OU safety Billy Bowman NOT named a Thorpe Award finalist
OU safety Billy Bowman wasn’t named a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award on Oct. 31, but still, there was hope.
The way Bowman performed down the stretch for the Sooners defense was remarkable. Maybe, just maybe, he’d make the cut? Nope. Bowman was not named among the three finalists Tuesday afternoon.
Iowa junior cornerback Cooper DeJean, Georgia sophomore safety Malaki Starks and Air Force senior safety Trey Taylor will be named the nation’s best defensive back.
Bowman was arguably the best OU player on the field in November. He finished his junior season with 61 tackles, three tackles for loss, four pass breakups, six interceptions and three touchdowns.
He had 238 interception return yards, setting an OU record. And of course, he closed the season with a pick-six in each of Oklahoma’s final two wins.
“I told him, right when he came, because I used to watch his film when he was coming out of high school,” quarterback Dillon Gabriel said. “And I really told him, I said, ‘Dude, it’s never too late to switch.’ But you see what happens with the ball in his hands. He can play running back, slot, he can play defense, he’s just, he’s very talented.”
Bowman had a 100-yard interception return for touchdown at BYU, which might have been the biggest play of the season. And he punctuated a fun Friday in Norman last weekend with a 45-yard leaping return for a score.
“I’m very humbled about it. I’m very honored. All the glory to God,” Bowman said. “I truly do put the work in for the results. Anybody will tell you that. I’m gonna continue to get better and try to do more.”
Before DeJean was injured for the season, he had 41 tackles, five PBUs and two picks. Starks has 43 tackles, six PBUs and two interceptions. Taylor has 71 tackles, four pass breakups, three interceptions and one touchdown.
Bowman earned a national weekly honor from the Jim Thorpe Award following his performance in Provo. But just wasn’t named one of the finalists.
Still, it was the type of season a lot of people were hoping for from Bowman. He stayed healthy, showed up and showed out.
“Really proud of him,” head coach Brent Venables said. “That doesn’t just happen by osmosis. He puts a lot of work into it. He’s skilled and talented but it takes a lot more than that. He’s put a lot of work into this game.”
OU finished the regular season 10-2 and will find out its bowl destination Sunday. Bowman could absolutely head to the NFL Draft, based on his production.
“I don’t know yet,” said Bowman about returning for his senior season last Friday. “Right now, we’ve still gotta Big 12 championship game to play in, hopefully, and then probably a bowl game to play in. So I do not know yet.”
The Sooners, obviously, won’t get that chance to play for the Big 12 championship. It will be Oklahoma State vs. Texas.
If Bowman stays, the ceiling for the OU 2024 defense goes a lot higher. Bowman will be among some of the biggest decisions from OU players here in the days and weeks to come.
