Oklahoma’s offensive line is getting another reset in Week 2, but the Sooners are also about to welcome back some important pieces for Saturday’s game against Michigan.
The biggest development is the return of starting center Jake Maikkula, who missed time after suffering a knee injury in last month’s scrimmage. ESPN reported Friday that Maikkula will be back against Michigan. Last season, he played in 11 games and made 10 starts at center for OU.
“You can't put a value on what Jake Maikkula means to this football team,” Sooners offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle said earlier this week, “what he means to the offense, what he means to the confidence of (offensive line coach) Bill Bedenbaugh and what he means to the confidence of his teammates that line up next to him.”
Oklahoma is also set to get sophomore Ryan Fodje back after he sat out the UTEP game, according to ESPN. Fodje is expected to start at left tackle, with Michael Fasusi likely out Saturday because of a lingering shoulder injury that dates back to training camp.
Fasusi did play 17 snaps against the Miners in the opener, and Brent Venables said after that game he was “great.” ESPN reported that Fasusi is considered week-to-week.
With Maikkula back in the middle, true freshman Noah Best is expected to line up at right guard.
Arbuckle said earlier this week that Bedenbaugh’s approach helps Oklahoma keep the line moving even when the personnel changes.
“He really encompasses the entire offensive line unit and what everybody has to do,” Arbuckle said. “That makes the ability to be able to shuffle people around, whether there's injuries or you want to see people somewhere else, or just trying to give someone a breather, that gives us the ability to go out there and execute and not really have mental busts as being a worry in the forefront of your mind.
“It goes back to how he coaches them, how they prepare, how they, as a unit, take on that challenge, and they do it with excitement and enthusiasm and their toughness and physicality and they're truly one whole unit.”
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For Oklahoma, the appeal goes beyond a good deal at the gate. Lower prices than those seen earlier in the summer have opened the door for more fans to get inside the stadium, while Michigans recent performance has cooled some of the home-side buzz. If the trend holds, this could end up feeling less like a road game and more like a takeover opportunity for Sooner Nation. [Read more 🡒]