Oklahoma has its leadership group in place for the 2026 season, and the list leans heavily on experience up front and across the defense.
The Sooners announced nine captains Tuesday ahead of their Sept. 4 season opener against UTEP. Sophomore offensive lineman Michael Fasusi is part of the group, making him the first sophomore to be named a captain since quarterback Jackson Arnold in 2024. He’s also the first sophomore offensive lineman to be a permanent captain since Creed Humphrey in 2019.
Fasusi is one of three offensive linemen on the list. Center Jake Maikkula and guard Eddy Pierre-Louis were also selected. Pierre-Louis, who made six starts last season, had already looked like a strong bet for the role, especially after serving as one of Oklahoma’s representatives at SEC Media Days last month in Tampa, Fla.
Quarterback John Mateer is in the captain group as well, giving the offense a clear voice at the top.
The defense has its own spread of leaders from every level. Defensive tackle David Stone and defensive end Taylor Wein were named captains, while linebacker spots went to Kip Lewis and Owen Heinecke. Senior safety Peyton Bowen rounds out the defensive side.
Lewis and Mateer were the only players in the group who were also captains last season, when Oklahoma had seven permanent captains. Bowen, Lewis and Heinecke had also been captains as sophomores in 2024, when the Sooners rotated captains game to game.
Fasusi’s rise comes after a strong freshman season. He made 10 starts and appeared in 11 games at left tackle, then started the final nine games while allowing just four sacks on 395 pass-blocking snaps.
Maikkula transferred from Stanford and played in 11 games last season, starting 10 at center. The fifth-year player was injured during preseason camp and will miss the start of the season, though he had drawn strong reviews for his work before the injury.
Mateer’s first season in Norman was productive even with the setback of a broken hand. He threw for 2,885 yards and 14 touchdowns, missed one game after surgery, and had trouble getting fully back to form after returning. He also ran for 431 yards and scored eight touchdowns.
Stone and Mateer had already revealed their captain selections during media availability. Stone said, "This is my first time being a captain of any team," before adding, "So I told the guys I'm grateful for the opportunity that you guys have given me.
I know it comes with a lot of weight, so I'm trying to live up to that. Early on in spring I kind of struggled being a leader, I felt like personally, because I wasn't active in the role.
I wasn't on the field with them, so it was kind of hard to lead from the back. I'm moreso someone who wants to get out in front and show you guys how it's done and you guys follow suit.
But I had to learn how to be a vocal leader for the guys so it really challenged me from a leadership role."
Mateer said, "It's a great honor and we all care about each other and we want to be good humans for each other and we don't want to do wrong by anybody," and added, "And that's from the top down."
Heinecke’s path to the captain group was one of the more notable offseason storylines. He received an injunction against the NCAA that made him elegible for another season, ending the case. Last year, he emerged as one of Oklahoma’s best defenders after breaking through in the Tennessee game.
Lewis has been a steady presence for the Sooners, starting 30 games and piling up 209 tackles in his career.
Oklahoma opens at 7 p.m. Sept. 4 against UTEP on SEC Network Plus.
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