Fall camp is underway in Norman, and the Oklahoma Sooners are less than a month away from kicking off the 2026 regular season. After a 10-win season in 2025 that resulted in a trip to the College Football Playoff, the focus has been on taking the team from good to great under head coach Brent Venables.
With the offseason beginning to draw to a close, it's time to take a look at each position on OU's roster to see where things stand heading into the season. After players from last year's team left via the transfer portal or exhausted eligibility and the Sooners replenished the roster via the portal and high school recruiting, there are plenty of new faces looking to make an impact and returning names looking to take a step forward.
- Positional Preview: Quarterback
- Positional Preview: Running Back
- Positional Preview: Wide Receiver
- Positional Preview: Tight End
Today, we'll dive into the offensive line position, coached by offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh. This room took a step forward in 2025, but they'll be asked to do so again this season.
The Players
- Gunnar Allen: 5th-year
- E'Marion Harris: 5th-year
- Jake Maikkula: 5th-year
- Caleb Nitta: Senior
- Heath Ozaeta: Senior
- Kenneth Wermy: Senior
- Fred Hinton: Junior
- Daniel Akinkunmi: Junior
- Ace Hodges: Junior
- Eddy Pierre-Louis: Junior
- Michael Fasusi: Sophomore
- Ryan Fodje: Sophomore
- Peyton Joseph: Sophomore
- Darius Afalava: Sophomore
- Owen Hollenbeck: Sophomore
- Sean Hutton: Sophomore
- Noah Best: Freshman
- Deacon Schmitt: Freshman
Since the beginning of spring ball, the projected starting front has been Fasusi at left tackle, Pierre-Louis at left guard, Maikkula at center, Fodje at right guard, and Harris at right tackle. Behind them, Ozaeta would be the next man up. He's capable of playing both guard spots, but is perhaps best on the right side.
Positional versatility has been a big focus for Bedenbaugh. Fodje can play guard or tackle on the right side, allowing the Sooners to mix and match to find the best starting combination. Nitta, a Western Kentucky transfer, should be a key reserve, as he can play at all three interior spots. Joseph, a Georgia Tech transfer and another important reserve, could be OU's top swing tackle, capable of playing on either side.
There are a lot of intriguing players in the OL room that will be looking to fight their way into more playing time as the season goes along. Thus far in fall camp, OU has been impressed with Best, who plays in the interior and is just a true freshman. As last year showed, Bedenbaugh is willing to play freshmen if they're part of the best combination, so injuries or poor play could leave certain spots up for grabs for some of OU's depth pieces.
However, if all goes according to plan and everyone stays mostly healthy, Bedenbaugh would love to stick with his top options. Three of those players (Fasusi, Pierre-Louis, and Maikkula) were playing those spots at OU a year ago, while Fodje was playing right tackle last year. Harris, an Arkansas transfer, gives OU great SEC tackle experience up front. If Ozaeta needs to play a lot, he's another experienced player to add to the mix. All of that means that there shouldn't be as many growing pains in the trenches this season.
Bedenbaugh, Venables, and offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle need the offensive line to stay healthy and excel if the Sooners are to accomplish their stated desire of running the football better this year. Protecting the passer is always a key in the SEC, and Oklahoma hopes to finally enjoy a veteran group that can do that well. At the end of the day, it's about finding the right five guys in the right five spots that can do what needs to be done.
Offensive line can be one of the keys to the entire 2026 season for the Sooners. If Bedenbaugh's unit is good in pass protection and opening up lanes in the running game, the OU offense can thrive, which raises both the floor and the ceiling for the entire squad. If the o-line struggles to grow upon last year's effort, it could limit what Oklahoma can achieve this fall.
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This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Will the Oklahoma Sooners' offensive line make the jump?