Steve Curtis June 30th, 2026
Since Brent Venables was hired as Oklahoma’s head coach in November 2021, the Sooners’ defense has transformed from a bottom-feeding unit into one of the premier defenses in the country.
One of the first position groups to make significant strides under Venables was the safety room, led by safeties coach Brandon Hall.
Among Hall’s pupils are former Sooners Billy Bowman and Robert Spears-Jennings, who both put together outstanding careers in Oklahoma uniforms.
But with those longtime veterans now off to the NFL — Bowman in 2025 and Spears-Jennings in 2026 — who do the Sooners have to anchor the last line of defense in the secondary?
First on the depth chart is Peyton Bowen, the Rivals 5-star from Denton, Texas, who arrived in Norman as part of the 2023 recruiting class. Bowen played a critical role during both his freshman and sophomore seasons as one of several complementary safeties alongside Bowman during the latter’s final two years at Oklahoma.
But in 2025, serving as one of the veteran leaders in the room alongside Spears-Jennings, Bowen broke out with 46 tackles, seven pass breakups and two interceptions.
That jump coincided with a significant increase in playing time. Bowen logged 679 snaps in 2025, leading the team, compared to 346 the year before, when he ranked 13th. In the span of one season, he nearly doubled his workload.
The coaching staff’s trust in Bowen last season is a testament to how his talent, development and leadership came together to mold one of the top safeties in college football.
But Bowen will not be asked to carry the room by himself. Right behind him is a pair of hard-hitting playmakers, beginning with Michael Boganowski.
Boganowski arrived in Norman as a true freshman in 2024. As Oklahoma was baptized by fire during its inaugural SEC season, he paid his dues on special teams while working day in and day out under Hall.
That work paid off in 2025, when he became the next safety in the rotation behind Spears-Jennings and Bowen. He finished the season with 31 tackles and a sack against Temple that produced one of Oklahoma’s biggest hits of the year.
Entering his third season, Boganowski appears poised to take another leap and step into a starting role alongside Bowen. His athleticism and willingness to deliver punishing hits make him a valuable piece of Oklahoma’s defense.
The other headhunter in the safety room is Reggie Powers III. As a true freshman in 2024, he saw limited action, playing just 21 snaps while recording three tackles.
In his second year, however, Powers took a major step forward, playing 333 snaps at cheetah, Oklahoma’s linebacker-safety hybrid position, behind Kendal Daniels. He finished the season with 31 tackles, a sack and arguably the biggest hit by any Sooner all year against South Carolina.
His ability to impact both the second and third levels of the defense makes him an invaluable chess piece for Hall and Venables. Whether he’s fitting the run, covering underneath or dropping into space, opposing offenses can’t always be certain where he’ll line up or what responsibility he’ll be asked to fill.
The fourth safety likely to see significant playing time in 2026 is Omarion Robinson.
The sophomore from Little Rock appeared in five games last season against Illinois State, Temple, Kent State, Tennessee and Missouri. While those snaps largely came in low-leverage situations, they provided valuable experience that accelerated his development.
That growth became evident during spring practice.
Per Bob Przybylo of SoonerScoop, Robinson admitted he simply was not ready to contribute last season.
“What I learned last year was, me being a freshman, now this year looking back to last year that I wasn’t ready to play mentally. Physically? I was there, but this year I’m more comfortable with everything, so I can play faster, more comfortable.”
With Spears-Jennings and Daniels now off to the NFL, and Boganowski and Powers moving into larger roles, Robinson appears primed to take a significant step forward and become an important contributor in his second season.
Rounding out the room are true freshmen Niko Jandreau and Markel Ford. While neither is expected to play significant snaps this fall, Oklahoma’s defensive staff has consistently rotated players to develop competitive depth. Do not be surprised if both find their way onto the field at some point during the season.
Taken together, the Sooners’ safety room has everything a championship-caliber defense could ask for: proven production, emerging playmakers and exceptional competitive depth. From Bowen’s emergence to the development of Boganowski, Powers and Robinson, Coach Hall has assembled what may be the best safety room in college football entering the 2026 season.
