Oklahoma got a calming answer on Friday, but not enough to make the concern disappear.
After the Sooners’ eighth practice of fall camp, Brent Venables was asked directly about the rash of players who had been held out earlier in the week. His response was clear and reassuring.
"It's great. It's good.
Right on schedule," Venables said of the injury situation. "...
Had a couple of guys with, you know, guys getting hit in the thigh board or straining their shoulder, but no tears and that kind of stuff and no surgeries."
That should ease nerves around Norman, at least for now. Still, the list of non-participants from Tuesday was long enough to make people pay attention, especially with practice reports leaking and fans seeing familiar injury issues pop up again.
Among the names that stood out was starting left tackle Michael Fasusi. He and guard Heath Ozaeta were both dressed on Tuesday but did not take part, which immediately raised eyebrows for a fan base that has seen the offensive line get hammered before. Fall camp always comes with players being held out for precautionary reasons, but that kind of news this early still lands hard.
There was at least one positive in the mix: freshman Noah Best got a chance to work with the starting unit and showed he can be a useful depth option up front when injuries force the issue.
The running back room has also been dealing with its own absences. Xavier Robinson and Tory Blaylock both missed spring camp because of injuries, then sat out the early stages of fall camp as well. On Tuesday, Blaylock and freshman Jonathan Hatton Jr. were not participating.
Sooners on SI also reported that linebacker Kristan Moore, defensive end CJ Nickson, defensive back Preston Mickens and cornerbacks Derrick Johnson II, Trystan Haynes, LeBron Bauer and Dakoda Fields were among the players out early in the week.
That cornerback group matters because Oklahoma is still sorting out depth behind Eli Bowen and Courtland Guillory. When multiple players at the same spot are sidelined, it naturally makes the work harder in practice.
Even so, Venables said the Sooners have not suffered any major injuries in camp, which means none of the names being discussed appear to be serious losses right now. With the season opener against UTEP set for Friday, Sept. 4, that’s the piece Oklahoma fans needed most.
So no, the season is not already spiraling in August. Players miss practice in fall camp all the time, and minor bumps are part of the deal.
But the worry hasn’t come from nowhere. Oklahoma has dealt with rough injury luck recently, including in the preseason, and the sight of a crowded injury report so early is enough to make any fan base uneasy.
In Other News...
Oklahoma May Already Have Its Next Defensive Line Difference Maker
Oklahomas defensive line already has enough veteran presence to feel sturdy at the top, but the real intrigue is what happens behind the established starters at defensive tackle. Freshman James Tank Carrington has quickly become one of the more talked-about newcomers in that mix, and David Stone has singled him out for the kind of mental and physical tools that usually get a coachs attention long before they get a snap count. Stones praise centered on Carringtons ability to process what he sees and handle the technical side of the position, which is a strong sign for a player trying to carve out a role early.
For the Sooners, that matters because the line looks deep overall, yet there is still some uncertainty once the first wave of tackles comes off the field. Carringtons path will depend on how quickly he turns that early promise into reliable production, but the profile is there for him to become more than a developmental piece. If he keeps progressing, Oklahoma may not just have a freshman with upside. It may already have its next difference maker waiting in the rotation. [Read more 🡒]
Ryan Fodje Is Giving Oklahoma Exactly What This Line Needs
In a fall camp that has asked a lot of Oklahomas offensive front, Ryan Fodje has kept showing why coaches trust him to plug whatever hole opens up. Injuries have pushed him across multiple spots along the line, but the sophomore has already built a reputation for being the kind of player who can handle the shuffle without making it someone elses problem. He logged all 13 games as a freshman, starting at right tackle and right guard, and that experience has given the Sooners a useful kind of stability even as the lineup has been in flux.
Fodjes value goes beyond just surviving the move-around. He has embraced the idea that he can help anywhere, and that willingness matters for an Oklahoma line trying to find its best five. It is the same sort of flexibility that once helped Febechi Nwaiwu boost his own profile in Norman, and it is easy to see why Fodjes coaches keep leaning on him. The Sooners may still be sorting out exactly how the front will settle, but they already know one thing: Fodje is the type who makes the whole operation easier. [Read more 🡒]