Oklahoma football: Defensive field general Danny Stutsman earns national honor
By Chip Rouse
Oklahoma football linebacker Danny Stutsman was all over the field in the Sooners’ 28-11 win over SMU over the weekend, and on Monday he was recognized for it both locally and nationally.
The Sooners’ defensive field general is the Walter Camp FBS National Defensive Player of the Week as well as the Defensive Player of the Week in the Big 12.
The junior linebacker from Windermere, Florida, recorded 17 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and had a fumble recovery in Saturday’s game. The 17 tackles were one fewer than his career high. Stutsman led an improving Sooner defense that held the high-powered SMU offense to 367 yards of total offense, more than 100 yards fewer than what OU averaged last season.
This is the 11th time an Oklahoma player has won the Walter Camp National Player of the Week award, but it is the first time since LB Kenneth Murray (now with the NFL Los Angeles Chargers) that a Sooner defensive player has been so honored.
Stutsman was an honorable mention All-Big 12 selection last season as a sophomore. He led the conference with 125 tackles and ranked 18th nationally, averaging 9.6 tackles per contest.
Joining OU’s Stutsman with Big 12 weekly honors are QB Quin Ewers, who led Texas to a 38-24 upset over No. 3 Alabama (Offensive Player of the Week) and UCF kicker Colton Boomer, who was successful in all four of his field goal attempts in a win at Boise State, including the game-winner from 40 yards out as time expired.
This is the second week in a row that an Oklahoma player has been named a Player of the Week. WR Gavin Freeman was Co-Special Teams Player of the Week in Week 1.