Owen Heinecke’s Unfinished Business: Oklahoma Linebacker Fighting for One More Year in Crimson and Cream
Owen Heinecke isn’t ready to hang up the pads just yet.
After Oklahoma’s 34-24 loss to Alabama in the opening round of the College Football Playoff, the redshirt junior linebacker is hoping that wasn’t the final chapter of his Sooners story. And if you know Heinecke’s journey - from lacrosse fields in Columbus to the heart of the SEC - you understand why he’s fighting so hard for just one more year.
Heinecke’s path to Norman is anything but typical. He started his college career not on the gridiron, but on the lacrosse field at Ohio State, where he appeared in three games back in 2021.
Those three games, however, are now looming large - the NCAA is counting them as a full year of eligibility. That means, despite only playing three seasons of football at Oklahoma, 2025 is shaping up to be his final year of college athletics.
But Heinecke isn’t ready to accept that - not after the season he just had. He’s in the middle of an appeal to the NCAA, hoping to earn one more year in crimson and cream. The odds may not be in his favor, but that hasn’t stopped him before.
From Walk-On to Defensive Standout
Heinecke’s rise has been one of the more compelling stories in a loaded Oklahoma program. A Tulsa native who grew up dreaming of playing for the Sooners - and whose uncle was part of OU’s 2000 national championship team - Heinecke took a leap of faith in 2022, transferring to Oklahoma and walking on to the football team.
That first year? He didn’t see the field.
In 2023 and 2024, he carved out a role mostly on special teams, grinding behind the scenes while others grabbed the spotlight. But in 2025, everything changed.
Heinecke became a force on defense, finishing the season with 74 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, three sacks, and a forced fumble. He started four games and played through multiple contests with a club on his hand - a fitting symbol for a player whose game is built on grit and persistence. He didn’t just fill a spot on the depth chart; he made plays that mattered.
A Case Built on Heart, Not Hype
In an era where college football is increasingly driven by NIL deals and transfer portal drama, Heinecke’s story cuts through the noise. He’s not chasing a payday.
He’s not looking for a fresh start somewhere else. He just wants to finish what he started - in the same place he’s been grinding for the past three years.
“I hope the NCAA will see that I’m not just another football player who’s wanting a bunch of NIL money,” Heinecke said. “I’m someone who cares about the university and stuck his time out at the same place and is just starting to reap the rewards and is just wanting another year to go at it.”
It’s hard not to root for a guy like that.
Sure, there’s a possibility Heinecke gets a shot at the next level - his production in one of college football’s toughest conferences certainly turned heads - but that’s not where his focus is right now. He’s not chasing the spotlight. He’s chasing one more fall in Norman, one more season to wear the jersey he grew up idolizing, one more chance to finish on his own terms.
And in a sport where stories like his are becoming increasingly rare, Heinecke’s appeal is more than just a paperwork process - it’s a reminder of what makes college football special.