Another key member of Oklahoma’s defense has earned major recognition. 

Linebacker Owen Heinecke was named a semifinalist for the Butkus Award, it was announced on Wednesday. 

Heinecke is making the most of his last ride with the Sooners. 

Through seven games, he leads the team with 54 total tackles. 

Safety Peyton Bowen, who was named a semifinalist for the Thorpe Award, is second on the team with 36 tackles. 

Heinecke also has a team-high 6.5 tackles for loss, two quarterback sacks and he forced a fumble in Saturday’s victory over Mississippi State. 

Defensive end Taylor Wein recovered the fumble, which halted the Bulldogs’ march down the field. The OU offense took the ball and went down the field on a 16-play, 96-yard touchdown drive to go up 10-0 right before halftime. 

From there, the Sooners were able to separate from Mississippi State in the second half to get back to .500 in conference play.

The fifth-year linebacker earned SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors for his showing in Starkville, which included 10 tackles and two tackles for loss. 

Heinecke has started all seven games this season, and he’s logged at least seven tackles in six of those seven contests. 

The Butkus Award is given annually to the nation’s outstanding linebacker. 

The finalists for the award will be announced on Nov. 20, and the winner will be announced on Dec. 7. 

Heinecke is working to become the fourth Sooner to win the prestigious award. 

Brian Bosworth won the Butkus Award in 1985 and 1986. He was followed by Rocky Calmus in 2001 and Teddy Lehman in 2003. 

Heinecke, a former walk-on, has made 12 starts and played in 46 games for the Sooners. All of his starts have come in the program’s last 12 contests. 

After contributing mostly on special teams in 2023 and 2024, Heinecke earned All-SEC Second Team honors last year and earned the Don Key Award, which is the program’s highest annual honor. 

He was also a semifinalist for the 2025 William V. Campbell Trophy. 

Heinecke and the Sooners will be back in action this weekend at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in one of Oklahoma's final three home regular-season games in 2026. 

OU (4-3, 2-2 SEC) hosts South Carolina (4-3, 2-3) at 3:15 p.m., and the contest will be broadcast on SEC Network. 

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