Oklahoma’s newest transfer class may have arrived late, but Brent Venables isn’t dismissing what the Sooners can get out of them this season.
The four additions - all fifth-year defensive transfers - give Oklahoma another layer of experience, even if the timing of their arrivals means the early part of their integration is still a work in progress. Venables said Tuesday the Sooners aren’t expecting instant magic, but he does believe the group can help in a meaningful way.
"We've had lots of guys that transferred in here… free agents that you bring in, and they've come in and actually helped us right away," Venables said Tuesday. "They're a little bit behind in that regard (with) the timing of it, but these are experienced guys that played a ton of football between their positions (and) that they play in special teams. We feel like they'll bring us experience, depth right away."
Oklahoma added former Arkansas defensive tackle Danny Saili, ex-Boise State defensive tackle Braxton Fely, ex-Wisconsin cornerback D'Yoni Hill and former Stephen F. Austin linebacker Jaydon Southard in recent weeks.
Saili got to campus during fall camp and appeared in Friday’s opener after receiving a temporary restraining order against the NCAA on Thursday in Cleveland County District Court. Fely earned a TRO against the NCAA last Tuesday and enrolled in classes at OU later in the week. Hill and Southard were part of the same lawsuit that led to Saili’s TRO, which made them immediately eligible for a fifth season.
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 🡒]
Oklahoma Gets O-Line Boost But One Worry Looms At Michigan
Oklahoma is trending toward getting some needed help up front just in time for a marquee trip to Michigan, with injured starters Jake Maikkula and Ryan Fodje both taking full reps in practice. For a team still trying to settle in along the offensive line, that kind of reinforcement matters, especially with a nonconference test that will demand cleaner protection and more stability than the Sooners have had at times early.
The one concern hanging over the group is left tackle Michael Fasusi, whose shoulder injury left his status uncertain after he did not practice fully. Oklahoma is even weighing the possibility of holding him out not just for this game, but for the next one as well, a sign the staff is thinking beyond one matchup and toward the conference stretch that follows. [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 🡒]