The Sooners are set to walk into the Big House with a healthier offensive line than they had a week ago, even if the unit still won’t be at full strength.
OU fifth-year center Jake Maikkula and sophomore lineman Ryan Fodje are both expected to be available Saturday against Michigan after sitting out the season opener, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel. The flip side: Michael Fasusi is reportedly out after playing 17 snaps in the Week 1 win over UTEP.
That lines up with what Sooners On SI had already reported earlier in the week. Sources told Sooners On SI that Maikkula and Fodje were both full speed at Monday’s practice, while Fasusi’s status for Michigan was uncertain.
Maikkula’s return matters. He was injured late in fall camp after appearing in 11 games for Oklahoma in 2025. The center, who transferred to OU from Stanford before last season, posted a 68.8 Pro Football Focus offensive grade and an 81.1 pass-blocking grade.
Fodje brings some versatility back into the mix, too. The true freshman from 2025 worked at both guard and tackle last season before becoming a starter by the end of the year. He finished with a 71.7 PFF pass-blocking grade in his first season.
Without Fasusi, Fodje is slated to start at left tackle. The rest of the projected offensive line includes Eddy Pierre-Louis at left guard, Maikkula at center, Noah Best at right guard and E’Marion Harris at right guard. Fodje and Pierre-Louis have already logged meaningful snaps together in tough road settings, having both started in Oklahoma’s late-2025 wins at Tennessee and Alabama.
There are other moving parts for OU as well. Brent Venables said on his coaches show Monday that defensive end Danny Okoye would be “back” for the Michigan game. Okoye did not play in the opener.
Wide receiver Parker Livingstone has also cleared concussion protocol after missing time earlier and saw 19 snaps against UTEP. He could be in line for a bigger role in Ann Arbor.
Running back Jonathan Hatton Jr. is another name to keep an eye on. He was slowed early in fall camp and had just three carries for 21 yards against UTEP, but he may be asked to do more against the Wolverines.
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Okoye has already made himself visible away from football through community service, including work with the Tunnel to Towers Foundation tied to his on-field performance. His path from growing up in Tulsa with limited resources, and the support he received from a former OU player and that players family, gives his return an added layer of meaning for a program that values both production and perspective. [Read more 🡒]