Oklahoma’s injury situation took another hit Monday, and this one lands hard.
Starting defensive tackle David Stone suffered a lower-body injury in practice, according to On3’s Pete Nakos and George Stoia, leaving his status for Saturday’s trip to No. 2 Georgia very much up in the air.
The report said Stone will need additional testing before the Sooners know how serious it is, but the early concern is that the injury could keep him out for a while. More information is expected Tuesday.
It’s the kind of update that has started to feel routine around Oklahoma lately, and that’s a problem in itself.
Stone had just delivered what may have been his best game in an Oklahoma uniform two days earlier, helping the Sooners beat New Mexico 14-6. He tied for the team lead with eight tackles and also finished with two tackles for loss, another team high, plus a half sack. Through three games, he has 12 tackles, two TFL and a half sack.
The junior had finally moved into a full-time starting role on the defensive line, with the Sooners expecting a breakthrough year from a player who arrived in 2024 carrying serious hype. Stone came to Norman as a consensus five-star recruit and the No. 5 overall prospect in the Rivals class. As a freshman, he appeared in every game, posted six tackles, two TFL and a sack, and briefly entered the transfer portal before withdrawing.
Last season, his production jumped to 42 tackles, eight TFL and 1.5 sacks. That set him up for what was supposed to be a big run in 2026 before a likely jump to the NFL, with multiple mock drafts projecting him as a first-round pick over the summer. He also entered the year as a preseason All-American for multiple outlets and a Preseason All-SEC Second Team selection.
If Stone can’t go, Oklahoma will have to reshuffle the interior of its defense. Georgia State transfer Bishop Thomas, Trent Wilson or Nigel Smith II would be the most likely options to step into the starting lineup, with each needing to help alongside Jayden Jackson inside. Braxton Fely, who joined the roster from Boise State the night before the season began, could also see a larger role.
And Stone’s injury only adds to an already crowded list of missing Sooners. Oklahoma was without linebackers Kip Lewis and Cole Sullivan, safety Michael Boganowski, left tackle Michael Fasusi and wide receiver Trell Harris against New Mexico on Saturday. All five are starters at their positions, and Lewis is still expected to miss the Georgia game.
In Other News...
Former Sooners Are Making Oklahomas Offensive Questions Even Louder
The departure of a few Sooners has only sharpened the conversation around Oklahomas offense, because the production those players are finding elsewhere is hard to ignore. Javonnie Gibson has settled in at Cincinnati and boosted his receiving numbers, Michael Hawkins Jr. is giving West Virginia a real dual-threat presence, Zion Ragins is carving out meaningful work as a pass catcher, and Jake Taylor has emerged as both a starter and team captain at Iowa State.
For Oklahoma, the part that stings is less about the exits themselves than what they suggest about fit and usage. Each player appears to have benefited from a different offensive setup and a clearer role than he had in Norman, which only adds weight to the questions already hanging over the Sooners as they search for more consistency and identity on that side of the ball. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahomas Offensive Struggles Just Put Jim Nagy In A Tough Spot
Oklahomas offensive woes have quickly turned into a larger roster question for the Sooners, and it lands squarely on the shoulders of general manager Jim Nagy and coach Brent Venables. The issues are not limited to execution on game day, either. Recent additions have not yet solved the problem, injuries have exposed thin spots, and the overall depth picture on offense has started to look shakier than it did when the roster was assembled.
The concern reaches beyond the obvious offensive struggles and into linebacker, where the Sooners are also feeling the effects of personnel decisions. One part of the discussion has centered on former linebacker Sammy Omosigho and whether keeping him would have helped stabilize the group. For a staff trying to build a more reliable roster, the combination of uneven play, injuries and second-guessing a few key departures makes the current situation more complicated than just finding better production on Saturdays. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahomas Defense Just Took Another Brutal Hit Before Georgia
Oklahomas defensive front took another troubling turn this week when defensive tackle David Stone went down with a lower-body injury in practice and is set for more testing to determine just how serious it is. The timing could hardly be worse for a Sooners defense already trying to absorb injuries elsewhere, including at linebacker with Kip Lewis.
Stone is expected to miss Saturdays game against Georgia, and the bigger concern for Oklahoma is whether this becomes a short-term absence or something more. For a unit that has been leaning on depth and next-man-up thinking, losing another key piece this late in the week only tightens the pressure heading into one of the toughest matchups on the schedule. [Read more 🡒]