NORMAN - Brent Venables isn’t buying the panic around Bryce Underwood.
Michigan’s quarterback had a bumpy opening act in Week 1, finishing 12 of 20 against Western Michigan before sealing the win with a 47-yard Hail Mary touchdown. But Oklahoma’s coach said Tuesday that the noise around the performance misses the bigger picture.
"All of his best days are still in front of him," Venables said at his Tuesday news conference. "Won nine games as a starting quarterback, as a true freshman, a tremendous feat in itself. And we've got a great, great challenge."
That challenge comes Saturday in Ann Arbor, where Oklahoma will face a Michigan offense led by a quarterback Venables sees as far more than a one-game box score. He pointed to Underwood’s new system and the traits that make him dangerous.
"He is in a completely different system this year than what he was a year ago," Venables said. "I don't ever look at it as a life of its own.
This guy can run it, he can throw it, he's decisive at making decisions and he's a rhythmic player. He's really good that way."
Venables also has recent proof of what his defense can do against Underwood. Last season in Norman, the Sooners held him to 142 yards and no touchdowns. Even with that success, Oklahoma isn’t treating this matchup lightly.
There’s also a moving part on the other side of the ball for the Sooners, with offensive lineman Jake Maikkula trending toward a return after being injured in a scrimmage last month. He missed the season-opening win over UTEP, but he was in warmups and has increased his work in practice this week.
"You can't put a value on what Jake Maikkula means to this football team," OU offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle said, "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."
Maikkula’s potential return would matter for an Oklahoma line that had to patch things together against the Miners. True freshman Noah Best started at center and rotated across all three interior spots, and sophomore Ryan Fodje, who also missed the opener, is getting more work this week. Star left tackle Michael Fasusi’s status is uncertain after he appeared to hurt his shoulder again last week.
Arbuckle said the group has handled the juggling act the right way.
"It goes back to how (Bedenbaugh) coaches them," Arbuckle said. "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. And so that's exciting to get to coach, and gives you a lot more confidence as a play caller whenever you know your offensive line, they're in it together."
On defense, Venables wants a cleaner version of what Oklahoma showed in its opener. He was visibly frustrated on the sideline and described the play as sloppy, but he said the issue wasn’t effort so much as overexcitement.
"We just didn’t play with the cleanliness and discipline that you have to play with," Venables said. "Got a little nosy.
Have to make plays. We were overly anxious.
Great great effort. Just gotta play a little cleaner."
His point was simple: intensity alone won’t carry the Sooners through Saturday or the rest of the season.
"This game will punish you, no matter who you’re playing," Venables said, "if you don’t do the little things, the basics right. So hopefully we’ll do that a little better. We’ll need to, as something we’ll see this weekend and this season.
In Other News...
Oklahomas Backfield Picture Changed Faster Than Sooners Fans Expected
Oklahomas backfield has already taken on a different shape after the season opener against UTEP, with transfer Lloyd Avant quickly moving into the lead role. The Colorado State import gave the Sooners a steadier presence than many expected heading into the year, while Xavier Robinson and freshman Jonathan Hatton Jr. were used sparingly as the staff sorted through options behind him.
Brent Venables also said Tory Blaylock could be back soon after sitting out Week 1 with a hamstring issue, which adds another layer to a rotation that still looks unsettled. For Oklahoma, the early takeaway is not just who carried the load in the opener, but how quickly that depth chart could keep shifting once the rest of the backs are fully available. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma Gets O-Line Boost But One Worry Looms At Michigan
Oklahoma is trending toward getting some needed help up front just in time for a marquee trip to Michigan, with injured starters Jake Maikkula and Ryan Fodje both taking full reps in practice. For a team still trying to settle in along the offensive line, that kind of reinforcement matters, especially with a nonconference test that will demand cleaner protection and more stability than the Sooners have had at times early.
The one concern hanging over the group is left tackle Michael Fasusi, whose shoulder injury left his status uncertain after he did not practice fully. Oklahoma is even weighing the possibility of holding him out not just for this game, but for the next one as well, a sign the staff is thinking beyond one matchup and toward the conference stretch that follows. [Read more 🡒]
Jim Nagys Latest OU Adds Could Matter More Than Fans Realize
Jim Nagys latest work for Oklahoma has been a little different from the usual transfer-hunt hustle. The Sooners landed four additions in Danny Saili, Braxton Fely, DYoni Hill and Jaydon Southard after each gained eligibility through temporary restraining orders against the NCAA, and the common thread in all four cases is that they were part of legal efforts seeking a fifth year on the field. For Oklahoma, the move was less about chasing headlines than identifying players who could fit what the program needs while adding depth in spots the staff had already kept open.
Nagy said the evaluation went beyond talent, with cultural fit part of the equation and the roster construction done with intent rather than impulse. The bigger question now is how quickly, or even whether, those newcomers will be pushed into action once they settle in with the Sooners. For a team that has been willing to be patient with its approach, the next step is seeing which of these late additions becomes more than just a name on the summer board. [Read more 🡒]