Oklahoma appears to be heading into its trip to Michigan with a much cleaner injury picture than it had for the opener.
That matters because the Sooners were already short-handed in the 51-0 win over UTEP, and now they could be much closer to full strength for the 11 a.m. CT kickoff Saturday in Ann Arbor. After last week made that feel doubtful, the latest updates point in a far better direction for Brent Venables’ team.
The biggest news is up front, where Oklahoma may have its entire starting offensive line available. Venables offered a string of encouraging updates during his weekly coach’s show on Monday, and the clearest takeaway was that the Sooners could finally have their full group together on the line.
Starting center Jake Maikkula and Ryan Fodje both appear set to return against the Wolverines. Maikkula had already been expected to miss the opener after spraining his MCL in a fall camp scrimmage, with an initial recovery window of 4-6 weeks. That timeline put Michigan right at the earliest possible return date, four weeks after the injury.
Fodje was supposed to handle the center spot in Maikkula’s absence, but he picked up a knee injury in practice during opener week and was out against UTEP. Freshman Noah Best stepped in for his first college start and also spent time at left and right guard, showing off his versatility.
“We’ll get them going this week,” Venables said of Maikkula and Fodje during Monday's coach's show.
Sooners On SI reported Tuesday that both linemen were full participants in Monday’s practice, which lines up with the idea that Oklahoma should have them back at the right time.
The one offensive line situation that sounds less certain is at left tackle. Michael Fasusi left after the first quarter against UTEP and did not return.
Venables didn’t offer much detail after the game, saying, “He’s fine,” Venables said. “He’s great.”
There won’t be a daily availability report this week since Week 2 is not an SEC game, and Venables also didn’t provide an update during Tuesday’s press conference. That means Fasusi’s status for Saturday will likely be tracked through practice leaks. According to Sooners On SI, if there were an availability report, Fasusi “would likely be listed as 'questionable' with the possibility of being 'doubtful,'”
If Fasusi can’t go, Oklahoma would likely slide Fodje to left tackle and keep Best in the lineup, this time at right guard.
There’s also still a question around running back Tory Blaylock, who sat out Week 1 after a hamstring injury lingered through fall camp. Venables said Monday, “Hopefully, Tory has a good week this week, and we could travel him and get him going here against Michigan," Venables said Monday.
On the defensive side, the Sooners should get back Danny Okoye. He was a surprise absence Friday night, and Venables didn’t explain why he missed the opener, but he has since confirmed that Okoye will play against Michigan.
The broader aim was simple: get Oklahoma as close to 100% as possible for this trip. Some of the players who sat out against UTEP might have been available if needed, and the staff also pulled starters early to keep them healthy for what’s next.
In Other News...
Oklahoma Faces One Big O-Line Concern Going Into Michigan
Oklahomas offensive line came out of the season opener with more questions than answers, and the timing is less than ideal with Michigan next on the schedule. Jake Maikkula and Ryan Fodje were sidelined, and Michael Fasusi exited early with a shoulder injury, leaving the Sooners to piece together protection in a game where the front five was already under the microscope.
Offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle sounded confident the group can adjust, and there is at least some good news on the depth-chart front: Maikkula and Fodje are expected back for Week 2. Fasusi, though, is still the more uncertain case, and his status could shape how much flexibility Oklahoma has when it tries to settle the line before a marquee road test. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Knows Oklahoma Will Expose This Fast If Nothing Changes
Michigan came out of a frustrating stretch last week with players openly calling the performance disappointing and embarrassing, then followed it with a player-led meeting aimed at cleaning up the issues before the next step in the schedule. After the uneasy win over Western Michigan, the message inside the room was simple enough: the level of play has to rise quickly, because a stronger opponent is waiting and there will not be much room for the same mistakes.
Oklahoma has plenty of reason to pay attention to that kind of self-scouting, because a team still sorting through its own standard tends to find out fast whether the corrections are real. The players involved said they know the challenge ahead and understand they need better effort, but the real test is whether that urgency carries onto the field when the matchup finally arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Brent Venables Defends What Makes Oklahoma Different From Everyone Else
Brent Venables has made no secret of how much he values the kind of early-season test Oklahoma just took on by lining up Michigan in a nonconference matchup. At a recent press conference, the Sooners coach talked through both sides of that equation, noting that games like that bring obvious challenges but also serve a purpose beyond the standings. For Oklahoma, they fit into a long-running habit of meeting top programs early, a tradition that still helps shape how the team is viewed and how it prepares.
Venables also acknowledged the larger landscape could make those heavyweight nonconference games harder to find if playoff structures change. Even so, he framed them as more than a scheduling choice, pointing to their importance in recruiting and in getting a team ready for the grind ahead. In a sport where some programs prefer to avoid risk, Oklahoma has continued to lean into it, and Venables appears intent on keeping that edge intact for as long as the format allows. [Read more 🡒]