Amid Talk of Transfers, Two Returning Seniors Look to Make It a Season to Remember at Oklahoma

NORMAN -- Much has been made of the new faces on Oklahoma's roster, including the offensive and defensive lines.

The Sooners are counting on multiple transfers, including offensive tackle Walter Rouse and defensive end Rondell Bothroyd, to make an immediate impact.

But as Saturday's home opener against Arkansas State approaches, it is a couple of returning seniors who are looking to make their marks in the trenches.

Center Andrew Raym, a senior from Broken Arrow, has recovered from shoulder surgery while redshirt senior Jonah Laulu will transition from defensive end to tackle for the first time in his college career.

Raym started the first 10 games of the 2022 season before missing the last three contests with a shoulder injury. He played 700 snaps and gave up just two sacks on 358 pass-blocking plays, according to Pro Football Focus, a sports analytics company.

Raym called his fourth fall camp "the best" he's had.

"I’m stronger, healthier, my body doesn’t hurt," he said. "I feel good every day. I’m moving like a deer, so I feel good.”

Laulu, a Las Vegas native who played in all 13 games last season, has bulked up to make the move from outside to inside, adding more than 20 pounds to his 6-foot-5 frame.

"Last year around this time I was struggling to stay in the 260s," he said at a recent practice. "During fall camp practices it’s hot outside and those are two-hour practices. So you lose a lot of weight. I was struggling to stay in the 260 area, 270.

"Right now I’m 290. Shoutout to the strength and nutrition staff, (strength and conditioning) coach Schmidty (Jerry Schmidt) for helping me since day one in January. Making that transition I’ve just been working to gain that weight the right way."

Laulu said he wants to make the most of his final college season.

"For me this is my last year, so I try to leave it all out there and give it my all," he said. "This is when we get our conditioning for the season. I don’t want to be the player that has to come off the field because I’m tired. I want to be able to play every play 110 percent. That’s just my mentality."

As for Raym, he said the offensive line has a chance to be better than last year's unit, which lost starting tackles Anton Harrison and Wanya Morris to the NFL.

"What did we run for last year? Like, six-and-a-half yards a carry maybe?" he asked. "But shoot, like I said, this line when we’re clicking on all cylinders we’re playing ball really well. We’re digging people out. Or backs are getting to the end zone without getting touched. So our line is going to have a hell of a year."

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