Oklahoma may be getting a key piece back on its offensive line just in time for the trip to Florida.
On the SEC’s initial availability report Wednesday evening, center Jake Maikkula was listed as probable after sitting out the South Carolina game with a lower-body injury he picked up in the win over Mississippi State. If that status holds through the rest of the week, Maikkula is likely headed back into the starting lineup Saturday. That would give the Sooners their most complete offensive line setup of the season, especially with Heath Ozaeta having already returned to the first unit last weekend.
The injury watch doesn’t stop there for Oklahoma. Tight end Rocky Beers is listed as questionable, and his status matters plenty for the Sooners’ passing game.
Beers has been Oklahoma’s second-leading receiver this season with 34 catches for 446 yards, and he leads the team with four receiving touchdowns. If he can’t go, Hayden Hansen is expected to handle most of the tight end snaps, leaving Oklahoma to find production elsewhere in the pass-catching game.
There are also two defensive names to monitor in Peyton and Eli Bowen. Both are questionable heading into Saturday.
Peyton was on the field against South Carolina, while Eli has now missed four straight games. With Florida bringing a dangerous wide receiver group, Oklahoma would welcome both backs in the lineup.
Florida has its own injury concerns, starting with offensive tackle Emeka Ugorji, who will be out this week. The Gators are also dealing with uncertainty at wide receiver, where Bailey Stockton and Vernell Brown III are both questionable.
Stockton is second on the team in receiving, while Brown ranks third and has not played since late September. Defensive end Emmanuel Oyebadejo is another key name on the report; he is tied for the team lead with 4.5 sacks and sits second on the team in tackles for loss, but he is also listed as questionable.
Here’s a look at the initial SEC availability report for Oklahoma vs. Florida.
Oklahoma Sooners Availability Report
Florida Gators Availability Report
In Other News...
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The injury report adds even more uncertainty around the depth chart, with receiver Vernell Brown III and defensive end Emmanuel Oyebadejo among the players listed as doubtful or questionable. Florida is already preparing lineup adjustments and has identified replacements for some of the missing starters, but the full picture of how the Gators will line up in Norman is still taking shape. [Read more 🡒]
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The timing matters because Florida also has its own injury questions, with wide receiver Vernell Brown III listed as doubtful. For Oklahoma, though, the bigger concern is how much flexibility it will have on the back end if those defensive pieces cannot go, especially against a Gators offense that will be looking to test the Sooners wherever the depth chart looks thinnest. [Read more 🡒]
Venables Just Reopened A Painful Oklahoma Offense Debate
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Floridas Buster Faulkner is part of the backdrop now, and Venables made a point of praising his offensive philosophy and his feel for defensive structures, along with the experience he has picked up around successful programs. For Oklahoma, the interest is obvious: the Sooners are still living with the consequences of getting that hire wrong once, and every new opponent seems to reopen the question of how they want that side of the ball to look going forward. [Read more 🡒]