Injuries? What Injuries? Oklahoma Offensive Line Gets a Double Shot of Good News

Oklahoma received some very good news on Tuesday — about two injured players.

After offensive lineman Ryan Fodje went down Monday at practice with a knee injury, Fodje was back at practice on Tuesday and was actually suited up, according to a source close to the program, although another source said he was held out of some full contact reps.

Fodje's injury was first reported by SoonerScoop's George Stoia and later confirmed by a Sooners On SI source. The MRI that Fodje had Tuesday morning was negative, one source told Sooners On SI.

While Fodje is still expected to miss the No. 10-ranked Sooners’ season opener against UTEP on Friday night as a precaution, the source indicated that OU’s goal is to have him ready to play on Sept. 12 against No. 16-ranked Michigan in Ann Arbor.

Exactly what position the sophomore from Cypress, TX, will be playing when OU visits the Wolverines is the other half of OU's good news.

Fodje’s move from right guard to center had been necessitated by an injury to starting center and co-captain Jake Maikkula.

The source told Sooners On SI Tuesday night that Maikkula was a “full go at practice” on Tuesday.

Although he wasn’t limited at practice, Maikkula — a senior from Colorado who transferred to OU from Stanford prior to the 2024 season and wound up starting 10 games at center after Troy Everett’s season-ending knee injury in the opener — also will likely be held out or at least limited when Oklahoma opens the season against the Miners, with an eye on having him fully healthy for the Michigan game.

Sooners head coach Brent Venables said on Aug. 21 that he thought Maikkula’s was “a short-term injury” and expected him to be available “sooner rather than later.” A source told Sooners On SI at the time that an MRI revealed Maikkula had sustained a sprained MCL and the initial prognosis was that he would be out 4-6 weeks.

Maikkula’s injury occurred on Aug. 15. Saturday’s game with UTEP would mark three weeks since the injury; Michigan would be four.

Maikkula’s knee was “rolled up on” from behind during a full-contact scrimmage, according to a report from OU Insider’s Brandon Drumm and later confirmed by the Sooners On SI source.

Maikkula’s expected return means Fodje would slide back to his usual spot as Bill Bedenbaugh’s starting right guard.

Fodje filling in for Maikkula had created an opportunity for Heath Ozaeta to step up at guard.

Ozaeta, a senior from Washington, played in 21 games in the previous two seasons, with 15 starts — mostly at left guard. Ozaeta recorded 1,028 offensive snaps in 2025 and 2026, according to Pro Football Focus.

Fodje played in all 13 games and made six starts last year as a true freshman, including four at right tackle and two at right guard. He finished his rookie season with 433 offensive snaps, per PFF, and allowed just one sack on 254 pass blocking plays.

With Maikkula and Fodje both out briefly, senior Caleb Nitta (a Western Kentucky transfer) and Noah Best (a true freshman from Midlothian, TX), stepped into the center spot and held things down nicely, according to teammates.

“I trust all three of them. I really do,” quarterback John Mateer said. “I have a good relationship with all three of them. Noah and Caleb just got here in January, but we've spent time together, and we've done so off the field. Translating that onto the field and working together has been no problem. They work hard, and they like to learn. And Coach Bedenbaugh's on them.”

Bedenbaugh has worked hard to develop all that depth. Now he’ll have it back for the start of a brutal stretch of three games — Michigan at the Big House, No. 3 Georgia in Athens and No. 5 Texas at the Cotton Bowl — in just 28 days.

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