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University of Oklahoma Athletics
Sooners Place Four on All-SEC Teams
December 10, 2024 | Football
NORMAN — Oklahoma senior linebacker Danny Stutsman was named to the All-SEC First Team, junior defensive lineman R Mason Thomas was named to the ALL-SEC Second Team and senior defensive back Billy Bowman Jr. and redshirt sophomore long snapper Ben Anderson were named to the ALL-SEC Third Team, the SEC announced Tuesday. Selections were made by the league's head coaches, who were not permitted to vote for their own players.
Stutsman, who is a finalist for the Butkus Award, started all 12 games at middle linebacker and ranks fourth in the SEC and 22nd nationally by averaging 9.1 tackles per game. He also ranks fourth in the SEC and 24th in the country with his team-high 109 tackles, and has registered 8.0 tackles for loss, one sack and three QB hurries. He has logged double-digit tackles four times and at least 15 tackles three times this season, and has led the Sooners in tackles in eight of 12 games. Against Missouri on Nov. 9, Stutsman logged a career-high 19 tackles, the most by an OU linebacker since 2018.
With 109 tackles this season, Stutsman has notched triple-digit tackles in three consecutive campaigns. He is the first Sooner with at least 100 tackles in three straight seasons since Travis Lewis from 2008-10. The Windermere, Fla., product has played in 47 career games and started each of his last 37 (all over the last three seasons), totaling 376 career tackles to rank ninth in Oklahoma history. He is tied for fifth among OU inside linebackers with his 36.0 career tackles for loss. Stutsman has also totaled 8.0 career sacks and three interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown.
Thomas has started 10 of his 12 games this season and ranks fourth in the SEC and 17th nationally with his 9.0 sacks (0.75 per game). He also leads the Sooners with his 11.5 tackles for loss and 11 QB hurries. More than half of his 22 tackles this season have been for lost yardage (totaling 63 yards), and he has recorded two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries, returning one for a touchdown at LSU on Nov. 30. He has also been credited with a pass breakup. He had totaled just 16 career tackles, 3.5 career TFLs and 1.5 career sacks in his first two collegiate seasons.
A Fort Lauderdale, Fla., product, Thomas was named the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 17 after he registered a career-high 3.0 tackles for loss, all in the fourth quarter while OU was protecting a lead in its 34-19 win over Tulane. He was the first Sooner to record three sacks in a game since the 2020 season. On Nov. 25, he was named SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week after he notched three tackles, including 1.5 for loss and 1.0 sack while adding two QB hurries (one directly leading to an interception) in Oklahoma's dominant 24-3 win over Alabama. Six of Thomas' 9.0 sacks this season have come in the fourth quarter and with OU protecting leads.
Bowman Jr. has started all 12 games at safety and ranks fourth on the team with his 54 tackles. He is tied for the team lead with his two interceptions and his two fumble recoveries, one of which was returned 43 yards for a touchdown at Missouri on Nov. 9. He has also notched 2.5 tackles for loss, three pass breakups and a QB hurry. The Denton, Texas, product has played in 47 career games and made 41 starts, totaling 189 tackles, 9.0 TFLs, 11 interceptions, two forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and 14 pass breakups. He ranks fourth in school history with his 251 career interception return yards, and set program records in 2023 with his 238 interception return yards and three pick-sixes.
Anderson, who was a semifinalist for the Patrick Mannelly Award (presented to the nation's best long snapper), has served as the long snapper on all of Oklahoma's punts and placekicks over the last two seasons and has made three tackles on punt returns in 2024. The Charlotte, N.C., product has been the catalyst for a placekicking unit that has converted 30 of 31 PAT attempts and 17 of 21 field goals (81%), and a punting unit that ranks 10th nationally by netting 42.6 yards per punt.
Oklahoma (6-6, 2-6 SEC) will face Navy (8-3, 6-2 AAC) in the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl on Friday, Dec. 27, in Fort Worth, Texas. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. CT on ESPN.
Stutsman, who is a finalist for the Butkus Award, started all 12 games at middle linebacker and ranks fourth in the SEC and 22nd nationally by averaging 9.1 tackles per game. He also ranks fourth in the SEC and 24th in the country with his team-high 109 tackles, and has registered 8.0 tackles for loss, one sack and three QB hurries. He has logged double-digit tackles four times and at least 15 tackles three times this season, and has led the Sooners in tackles in eight of 12 games. Against Missouri on Nov. 9, Stutsman logged a career-high 19 tackles, the most by an OU linebacker since 2018.
With 109 tackles this season, Stutsman has notched triple-digit tackles in three consecutive campaigns. He is the first Sooner with at least 100 tackles in three straight seasons since Travis Lewis from 2008-10. The Windermere, Fla., product has played in 47 career games and started each of his last 37 (all over the last three seasons), totaling 376 career tackles to rank ninth in Oklahoma history. He is tied for fifth among OU inside linebackers with his 36.0 career tackles for loss. Stutsman has also totaled 8.0 career sacks and three interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown.
Thomas has started 10 of his 12 games this season and ranks fourth in the SEC and 17th nationally with his 9.0 sacks (0.75 per game). He also leads the Sooners with his 11.5 tackles for loss and 11 QB hurries. More than half of his 22 tackles this season have been for lost yardage (totaling 63 yards), and he has recorded two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries, returning one for a touchdown at LSU on Nov. 30. He has also been credited with a pass breakup. He had totaled just 16 career tackles, 3.5 career TFLs and 1.5 career sacks in his first two collegiate seasons.
A Fort Lauderdale, Fla., product, Thomas was named the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 17 after he registered a career-high 3.0 tackles for loss, all in the fourth quarter while OU was protecting a lead in its 34-19 win over Tulane. He was the first Sooner to record three sacks in a game since the 2020 season. On Nov. 25, he was named SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week after he notched three tackles, including 1.5 for loss and 1.0 sack while adding two QB hurries (one directly leading to an interception) in Oklahoma's dominant 24-3 win over Alabama. Six of Thomas' 9.0 sacks this season have come in the fourth quarter and with OU protecting leads.
Bowman Jr. has started all 12 games at safety and ranks fourth on the team with his 54 tackles. He is tied for the team lead with his two interceptions and his two fumble recoveries, one of which was returned 43 yards for a touchdown at Missouri on Nov. 9. He has also notched 2.5 tackles for loss, three pass breakups and a QB hurry. The Denton, Texas, product has played in 47 career games and made 41 starts, totaling 189 tackles, 9.0 TFLs, 11 interceptions, two forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and 14 pass breakups. He ranks fourth in school history with his 251 career interception return yards, and set program records in 2023 with his 238 interception return yards and three pick-sixes.
Anderson, who was a semifinalist for the Patrick Mannelly Award (presented to the nation's best long snapper), has served as the long snapper on all of Oklahoma's punts and placekicks over the last two seasons and has made three tackles on punt returns in 2024. The Charlotte, N.C., product has been the catalyst for a placekicking unit that has converted 30 of 31 PAT attempts and 17 of 21 field goals (81%), and a punting unit that ranks 10th nationally by netting 42.6 yards per punt.
Oklahoma (6-6, 2-6 SEC) will face Navy (8-3, 6-2 AAC) in the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl on Friday, Dec. 27, in Fort Worth, Texas. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. CT on ESPN.
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