Eddy Pierre-Louis likes what Oklahoma is getting from the next group of offensive linemen, and he didn’t hide it Monday in Tampa.
At SEC Media Days, the Sooners lineman said the younger blockers have stood out for the way they carry themselves and put in the work.
"The way they work and the way that they act every day," Pierre-Louis said on Monday. "I like that from that group."
That group matters because Brent Venables said Monday that Oklahoma has "nine guys that can play winning football for us right now" up front. The most obvious names are Michael Fasusi, Pierre-Louis, Jake Maikkula, Ryan Fodje - or Heath Ozaeta, who moved back into a starting role in the spring while Fodje was out - and Arkansas transfer E'Marion Harris. Fasusi, Pierre-Louis, Maikkula and Fodje all started multiple games for Oklahoma last season.
But the conversation around the line has also included the players behind them, and Pierre-Louis singled out a few of the names that keep surfacing. Noah Best has drawn steady mention in spring work, while transfer linemen Peyton Joseph and Caleb Nitta could be part of the final two in Venables’ nine.
"Peyton Joseph," Pierre-Louis said. "He's a good dude.
And also, we've got Noah Best, a true freshman. He's willing to work and learn every day.
He's so smart. That's something that you like as an older guy."
Pierre-Louis said his own development has changed the way he looks at helping the younger linemen along. He’s paying attention to how they learn, and he’s checking the details with them.
"They take good notes. I feel like as a young player, writing things down helps you remember things easier, key details. I look over their notes to make sure they're taking good notes, because that helped me out as a young player."
Even with the encouraging signs, Pierre-Louis made clear Oklahoma’s line still has work to do before anyone starts celebrating.
"There's still meat left on the bone," he said when asked if the line accomplished all their offseason goals already. "We've got a bone-in ribeye steak.
So we've got a couple ounces left. We have a lot of work to do.
"The job isn't done yet. We've made a lot of good progress, but we've got to keep working to get to where we want to," Pierre-Louis added.
In Other News...
Sooners Send A Loud Preseason Message Across The SEC
Oklahomas first preseason SEC media-day showing underlined just how much respect the Sooners already command in their new league. The program landed 10 players on the 2026 Preseason Media Days All-SEC teams for a total of 12 selections, a spread that touched every phase of the roster and gave a clear snapshot of where the league thinks Oklahomas strengths begin.
Isaiah Sategna III and Michael Fasusi were the Sooners offensive representatives on the second team, while five defenders earned second-team recognition and special teams drew plenty of notice as well. Tate Sandell, Ben Anderson and Grayson Miller all got nods, which only adds to the sense that Oklahomas depth is being noticed beyond the usual headline spots, even if the full meaning of that preseason respect will have to wait for the fall to sort itself out. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahomas Most Important Fall Camp Battle Is Just Heating Up
Fall camp opens Aug. 6, and one of the first things Oklahoma will sort through is a running back room that suddenly has a lot more shape to it. General manager Jim Nagy pointed to the position as a key early battle, with Xavier Robinson and Tory Blaylock back in the mix and freshmen Jonathan Hatton Jr. and DeZephen Walker joining transfer Lloyd Avant in a group that should give the Sooners more options than they had a year ago.
Deland McCullough, the new running backs coach who arrived after a stint with the Las Vegas Raiders, has already evaluated the room, and his first task is helping turn that competition into a more productive ground game. Oklahoma knows it needs to run the ball better this season, so the way this group sorts itself out in camp could end up shaping more than just the depth chart. [Read more 🡒]