Oklahoma’s injury picture took a sharp turn this week, and the biggest concern centers on wide receiver Trell Harris.
A source close to the Sooners program said Tuesday morning that Harris’ injury from Saturday’s game at Michigan is far more serious than it first appeared. The transfer from Virginia suffered a laceration to one of his major internal organs and spent part of the weekend at an Ann Arbor hospital.
Harris took a hard shot in the lower back during Oklahoma’s 17-10 loss, then returned to the game after initially feeling fine. But once the game ended and the team was preparing to head home, he began feeling sick and was taken to a local hospital for treatment.
According to the source, Harris’ parents informed the team about the full extent of the injury so rumors and inaccurate details would not spread before the facts were clear.
The outlook now is uncertain. Harris likely will not be back for several weeks, if he returns at all. Through two games this season, he has six catches for 104 yards and a 48-yard touchdown against UTEP in the opener.
The 6-foot, 203-pound fifth-year senior has already taken a winding path to Norman. He started at Kent State, moved on to Virginia in 2024 and spent two seasons with the Cavaliers. Last year he started 12 games, caught 59 passes for 847 yards and scored five touchdowns, earning All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors.
Oklahoma had hoped Harris would help give the offense more big-play juice alongside All-SEC receiver Isaiah Sategna in 2026. Now, with Harris sidelined for an extended stretch, players such as sophomore Elijah Thomas could be asked to take on a bigger role as a downfield target for quarterback John Mateer.
There was better news elsewhere on the injury front. The source said starting inside linebacker Kip Lewis is dealing with a leg injury that is not as severe as first believed, though he still could miss several weeks.
Brent Venables said after the game that he did not yet know Lewis’ exact prognosis, but expected he would “miss some time.”
And at left tackle, sophomore Michael Fasusi appears to be moving in the right direction. The source described him as “ahead of schedule” with his sore shoulder and said he should be back in the starting lineup for next week’s Southeastern Conference opener at No. 2-ranked Georgia.
If Oklahoma were playing a conference game this week instead of New Mexico, Fasusi would already be back in the lineup, the source said. Instead, the Sooners and medical staff decided to hold him out of this week’s home game as a precaution.
Oklahoma hosts the Lobos at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, before heading to Sanford Stadium in Athens, GA, for a 2:30 p.m. kickoff against Georgia on Sept. 26.
In Other News...
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John Mateer is still holding the starting job, but that has not quieted the debate around Oklahomas offense. The criticism has grown around his play, and with little proven depth behind him, the Sooners do not have many easy answers if they want a different look under center. Hawkins early success only sharpens the contrast between two quarterbacks with different styles, and it leaves Oklahoma trying to balance patience with a problem it cannot really ignore. [Read more 🡒]
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Oklahoma May Have Found Its Answer In The Backfield
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For a Sooners offense that has needed more push on the ground, Blaylocks return gives the staff another option to lean on as the schedule tightens. His availability matters not just because of what he can add individually, but because Oklahoma has been looking for someone to help settle the run game into something more dependable. [Read more 🡒]