Oklahoma’s defense doesn’t come into the season with many obvious holes, but the middle of the defensive line still looks like the spot to watch.
The Sooners were already elite in a bunch of the numbers that matter most on that side of the ball, finishing in the top 10 in total defense, rushing defense, sacks and tackles for loss. The concern is what comes after the top names in the interior. Oklahoma lost both starters from a year ago, Gracen Halton and Damonic Williams, and while Jayden Jackson and David Stone bring plenty of experience, there isn’t much proven depth behind them.
That’s where Bishop Thomas has started to turn heads.
The former Georgia State Panther posted 48 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks last season, and Brent Venables pointed to the kind of steady work that has separated him from the pack so far.
"A lot of the little details from a discipline standpoint, from a fundamental standpoint, have shown up consistently," Venables said." Not perfect.
But instead of trying to make plays, he's been able to do a lot of the little things it takes to execute in the big picture of any defensive call. There's a depth of what we do.
My job is to figure out who can do what well, and then give it to them when they're in there."
For a defensive tackle, that kind of reliability can matter just as much as splash plays. Thomas doesn’t have to be the guy chasing every highlight if he can line up correctly, hold his ground and do his part within the scheme. That’s the path to carving out snaps in a rotation that needs answers.
If he keeps giving Oklahoma that kind of consistency, the Sooners could end up with a much cleaner answer to one of the few lingering questions on defense. With Jackson and Stone anchoring the room, Thomas has a chance to become the dependable piece that helps the interior hold up over the course of the season.
Thomas and the Sooners are back in Norman on Friday, when they face the University of Texas at El Paso Miners at 7:00 p.m. CT on SECN+.
In Other News...
Oklahoma Just Got Dragged Into An SEC Fight Fans Need To See
A federal judges preliminary injunction has suddenly put roster rules back at the center of the college football conversation, and the SEC is not happy about it. The ruling blocks conferences from punishing teams simply for carrying former professional players, which opened the door for LSU to add former NFL players DaeQuan Wright and Zxavian Harris ahead of its season opener against Clemson.
The conference is opposing the decision and could appeal, while Louisiana officials have voiced support for the ruling, setting up a familiar kind of late-summer legal standoff with real football consequences. For Oklahoma and the rest of the SEC, it is one more reminder that the leagues path to opening weekend may still run through a courtroom before anyone gets to the field. [Read more 🡒]
Sooners Face A Looming 2026 Problem In Ben Arbuckles Offense
Ben Arbuckles first Oklahoma offense offered enough clues this fall to make the long view worth taking seriously. A look at his play-by-play tendencies, compared with what he ran at Washington State in 2024 and then with John Mateer directing the Sooners in 2025, shows an offense that leaned more heavily on the pass in key spots, especially on third down, while the ground game never gave it much balance. When the run game isnt threatening, the sequencing gets easier to read, and the data from this season suggested Oklahoma spent too much time in that exact trap.
The bigger concern is what that means when the Sooners eventually move past Mateer and into 2026. Arbuckles scheme still has the shape of something dangerous, but the numbers point to fewer explosive passing plays than he produced before, dropping from 35% to 25% in the comparison the article examined. If the running game remains ineffective, the offense could become increasingly predictable at the very moment Oklahoma needs it to stay ahead of defenses that will have a full year of tape on how Arbuckle wants to build drives. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma May Be Closer To Another Proven Defensive Line Boost
Oklahomas defensive line for 2026 may be gaining another proven piece, with former Boise State tackle Braxton Fely cleared by a Cleveland County District Court order to enter the transfer portal and potentially suit up for the Sooners next season. Fely spent four seasons at Boise State and finished with back-to-back All-Mountain West Second Team nods in 2024 and 2025, which makes him the kind of experienced interior presence Oklahoma has been looking to stack around its returning talent.
Braxton Felys situation also adds another layer to a defensive front that already looks like one of the more promising parts of Oklahomas roster outlook. The Sooners were already expecting a strong 2026 line, and Felys availability now comes alongside the possibility of fifth-year lineman Danny Saili, who is dealing with eligibility issues, giving Oklahoma a chance to deepen a unit that could shape the defense for next season. [Read more 🡒]