Heath Ozaeta, Oklahoma Counting On ‘Maturity’ and Depth With Jake Maikkula Out

With the starting center sidelined, the Sooners have faith in their depth.

Oklahoma offensive lineman Heath Ozaeta | Carson Field / Sooners On SI

NORMAN — The first thing you want to hear after some bad news is good news. Oklahoma received good news yesterday regarding starting center Jake Maikkula’s prognosis, as he avoided a season-ending injury, a source told Sooners On SI.

In the meantime, the Sooners are forced to have a next-man-up mentality. While the situation is never ideal to see your starting center go down for any length of time, OU is confident in the guys behind Maikkula in the pecking order.

Names like Caleb Nitta and Noah Best have emerged as the players to hold Maikkula's spot while he recovers.

Heath Ozaeta, who has already had to fill in as a starter while OU deals with some minor ailments during Fall Camp, isn't worried about the state of the offensive line.

Asked Heath Ozaeta about the confidence level on versatility within the O-Line whenever a player goes down forcing backups to play or starters to slide over

Also, some good insight on the O-Line room, Caleb Nitta and Noah Best. | @SoonersOnSI pic.twitter.com/3sOUkEyz12

— Brady Trantham (@BradyDoesSports) August 18, 2026

"Having guys who can fit in and play anywhere is important," Ozaeta said. "Depth is super important in all phases of the game."

While whoever wins the starting center job will be a new face to the program this offseason, the offensive line as a unit has a new level of maturity to help with any hurdle.

"There’s a lot of maturity in our room," Ozaeta said on Tuesday. "One of our biggest strengths is that we have a lot of guys returning, which hasn’t been the case in years past. Having those people around who were here last year helps, especially in the offensive line room, because of the continuity in the group."

Maikkula’s momentary departure from play disrupts that continuity, but Ozaeta expressed confidence in either Nitta or Best as a potential heir apparent.

Oklahoma’s Gunnar Allen (57), Ryan Fodje (70) and Caleb Nitta (60) during football practice for the OU Sooners at the stadium practice fields in Norman, Okla., Friday, August 7, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

"(Nitta) was an engineering major at Virginia Tech, so he’s a super smart kid. He picked it up super fast. He’s always asking questions and always learning. He’s a really smart guy, so it’s been easy for him to pick it up and keep rolling," Ozaeta said.

Nitta has the experience at center over Best. Last season, Nitta started for Western Kentucky at center, totaling 653 snaps per Pro Football Focus. He even went up against LSU late in the season and graded fairly well with a 62.6 overall score and a 78.7 pass-blocking grade.

But Best has been the talk of OU's Fall Camp. The freshman is a physical specimen at 6-4, 319 pounds and has had the play and football IQ to back it up on the field.

"He’s an animal," Ozaeta said. "He’s a super smart kid and great with his hands. You see him getting better out there. He’s a freshman, so he’s going to mess up, we all do, but he corrects it the next day. That’s super encouraging, watching someone get better."

Noah Best and Bill Bedenbaugh | Noah Best via Twitter/X

Oklahoma will, of course, wish Maikkula a speedy recovery and a return to play as soon as possible. His play last season and the continuity Ozaeta spoke of are advantages OU has enjoyed this offseason.

But whoever has to step in at center in his absence, the expectations for the offensive line shouldn't change.

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