How Eddy Pierre-Louis has Pushed Oklahoma's OL Forward Ahead of Season-Defining Stretch

The redshirt freshman has changed the dynamic along the OU offensive line with three massive games remaining in the regular season for the Sooners.

Oklahoma offensive lineman Eddy Pierre-Louis (55) | Carson Field, Sooners on SI

NORMAN — True freshman offensive tackle Michael Fasusi was actually the inspiration for the viral headbutt from redshirt freshman Eddy Pierre-Louis. 

Tennessee burned a timeout after running back Xavier Robinson intentionally tumbled at the 1-yard line in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s 33-27 win over the Vols, and Pierre-Louis pumped Fasusi up by knocking heads before taking the field on first-and-goal. 

Never change EPL. Never change pic.twitter.com/UIR5xAUjOk

— D (@The_Ham_Berglar) November 2, 2025

“Fasusi is the one who got me hyped up,” Pierre-Louis said on Wednesday. “He was talking to me like, ‘Come on we’ve got to get this. This is an opportunity for us to get up big.’ And like man, out of nowhere, I just gave him a little headbutt.”

Fasusi was not expecting that to be the response from Pierre-Louis. 

“That was probably like the second, third time ever doing it,” Fasusi said. “… We didn’t even plan it; it was just something that happened. He hit me first. ‘Oh, come on then!’ Boom. We just did it again. You know what that does, raise the vibe right there on that drive and score.”

Pierre-Louis has done more than fire up Fasusi in the seven quarters since he took over for Heath Ozaeta at left tackle against Ole Miss. 

He’s raised the intensity levels for the entire offensive line, something that’s been essential in the growth of Oklahoma’s running game, even if every snap isn’t perfect. 

“I’ve always felt like I always needed to bring that 110 percent each and every play,” he said, “Even though sometimes fundamentals, technique, I’ve still got to work on that. Still a lot of things I’ve got to work on in general, but just being out (there) and having intensity, that’s something nobody can take from you.

“And that was also something my mom preached to me. Just go out there and play with your heart, and that’s what I feel like I’ve been playing with.”

Pierre-Louis had an opportunity to make the left guard spot his own during spring football. 

Ozaeta sat out as he worked his way back from a shoulder injury, allowing Pierre-Louis to take important reps with OU’s first team.

During fall camp, Ozaeta got back into rhythm, eventually winning the starting job.

Pierre-Louis didn’t mope or check out. Instead, he was determined to do anything necessary to help win, whether it be on offense or special teams.

When he got a massive opportunity to make an impact against the Rebels, he ran with it. 

"He's stayed ready,” OU coach Brent Venables said. “He hasn't gotten discouraged and lost his way. Go through halfway through the year — and he's been in some other games, but to your point, just a couple games ago, 'Hey, here you go.' He's jumped at the opportunity. He's ready for the opportunity. That's the challenge to other guys. (We) talk about that all the time. Don't grow weary. Stay invested, and stay ready. He's certainly done that."

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The version of Pierre-Louis caught by the cameras on Saturday is the same guy who shows up to every practice and every meeting, too. 

“The way you see him out on the field, that's how he practices,” Venables said. “He runs out of the huddle. He sprints to the line. But it's a very infectious thing, the mindset, the attitude, the passion, the energy. To me, it starts there. The best units have that if they have something. 

“Everybody's a little bit different, but I think Eddy has a unique ability to bring out the best in everybody around him. And until you get into the game and start doing that, it kind of doesn't get the plane off the ground, and he's done that.”

The energy brought by Pierre-Loius lifts every member of Bill Bedenbaugh’s offensive line. 

“Having a guy that’s going to go hard, that’s going to strain every single rep,” said Fasusi, “the only thing that you can do (in response) is go hard and strain every single rep.”

Despite Oklahoma’s recent success on the ground, Pierre-Louis will quickly tell you that he needs to take a big step forward throughout the final month of the regular season. 

But Saturday’s experience at Neyland Stadium not only gives the redshirt freshman plenty of confidence, but it gives him tape to study and learn from as he prepares to battle No. 4-ranked Alabama after the No. 12 Sooners enjoy an open date this weekend. 

“Each and every game I had opportunities to get in, so that was always a way for me to critique my reps and also take maximum capacity with my reps as well,” Pierre-Louis said. “Like even though if I got 10-12 reps a couple of games, I was able to maximize that to my opportunity. But having a full game of reps to watch myself through the first and fourth quarter, having that finish, that’s the most important thing.

“… It felt good to have an opportunity to get out there and play with the guys and actually play with the team. … It was always about playing my role, and I got a bigger role so I was able to step up a little bit and help the team get a win.”