Could Logan Howland be Oklahoma's Answer at Right Tackle?

NORMAN — Logan Howland’s 2024 season was baptism by fire.

Injuries across Bill Bedenbaugh’s offensive line forced the redshirt freshman into the lineup at left tackle for Oklahoma.

He learned on the job, battling some of the SEC’s most talented defensive linemen, but he showed real growth by starting the Sooners’ last five games.

“The SEC is no joke,” Howland said. “You’ve got to be ready when it’s your time to come. Just always be prepared.”

But he hit a speed bump heading into the spring.

Howland underwent shoulder surgery, which kept him off the practice field for the entirety of practice earlier this year.

“For young guys,” Bedenbaugh said, “… not getting those reps hurts.”

The 6-foot-6 tackle knocked off the rust early in camp, then he got a chance to battle for a job at right tackle.

Oklahoma Sooners, Logan Howland — Oklahoma offensive tackle Logan Howland works at a Sooners' practice. | John E. Hoover / Sooners on SI

With veteran Jacob Sexton and true freshman Michael Fasusi also competing on the left side, Derek Simmons’ absence early in camp on the right side of the line afforded Howland the chance to flip to right tackle and compete for the starting job there.

“Sometimes it’s tough, but you just gotta work through it, you know? You gotta be flexible,” Howland said of the move. “You gotta be able to work both sides and be ready when your time comes.”

The work every lineman does throughout summer workouts helped that process along, too, said Howland.

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“(It’s) just flipping it. Getting used to a new stance,” he said. “We practice all the time in the summertime, left side, right side.”

Howland didn’t have to work back from injury alone.

Heath Ozaeta, who played left guard last year alongside Howland, also missed the spring with a shoulder surgery.

OU coach Brent Venables has been pleased with how both linemen have worked their way back into the mix, as they’ve both come on strong over the past couple of weeks at fall camp.

"They've done well. Took them a few days to kind of get back into it, having missed all of spring ball because of the postseason surgeries,” Venables said. “But they've worked really hard prior to that and once they've gotten back into it, to me both of those guys in the last week look like they're getting back. The kind of shape, the strain, the game slowed down a little bit more. Looked good the last couple of days."

The rehabilitation process allowed Howland and Ozaeta to focus on learning the new offense brought to Oklahoma by Ben Arbuckle, a process Howland felt went smoothly over the spring and summer.

“We’ve got great leaders, so it wasn’t hard at all,” Howland said. “We’re in there every day installing stuff with the leaders and just trying to learn the offense.”

The Sooners hope the increased levels of competition will lead to more quality depth along the line this year, especially if Howland is able to put his experience into action at right tackle.

“I think there’s a lot more depth,” Howland said. “… W e’re so excited to get out there and show the fans what we can do.”