Michael Fasusi’s return to Oklahoma’s lineup did more than plug a hole at left tackle. It gave the Sooners a cleaner path up front, and that showed up in the way the offense operated against Mississippi State.
Fasusi, a sophomore, came back after sitting out every game since the opener and looked settled immediately. Oklahoma was able to lean on the left side with Fasusi and left guard Noah Best, and Fasusi did not surrender a quarterback pressure, according to Pro Football Focus. For quarterback John Mateer, that mattered.
Ben Arbuckle said on Tuesday that the left tackle’s presence could be felt in the pocket.
“It can’t hurt,” Arbuckle said on Tuesday. ‘I’m proud of the guys who have been out there, who have been playing all season; they’ve battled, they’ve played their butt off.
… But yeah. Those guys know the kind of player Mike is.
They do, absolutely.”
Mateer seemed at ease behind that front in a way he hasn’t always been this season, and Arbuckle made it clear he didn’t see that as a coincidence. On Monday, Mateer backed up that view, pointing to both Fasusi and Best working together on the left side.
“Ryan Fodje did a great job,” Mateer said on Monday. “… But (Fasusi) did a great job (against Mississippi State).
“He knew every look, and Noah’s doing a great job, too. So just them working together, I’m not surprised.”
Fodje had been the fill-in at left tackle while Fasusi was out, and while he’s more naturally comfortable on the right side, his performance improved as the season went along. He gave up five pressures against Michigan, then allowed six more combined against New Mexico, Georgia and Texas, per Pro Football Focus. He also struggled after getting hurt against Kentucky, though he should not have stayed on the field after leaving the lineup.
Now that Fasusi is back, Fodje should be able to shift back to the right side once he’s healthy again, either at guard or tackle.
The confidence around Fasusi isn’t just about this one game, either. Mateer had 12 games last year with Fasusi protecting his blind side, and as a freshman, Fasusi allowed 19 pressures. That trust has already been built, and Oklahoma’s coaches and front office spent the offseason excited about his development.
He just hadn’t had much chance to show it after missing most of 2026 with an injury. But after his outing against Mississippi State, the Sooners believe his return can steady the whole offense, beginning with the quarterback.
“I think it definitely added a level of confidence to how John was feeling in-game and playing, and Mike did a great job,” Arbuckle said. “Mike earned that just with how he practiced, how he prepared, and ultimately with how he was playing, especially there early on.”
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