Danny Okoye was not dressed out for Oklahoma’s season opener against UTEP on Friday night, leaving the Sooners without one of their co-starters at defensive end to begin the year.
Okoye was missing during pregame warmups in Norman, and multiple reporters on site noted that there was no known reason for his absence. He later appeared on Oklahoma’s sideline once the game started, but he was not in uniform. That came as a surprise, especially because the week’s injury reports around the Sooners did not include his name.
The absence opened the door for Adepoju “P.J.” Adebawore to step into the starting role at edge opposite Taylor Wein.
Adebawore had been listed as a co-starter with Okoye on OU’s initial depth chart, which was released Monday after a position battle through fall camp. With Okoye out, freshman Jake Kreul should also see more chances.
Kreul was the only five-star recruit, according to ESPN, in Oklahoma’s 2026 signing class.
For Okoye, a 6-foot-3, 257-pound junior, this would have been his first career start if he had taken the field. He has appeared in 13 games over his first two seasons in Norman.
Last year, he played in 11 games and finished with six total tackles, two tackles for loss, two sacks and a pass breakup. In 2024, he appeared in just two games while redshirting.
A consensus four-star recruit out of NOAH Homeschool in Tulsa, Okoye arrived at Oklahoma in 2024. The 247Sports Composite ranked him as the No. 12 edge rusher in the country and the top overall prospect in Oklahoma.
Adebawore now gets the early chance to make the most of the opening. A former five-star recruit, he was the No. 2 edge rusher in the 2023 class and the No. 11 overall player in that group.
Even with those billing, he has yet to fully break through. Friday marked his first career start, and he entered the game having played in 36 contests over his first three seasons.
In 13 games last year, he posted 17 total tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and a quarterback hurry.
Oklahoma has enough depth at defensive end to handle UTEP without Okoye, but his absence is still notable given how important he could be later in the season. The Sooners may need him in SEC play, and possibly even sooner when they travel to Michigan in Week 2. Brent Venables is expected to address the situation after the game and may provide more clarity then.
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