expect a challenge to the measure.

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Gov. Kevin Stitt on social media voiced his opposition.

“Oklahomans made decisions at the polls that these third party groups don’t like – so now they want to upend the way we run our elections,” Stitt said. “Open primaries are a hard no in Oklahoma.”

Likewise, Lt. Gov Matt Pinnell, former Oklahoma Republican Party chairman, opposes the proposal.

“At best, the push to mandate open primaries is a solution in search of a problem, and at worst, it is a thinly veiled attempt to weaken Republican voters in choosing the nominees to represent our party,” Pinnell said. “Oklahoma is a conservative state, and Republicans hold all the statewide and federally elected positions and super majorities in the Legislature for a simple reason: our values and principles represent the will of our state voters.”

But not all Republicans have panned the idea.

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Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt, a former Republican state senator, embraced it.

He said the system in which a mayor is elected allows all residents to vote.

“Our voters get to see all the candidates and our candidates have to face all voters,” Holt said. “As a result, our leadership delivers unity and consensus outcomes that are clearly moving us forward.”

The state question is being backed by Oklahoma United, a nonpartisan organization that says the change will increase voter participation, reduce polarization and force candidates to be responsive to all voters. It will also benefit independent voters, who can’t vote in Republican or Libertarian primaries. Democrats currently allow independents to vote in their primaries.

The idea is not new.

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In 2017, the Oklahoma Academy recommended a top-two election system. Its report said a top-two system could increase turnout, reduce partisanship and “eliminate fringe special interest involvement in campaigns because candidates would be forced to respond to more moderate, general voters rather than play to the extremes of either party.”

The Oklahoma Academy is a nonpartisan group that works to educate Oklahomans about public policy.

Republican political consultant Fount Holland said he doubted Oklahoma voters would approve the proposal should it make the ballot.

“At the end of the day, it is about moderating the Republican primary,” Holland said.

He said the Republican Party takes things to the extreme, which is not the best way to govern.

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Holland said no one enters the Republican primary as a moderate or very few can survive campaigning as a moderate.

“They might be moderate, but they don’t campaign that way,” Holland said.

He said he tells his clients to run to win.

If approved, the measure would be advantageous to Democrats or people who want a more moderate group of elected officials, Holland said.

Republican Superintendent Ryan Walters is considered by many to be ultra-conservative, while his predecessor Joy Hofmeister was considered a moderate member of the GOP, said Holland, who worked on her two successful races for superintendent. 

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Walters has focussed on putting Bibles in the classroom and removing some books from schools, while Hofmeister prioritized across-the-board teacher pay increases and boosting counseling services in schools.

Hofmeister ultimately switched parties and made an unsuccessful run as a Democrat for governor.

“If you hate politics the way they are, then you need to be on our team, because we want to change it and we want to make it better,” said Margaret Kobos, Oklahoma United CEO and Founder.

She was asked about the partisan reaction to the proposal.

She said it misses the point because the issue is about people and not political parties.

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Rep. Andy Fugate, D-Del City, supports the measure, saying it takes power away from the political parties and gives it to the people.

“Every voter. Every election,” he said. “That is the way democracy is supposed to work.”

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Oklahoma initiative kicks off by training librarians to help with telehealth visits

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Oklahoma initiative kicks off by training librarians to help with telehealth visits


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Oklahomans living in areas with limited internet access soon will be able to receive help with virtual doctor’s appointments at their local library.

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An initiative from Arkansas-based Heartland Forward, a “policy think-and-do tank,” and a grant from the James M. Cox Foundation is making this possible.

Here’s what we know.

Librarians receiving training on supporting telehealth visits

With the help of a $25,000 grant from the James M. Cox Foundation, the nonprofit and philanthropic arm of Cox Enterprises, Oklahoma librarians will be trained on accessing and preparing for a telehealth appointment using the Telehealth DigitalLearn module, according to a news release.

Librarians can then use the module, which was funded by the Ford Foundation, to help community members learn more about telehealth.

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Why Heartland Forward is targeting Oklahoma, Arkansas for telehealth access

According to the latest benchmark from the Federal Communications Commission, broadband or high-speed internet is defined as receiving 100/20 mbps download and upload speeds.

The latest FCC broadband map shows just over 91% of Oklahoma homes and businesses are covered by broadband, not including satellite technology, which Engagement Director Nicholas Camper, with the Oklahoma Broadband Office, said amounts to about 450,000 Oklahomans without high-speed internet access.

According to the Oklahoma Broadband Office’s interactive map, there are more than 100,000 locations in Oklahoma that could receive broadband that have not, and more than 80,000 locations that are underserved.

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In addition, a Heartland Forward study found that 25% of counties surveyed in the region had a population-to-primary care physician ratio more than double the U.S. average. Telehealth can help bridge this gap, but only for those with access to the internet.

The new initiative will allow libraries to connect Oklahomans to “critical health services,” Education Secretary Nellie Sanders said in the news release.

“Libraries are often the first place community members turn to for resources and support, especially in areas where healthcare access can be limited,” Natalie Currie, director of the Oklahoma Department of Libraries, said in the release. “By training librarians to help Oklahomans navigate telehealth technology, we’re opening doors to essential healthcare services and enhancing the well-being of our communities.”



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Oklahoma vs Alabama injury report: Initial updates, news for Week 13

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Oklahoma vs Alabama injury report: Initial updates, news for Week 13


Injuries have plagued the Oklahoma Sooners during the 2024 season. It’s been an unfortunate reality for Brent Venables and his staff, particularly on the offensive side of the football.

With a pivotal game coming this week in Norman against the Alabama Crimson Tide, the Sooners are hoping for any sort of positive news on the injury front. Oklahoma looks like they’ll get one of their key offensive linemen back this week, Michael Tarquin. That should help provide better protection for quarterback Jackson Arnold.

Here’s a look at Wednesday’s initial injury report.

Oklahoma injury report

Player Position Status 11/20
Jayden Gibson WR OUT
Gentry Williams DB OUT
Geirean Hatchett OL OUT
Nic Anderson WR OUT
Kendel Dolby DB OUT
Andrel Anthony WR OUT
Jacob Sexton OL OUT
Jake Taylor OL OUT
Deion Burks WR Doubtful
Jovantae Barnes RB Questionable
Joshua Bates OL Questionable

 Alabama injury report

Player Position Status 11/20
Keon Sabb DB OUT
Cole Adams WR OUT
Quandarrius Robinson LB OUT

Michael Tarquin injury update

After missing Oklahoma’s last two games against Maine and Missouri, it looks like starting tackle Michael Tarquin will be back in action this week after not landing on the initial injury report. Now, the question becomes, does he take over at right or left tackle?

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Deion Burks injury update

Deion Burks was concussed late in the Sooners’ loss to Missouri. He had been out of action since the Tennessee game and looks like he’ll be unavailable this week against Alabama.

Jovantae Barnes injury update

Jovantae Barnes sprained his ankle during his 200-yard effort against Maine and was forced to miss the game against Missouri. Though listed as questionable for this week, he’s had two weeks to rest. Depending on how severe the initial injury was, he could be back in action this week.

Gavin Sawchuk injury update

Running back Gavin Sawchuk was off the injury report for Oklahoma’s game against Missouri but didn’t play. Instead it was Taylor Tatum, Xavier Robinson, and Sam Franklin getting the running back snaps. Could Sawchuk be available this week to help the Sooners rushing attack?

Joshua Bates injury update

Joshua Bates missed the game against Missouri with an undisclosed injury. Troy Everett has solidified the center position for the Sooners but you would like to have some depth available.



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