How Freshman Deacon Schmitt is Getting a Getting Ahead to Start His Oklahoma Career

NORMAN — Deacon Schmitt is hoping to make an immediate impact at Oklahoma.

The freshman offensive lineman was one of two signees up front in the 2026 class, but he worked hard to enroll early so he could get his first taste of spring ball with an SEC program.

“Getting here early is such an advantage because you can learn the ins and outs of everything,” Schmitt said on Monday at OU’s Spring Media Day. “So for me it’s just learning the playbook, getting in my rhythm and getting ready for the season.”

Schmitt, who was rated a 4-star recruit in 247Sports’ Composite Rankings, drew plenty of praise from Oklahoma general manager Jim Nagy on Signing Day.

“Deacon Schmitt is just a lot of fun to watch,” Nagy said. “He’s an absolute bully. He’s going to be the benchmark moving forward of guys we want to add on this offensive line. … He and his family are all about OU.”

Since arriving, Schmitt has enjoyed furthering his relationship with offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh, who has lived up to the billing so far.

“It’s a lot like most people would expect. He’s Coach Bedenbaugh,” Schmitt said. “Greatest offensive line coach in college football, obviously, so he coaches a certain way that some people might not be used to, but I’m used to that coaching. … It’s been good though. It’s a grind for sure, but it’s been great.”

With spring practice not yet underway, a majority of Schmitt’s time in the program has been spent getting to know his teammates in the weight room and diving into the playbook.

Getting up to speed on Ben Arbuckle’s offense has been the biggest challenge so far, Schmitt said, but he’s got a good support group already helping him to get up to speed.

“The whole o-line room has really helped me with all that, just the adjustment period,” he said. “Obviously, the playbook is going to be a little more in-depth. I went to high school in Colorado; I didn’t go to school in Texas … There’s a lot more to the football side of things. So just getting used to that. I think the o-line has really helped me.

“The whole room in general, they’ve really helped me grasp the more detailed concepts of the playbook and stuff like that. So those guys have been a real help.”

Breaking into the lineup as a true freshman will be tough.

Michael Fasusi and Ryan Fodje both return starting experience at offensive tackle, and Fodje can play guard if Arkansas transfer E’Marion Harris wins the starting right tackle job opposite of Fasusi.

On the interior, Eddy Pierre-Louis and Heath Ozaeta are both back to battle at guard, and center Jake Maikkula returns.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook and X for the latest news.

Nagy and Brent Venables also signed Western Kentucky center Caleb Nitta and Georgia Tech lineman Peyton Joseph to add more depth along the interior, but the pathway to playing time for young pieces of the OU offensive line is part of what drew Schmitt to Norman.

“Coach V, he just said it the other day when he was talking to us, he said that we’ve played the most freshmen last year in college football,” Schmitt said. “That’s one of the reasons I came here, right? I want to get on the field as soon as I can.”

But Schmitt knows any playing time this year will be earned, as he’s been impressed by the efforts the entire offensive line has been putting in throughout the offseason.

“All those guys work super hard,” he said. “You have to at this level.”