Oklahoma Sooners set to add big-time reinforcements to position unit fans were most worried about ahead of matchup against Michigan Wolverines
A pair of talented players are set to return to the Oklahoma Sooners’ offensive line this week against the Michigan Wolverines
Last week, before the Oklahoma Sooners‘ season-opener against Illinois State, I wrote that the Sooners were already limited along the offensive line thanks to some last-second injuries that caused the team to reshuffle the unit just days before they kicked off.
However, I have better news to report this time as Oklahoma approaches one of their biggest games in recent memory against the Michigan Wolverines. The Sooners appear to be getting good news on the injury front heading into this one.
Oklahoma Sooners Reinforce Offensive Line With Incoming Starters
Last week, the Sooners had to start Jacob Sexton and Logan Howland as the team’s opening tackle duo. Sexton lasted just six plays before going down with injury, forcing third-stringer Luke Baklenko to finish the remainder of the game, while Howland played all 72 snaps.
While the duo didn’t play poorly, it was a fairly average outing for the duo, which is to be expected. Baklenko was a third-stringer called up right at the beginning of the game, and this was Howland’s first game at a new position. However, average won’t cut it for the Sooners, particularly against a very good Michigan defensive line.
Fortunately for the Sooners, reinforcements are on their way. Five-star freshman Michael Fasusi returned to the active lineup after passing out at practice a couple of weeks ago and forcing Oklahoma to be cautious about him in Week 1. Assuming he gets the all-clear to play, Fasusi will man the left tackle position. It’s not an easy debut to make with this being a critical game, but I have a feeling he would have been named the Week 1 starter if his incident at practice had not occurred.
At right tackle, the situation is a tad more tenuous but encouraging. After missing most of the last month of practice after battling a concussion, transfer Derek Simmons has returned to practice. I’m only holding back on this one because Simmons has missed most of the last month of practice, and I’m unsure just how ready he is to go. However, he has the talent and experience to make it work.
The Sooners’ offensive line didn’t have a bad game against Illinois State, particularly in pass protection (the sack was on the playcall, not the line). Still, Michigan is a much, much different caliber of opponent and will be a huge test of Oklahoma’s new-look offense. Having both Fasusi and Simmons back in this matchup is a true game-changer for the Sooners, as their presence gives Oklahoma their highest ceiling along the offensive line.
The duo has to put out a strong showing in practice this week and ultimately be cleared to play, but the early signs are encouraging.
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