Star Oklahoma linebacker Danny Stutsman reveals surprising decision Sooners' fans are glad he made
Oklahoma Sooners linebacker Danny Stutsman is the heart and soul of the Oklahoma team this season and arguably was last year as well. Their defensive turnaround and the cultural reset of the team does not happen as quickly as it has without his play on the field and his influence off of it. Which is […]
Oklahoma Sooners linebacker Danny Stutsman is the heart and soul of the Oklahoma team this season and arguably was last year as well. Their defensive turnaround and the cultural reset of the team does not happen as quickly as it has without his play on the field and his influence off of it.
Which is why it came as a surprise to hear Stutsman say he almost left the Sooners back in 2021.
After the 2021 season, Oklahoma fans were left stunned as head coach Lincoln Riley bolted for USC in the middle of the night, taking with him the much-maligned defensive staff.
This staff had recruited Stutsman to Oklahoma and almost assuredly wanted him to follow them to USC. Stutsman told Paul Finebaum this week that he was faced with a pretty tough decision: Stay or go?
"I think as a young player, being recruited by Lincoln Riley and Coach Grinch, I really fell in love with the school. I loved those guys as coaches. Obviously, it got me into this school and everything came to it. When Coach Riley was leaving, I was faced with a really tough decision. Obviously, I loved that coaching staff. I really considered going to USC. I don’t think I’ve told many people that. It was definitely a decision on my hands."
So what kept Stutsman at Oklahoma? The decision to hire Brent Venables as head coach.
"Once Coach Venables was announced as the head coach, there was no doubt in my mind I was going to stay at Oklahoma at the university I love. That’s been such a great, amazing opportunity for me. Coach Venables has really developed me into a great man and an awesome football player. I’m really grateful to have him and everyone else he’s brought into this culture."
Venables' past history of success at Oklahoma and his elite defensive tenure at Clemson ultimately proved to be the deciding factor for Stutsman's return to the Sooners. USC ended up firing Alex Grinch after multiple disaster defenses.
Oklahoma fans couldn't be happier, as Stutsman has been an elite playmaker for the defense under Venables. Stutsman has been the Sooners' best linebacker since the days of Rocky Calmus, Teddy Lehman, and Curtis Lofton in the early 2000s.
