A record-breaking kicker and a disruptive interior force cement their dominance, proving Brent Venables’ roster possesses the elite special teams and defensive grit required to command national attention
Oklahoma picked up some major national recognition when the Associated Press released its All-American teams. Kicker Tate Sandell and defensive tackle David Stone were both named First-Team All-Americans, giving the Sooners two players on the top unit.
Sandell’s case was about as straightforward as it gets. The UTSA transfer was the best kicker in the country last season. He converted 24 of 27 field goal attempts, led the nation in makes from both 40-plus and 50-plus yards, and averaged more yards per kick than any qualified FBS kicker.
He also became the first Sooner to win the Lou Groza Award. When a kicker delivers that kind of range and accuracy, it changes the way a team operates late in halves and in close games. First-team recognition is the right call.
Stone’s honor carries a different kind of weight. The junior defensive tackle has dealt with plenty of preseason hype as a projected high NFL Draft pick, and the tape backed it up. He earned strong grades as a run defender, posted an elite run-stop rate, and consistently generated pressure from the interior.
What makes the First-Team nod more impressive is that he still hasn’t been a full-time every-down starter for a full season in the traditional sense. The production and the disruption were there anyway. When an interior defender forces offenses to account for him on every snap, the rest of the defensive line benefits.
Having both players honored reflects well on the roster Brent Venables and the staff have put together. Sandell gives Oklahoma a weapon that most teams simply don’t have. Stone anchors a defensive front that already had high expectations. Together they represent two different kinds of impact — one who changes field position and scoring decisions, and one who wrecks the run game and collapses pockets from the inside.
The broader context matters too. Oklahoma has dealt with the perception that it’s still a bit under-appreciated nationally despite returning production and talent. Landing two First-Team AP All-Americans cuts through some of that noise.
It doesn’t answer the questions about the offensive line or the run game, but it does confirm that the Sooners have elite players at premium positions of influence.
Sandell is already proven as the best at his position. Stone is still chasing consistency as a full-time starter while carrying first-round expectations. Both just received the highest preseason honor the AP hands out.
For a team with playoff goals, that’s a good foundation to build on.
The awards don’t win games in September and October. They do, however, show that the people who evaluate these things for a living see two Oklahoma players as the best at what they do.
That’s worth noting as the season gets closer.
