Billy Bowman was one of the best defensive players in the nation in 2023. His six interceptions and three interceptions returned for a touchdown put him on the map in Oklahoma’s final year in the Big 12. In year one in the SEC, Bowman, along with fellow defender Danny Stutsman, earned first-team All-SEC honors from SEC media.

All-American and Thorpe voters may have been unaware of Bowman’s excellence at safety, but he made everyone take notice and will be on every watch list possible when the preseason lists get released starting this week.

But Bowman isn’t the end all be all for Oklahoma at the safety spot. They’ve got as deep and talented group as there is in the nation. The senior certainly leads the way, but Oklahoma has talent up and down the depth chart.

Robert Spears-Jennings, a former four-star prospect from Broken Arrow has made the most of his opportunities and has been a terror around the line of scrimmage. Despite playing 178 fewer snaps than Reggie Pearson, Spears-Jennings had eight more total tackles last season. He played 158 fewer snaps than Key Lawrence and finished with just six fewer total tackles than the now Ole Miss safety.

Spears-Jennings finished with a higher defensive grade from Pro Football Focus than both Pearson and Lawrence. With Pearson and Lawrence gone, there’s a huge opportunity for Spears-Jennings to take over in a strong safety or box safety role.

Peyton Bowen has a huge opportunity for an increased workload, as well.

In limited opportunities, Bowen flashed his potential for the Sooners, finishing second on the team in passes defended with five. He was fourth among Sooners safeties in snaps behind Bowman, Pearson, and Lawrence. As a true freshman.

Venables, now Alley’s, defense likes to deploy three safety looks, so there’s a good chance we see packages that include Bowman, Spears-Jennings, and Bowen all at the same time. It’s a fast, athletic, and playmaking group in the Sooners secondary.

Oklahoma also has guys like Woodi Washington and Kendel Dolby, who will play a variety of roles on the Sooners defense. Washington will line up at cornerback and Dolby at cheetah, but you could see them rotating in at safety. The depth chart has a number of young players at the position who be impactful for the Sooners in 2024 and beyond. Erik McCarty, Michael Boganowski, Jaydan Hardy, Mykel Patterson-McDonald, and Reggie Powers could have an impact this year as well. It’s a strong, fast, and physical group that will make a lot of plays on ball carriers and on the ball in the air.

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Oklahoma and the U.S, saw increases in the past week in the numbers of active oil and gas drilling rigs, meaning there was a resumption in exploration.

The latest Baker Hughes Co. rig count released on Friday, showed Oklahoma had a gain of two rigs to reach a total of 35 rigs. The total compared to 39 one year earlier.

The nation’s rig count increased by 3 to reach 589 including a gain of 5 oil rigs for a total of 482. The number of gas rigs fell by two to 101. As a result of the latest rig numbers, the U.S. count remained 75 below one year earlier when there were 664 rigs. In the past year, the decline included 47 oil rigs and 27 gas rigs.

While Oklahoma saw an increase in its rig activity, Texas remained at 276 with no gain or loss in its number of rigs. New Mexico was unchanged at 108 and North Dakota added one rig for a total of 35. Louisiana’s count dropped by one to 41.

Colorado was unchanged at 14 and the Red Top Rig Report showed Kansas added one rig to reach 27. Ohio remained at 11 and Pennsylvania stayed at 21 rigs.

Utah continued with 13. West Virginia remained at 5 rigs and Wyoming saw no change in its number of rigs at 11.

The Permian Basin, where most of the drilling activity is located in the U.S., saw the count decline one rig, leaving 304 active in exploration. The Eagle Ford count rose one to 50 rigs and the Haynesville stayed at 35.

The Williston added a rig for a total of 36. The Marcellus was unchanged with 25 rigs.

The Ardmore Woodford remained at only one rig while the Arkoma Woodford added a rig to reach 2. The Cana Woodford activity increased by one rig to reach 17.

The D-J Basin remained at 10 rigs and the Granite Wash was unchanged with 5 active rigs. The Mississippian slipped to no drilling activity following the loss of its sole rig, based on the Baker Hughes rig report.

The Utica remained at 11 rigs and the Barnett play continued for another week with no reported drilling activity.

A search for two people is underway Friday morning after a vehicle crash in northwestern Oklahoma City, police say.

Friday, July 26th 2024, 5:47 am

By:

News 9

OKLAHOMA CITY –

A search for two people is underway Friday morning after a vehicle crash in northwestern Oklahoma City, police say.

Oklahoma City Police said they responded to the scene of the crash around 4 a.m. near North Walker Avenue and Northwest 89th Street, but only found the vehicle involved.

OCPD said two people fled from the car at the scene of the crash, and now officers are searching for them.