Oklahoma’s offensive line looks a lot sturdier heading into 2026, but one of the group’s quieter veterans is still making his presence felt.
Heath Ozaeta, a 6-5, 315-pound lineman entering his fourth year in Norman, may not be the flashiest name in the room anymore. Even so, he remains part of the conversation as the Sooners sort out a line that now has real depth.
The pieces around him have changed. Oklahoma has tackle Michael Fasusi and guards Ryan Fodje and Eddy Pierre-Louis, all expected to play major roles in 2026. The Sooners also brought in Arkansas transfer E'Marion Harris and kept center Jake Maikkula after his strong first season in Norman.
Ozaeta, though, is still around and still in the mix.
His path has already included heavy responsibility. In 2024, his redshirt freshman season, he was pressed into action early and ended up playing 630 offensive snaps. That came during a rough year for Oklahoma, which finished 6-7 overall and cycled through nine different offensive line combinations in its first nine games.
Even in that instability, Ozaeta held up. He posted a 57.3 Pro Football Focus offensive grade and a 67.9 pass-blocking grade.
His workload dipped last season, when he logged 398 snaps, but he remained a meaningful part of the front. Ozaeta started the first seven games at left guard, and his pass-blocking grade climbed to 68.
As his role shrank late in the 2025 season, Fasusi, Fodje and Pierre-Louis became the names to watch. Still, Ozaeta’s influence never disappeared.
“He’s been a great leader for the offensive line,” Fodje said. “Been the leader in the meetings and telling the younger guys on how to operate. He’s been helping everybody move along.”
That leadership matters more now because Oklahoma’s outlook up front has changed so much. Two years ago, the Sooners didn’t have much confidence in who they could send out to start. Now, there are eight or nine players who could realistically step in and perform in 2026.
At guard, Fodje, Pierre-Louis and Ozaeta are the names with the best shot to open the season in the starting lineup. Since Fodje and Pierre-Louis started the final two games of 2025 at those spots, they look like the most likely Week 1 starters.
Even so, Ozaeta is still fighting for first-team reps. Fodje said the competition has been constant, and that the work between the two of them has pushed the whole group.
“Me and him, we work every day,” Fodje said. “But at the same time, we’re just trying to get the best five out there.
Just working every day, working with each other and helping each other. It’s been incredible.”
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John Mateer pointed to Venables constant intensity as a big part of why the Sooners stay focused, and it comes at a time when the defense has already been the backbone of recent success. The next step for Oklahoma is obvious enough: the offense has to improve, but it has to do so without letting the defensive standard slip, because that side of the ball is still setting the tone for everything else. [Read more 🡒]