2022 Oklahoma Report Card: Offensive Line

Under new offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby, Bill Bedenbaugh's offensive line was arguably one of OU's most consistent units in 2022.

Author:
Ryan Chapman
Publish date:
Jan 5, 2023 8:00 AM EST

In this story:

Oklahoma Sooners

Oklahoma’s offensive line had a resurgent year in 2022.

New offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby took charge wanting to lean on the run game, and Bill Bedenbaugh’s unit delivered.

The Sooners replaced a pair of 2021 starters in Marquis Hayes and Tyrese Robinson, and barely missed a beat.

OU’s rushing attack finished ranked No. 10-overall in the country, averaging 219.4 yards per game, and running back Eric Gray posted the ninth-best season on the ground in program history running behind the steady unit up front.

Bedenbaugh’s offensive line helped the Sooners finish as the top rushing offense in the Big 12 despite having to use a few different faces up front.

2022 OU Report Cards:

Wednesday, Jan. 4: Defensive Ends
Thursday, Jan. 5: Offensive Line
Friday, Jan. 6: Defensive Tackles
Saturday, Jan. 7: Tight Ends
Sunday, Jan. 8: Linebackers
Monday, Jan. 9: Wide Receivers
Tuesday, Jan. 10: Cornerbacks
Wednesday, Jan. 11: Running Backs
Thursday, Jan. 12: Safeties
Friday, Jan. 13: Quarterbacks
Saturday, Jan. 14: Special Teams
Sunday, Jan. 15: Coaching Staff

Right tackle Wanya Morris missed the first two games fo the season, and TCU transfer Tyler Guyton filled in admirably.

The redshirt sophomore flashed elite athleticism on the right side of OU’s offensive line, also stepping in to contribute in the regular season finale against Texas Tech and OU’s 35-32 Cheez-It Bowl loss to Florida State.

Tyler Guyton (60) started four games for the Sooners at offensive tackle this season, including OU's final two games of the year
Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Oklahoma also pulled off a key Bedlam victory to clinch bowl eligibility without starting center Andrew Raym.

The Broken Arrow product missed the final three games of the year, shutting down his season after Bedlam due to surgery, and veteran Robert Congel took the helm.

Since winning the Joe Moore Award, the trophy handed out annually to the best offensive line in the country, in 2018, the Sooners have been chasing down those heights.

Oklahoma took a small step back in 2019 before disappointing by Bedenbaugh’s standards in 2020 and 2021.

The return of strength and conditioning coach Jerry Schmidt appeared to help at the point of attack, as Oklahoma was able to improve its rushing yards per game by 31.4 yards per game this year.

OU was especially dominant up front in wins over Nebraska and Kansas this year, rushing for 312 yards and 298 yards respectfully in the pair of victories.

There were still holes in pass protection, however.

Oklahoma allowed 2.38 sacks per game in 2022, which was tied for No. 81-overall in the country.

Early on, Lebby placed some blame on quarterback Dillon Gabriel for holding onto the ball too long, but there were still mental errors that allowed free pass rushers through late in the season.

Oklahoma’s offensive line was also still plagued with mental mistakes at key points in drives this year.

The line was called for four false starts against Kansas State, including a pair of back-to-back calls that turned a fourth-and-1 into a fourth-and-9, turning a potential gamble to go for it into a 41-yard field goal.

Raym was flagged for a personal foul just before the half against Baylor that forced the Sooners into a 55-yard field goal attempt that Zach Schmit missed.

Another false start turned a fourth-and-1 in the first half against West Virginia into a fourth-and-6 (which the Sooners failed to covert), and another false start put OU behind the chains in Lubbock on what turned into a first half field goal drive.

Perhaps the most encouraging performance for the future of the unit came in the finale against Florida State.

Down every starter save McKade Mettauer, Oklahoma posted 496 yards of total offense against the Seminoles, including 253 yards on the ground.

The Sooners are going to have to replace plenty of production along the line in 2023, but the returns from one year under Schmidt and Lebby will provide optimism as Bedenbaugh breaks in a new unit this upcoming spring.

Grading the offensive line: