Oklahoma’s offensive line could get a welcome boost for Saturday’s trip to Michigan, but the Sooners still have one big question hanging over the front.
Center Jake Maikkula and right guard Ryan Fodje were moving at full speed and were not limited in Monday evening’s practice in Norman, a source told Sooners On SI. Brent Venables also said on his coaches show Monday night, “We’ll get them going this week,” suggesting both starters are trending toward being available.
Left tackle Michael Fasusi is the uncertain piece.
If Oklahoma had to list Fasusi under SEC injury rules for the Wolverines game, the source said he would likely land at “questionable,” with “doubtful” also in play. Fasusi dealt with a sore shoulder during preseason camp, then played only 17 snaps in last Friday night’s opener against UTEP before heading back to the bench, according to Pro Football Focus.
After the game, Venables kept the message simple: “He’s fine,” he said. “He’s great.”
Monday’s practice didn’t offer much clarity on Fasusi’s status. He was not a full participant and instead did light rehab work off to the side, the source said. The current thinking, according to that source, could be to hold him out against Michigan and again next week against New Mexico so he can be closer to full strength for Oklahoma’s Sept. 26 conference game at Georgia and the Red River Rivalry with Texas two weeks later.
That leaves Oklahoma with some possible shuffling at left tackle if Fasusi can’t go. His listed backups are Peyton Joseph, a 6-4, 331-pound sophomore, and Fred Hinton, a 6-4, 313-pound junior.
Joseph transferred from Georgia Tech and logged 27 snaps at right tackle against UTEP, finishing with a 56.9 overall grade and a 70.4 pass-blocking grade, per PFF. Hinton, who came over from Eastern Kentucky, played 15 snaps against the Miners and earned an 88.5 overall grade with a 73.5 pass-blocking mark.
There’s also another possibility if Fasusi sits: Fodje could slide over to left tackle. That would push senior Heath Ozaeta back into the lineup at right guard. Ozaeta has more than 1,000 offensive snaps on his career ledger, including 40 last week against UTEP, when he posted a 63.8 overall grade and an 81.2 pass-blocking grade, per PFF.
Maikkula and Fodje were both dealing with minor knee injuries late in preseason camp. Maikkula’s sprained MCL was initially expected to keep him out four to six weeks, but he returned in three.
Fodje’s injury was more of a scare, since he was back at practice the next day. Neither played in Oklahoma’s 51-0 win over UTEP.
Michigan, meanwhile, comes in after a 13-12 win over Western Michigan in which the Wolverines held the Broncos to 221 total yards, including 89 through the air and 132 on the ground. Western Michigan averaged just 2.9 yards per rush and 4.2 yards per pass.
The Michigan defense is again packed with talent. Senior defensive end John Henry Daley and senior cornerback Jyaire Hill were first-team preseason All-Big Ten picks, while junior safety Chris Bracy made the third team.
Daley missed time after an Achilles injury in November with Utah, but he played 43 snaps last week against WMU. Kyle Whittingham said last week that Daley is “more explosive than ever,” and on Monday added that he was “playing well.”
Daley also earned second-team preseason All-America honors from Walter Camp and is on the watch lists for five awards. Last season at Utah, he finished with 17.5 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks, a number that makes pass protection on the edge a major issue for Oklahoma.
The Sooners and Wolverines kick off at 11 a.m. CT inside Michigan Stadium.
In Other News...
Oklahomas Backfield Picture Changed Faster Than Sooners Fans Expected
Oklahomas backfield has already taken on a different shape after the season opener against UTEP, with transfer Lloyd Avant quickly moving into the lead role. The Colorado State import gave the Sooners a steadier presence than many expected heading into the year, while Xavier Robinson and freshman Jonathan Hatton Jr. were used sparingly as the staff sorted through options behind him.
Brent Venables also said Tory Blaylock could be back soon after sitting out Week 1 with a hamstring issue, which adds another layer to a rotation that still looks unsettled. For Oklahoma, the early takeaway is not just who carried the load in the opener, but how quickly that depth chart could keep shifting once the rest of the backs are fully available. [Read more 🡒]
Jim Nagys Latest OU Adds Could Matter More Than Fans Realize
Jim Nagys latest work for Oklahoma has been a little different from the usual transfer-hunt hustle. The Sooners landed four additions in Danny Saili, Braxton Fely, DYoni Hill and Jaydon Southard after each gained eligibility through temporary restraining orders against the NCAA, and the common thread in all four cases is that they were part of legal efforts seeking a fifth year on the field. For Oklahoma, the move was less about chasing headlines than identifying players who could fit what the program needs while adding depth in spots the staff had already kept open.
Nagy said the evaluation went beyond talent, with cultural fit part of the equation and the roster construction done with intent rather than impulse. The bigger question now is how quickly, or even whether, those newcomers will be pushed into action once they settle in with the Sooners. For a team that has been willing to be patient with its approach, the next step is seeing which of these late additions becomes more than just a name on the summer board. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma Is Counting On Late Defensive Adds Faster Than Fans Realize
Oklahomas defense picked up a late burst of experience when the program added four fifth-year transfer players in Danny Saili, Braxton Fely, DYoni Hill and Jaydon Southard. Each was granted a temporary restraining order against the NCAA, clearing the way for immediate eligibility this season, and Brent Venables has pointed to that group as a way to add depth and give the Sooners more options on that side of the ball.
For a team trying to build out its roster with older, proven pieces, the timing matters as much as the names. Venables sounded confident those additions can help right away, but the real test now is how quickly they fit into the defense and whether their presence can translate from added bodies on paper to meaningful snaps when the season starts to tighten. [Read more 🡒]