OU football had 'a piece missing' without Danny Stutsman in loss to Kansas
LAWRENCE, Kan. — Danny Stutsman tried his best to tough it out.
After suffering an ankle injury in the final minute of the first half, the junior linebacker took to the field for the start of the third quarter in OU’s road game against Kansas on Saturday.
But Stutsman played for exactly one defensive snap before hobbling off the field. And this time, he didn't return for the rest of the game.
The loss of Stutsman was massive for the Sooners, who ultimately suffered a 38-33 loss. When asked about Stutsman’s availability moving forward, OU head coach Brent Venables didn’t have an update.
“Hurt for Danny,” Venables said. “He’s a great player, so I’m sure to some degree there’s an impact. But there’s no excuses. We didn’t do the things that it takes to win a game.”
Stutsman is widely viewed as the heart and soul of OU’s defense.
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The third-year Sooner entered Saturday with 70 tackles and 11.5 tackles for loss, which both ranked second in the Big 12.
Stutsman was also one of 100 players named to the midseason watch list for the Lombardi Award on Oct. 17. The award is given annually to the college football player who best embodies the values of legendary head coach Vince Lombardi.
“It’s tough,” junior safety Billy Bowman said of Stutsman's absence. “But one thing I will say about us is we have depth now. We’ve got guys who can come in. They might not be experienced guys, but they’re still getting reps in practice.”
One player who stepped up in Stutsman’s absence was Kip Lewis.
The redshirt freshman linebacker finished with five tackles, and he also recovered a fumble on a kickoff with 6:01 left in the second quarter.
“I thought Kip came in and did a nice job,” defensive coordinator Ted Roof said. “But he’s shown that. I wasn’t surprised with it a lot. We all have a lot of confidence in Kip.”
Still, Stutsman’s experience is invaluable.
And as Kansas’ Devin Neal ran into the end zone for the go-ahead touchdown with 55 seconds left in the game, Stutsman’s leadership was sorely missed.
“He’s always so fast at getting the call and lining us up,” junior defensive end Ethan Downs said of Stutsman. “He’s an older guy, so he knows Venables. He studies with him every day. … Without Danny, there’s always a piece missing.”
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OU was also without Marcus Major, who didn't suit up due to a nagging shoulder injury. The redshirt senior running back entered the day with team-highs of 78 carries and 308 rushing yards to go along with two total touchdowns.
But the Sooners' run game saw a boost with the return of Tawee Walker, who didn't play last week against UCF due to an in-house suspension. The junior ran for a career-high 146 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries but got banged up with a leg injury in the process.
Redshirt senior offensive lineman McKade Mettauer also returned to the starting lineup. The veteran right guard suffered an ankle sprain during OU's win over Texas on Oct. 7, and he was then limited to just one snap on special teams against UCF.
Finally, Gentry Williams didn’t suit up on Saturday. Venables said the sophomore cornerback isn’t dealing with a long-term injury.
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This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU football misses Danny Stutsman with injury vs Kansas in second half
