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Jim Nagy: Oklahoma LB Owen Heinecke's Appeal Denied by NCAA

Heinecke's three games as an Ohio State lacrosse player led to the denial.
Ryan Aber|
Oklahoma linebacker Owen Heinecke (38) against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the CFP National Playoff First Round at Gaylord Family — Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in December. Heinecke's appeal for an additional year of eligibility was denied by the NCAA.
Oklahoma linebacker Owen Heinecke (38) against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the CFP National Playoff First Round at Gaylord Family — Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in December. Heinecke's appeal for an additional year of eligibility was denied by the NCAA. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

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Oklahoma Sooners

NORMAN — Oklahoma linebacker Owen Heinecke, one of the Sooners' best defenders, is down to a last-gasp opportunity for another season of eligibility.

OU general manager Jim Nagy posted on X (formerly Twitter) Thursday night that Heinecke's appeal to the NCAA had been denied.

Nagy said that OU would make a final appeal of that decision, but if that was denied, Heinecke would be off to the NFL.

Heinecke spent 2021-22 as a freshman lacrosse player at Ohio State, appearing in three games for the Buckeyes in the spring of 2022 before transferring to Oklahoma.

He didn't play in 2022, before becoming a special teams staple each of the next two seasons.

This season, though, Heinecke took a significant step forward.

He moved into the rotation at linebacker and by the end of the season had taken over for Kobie McKinzie as the starting middle linebacker.

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Heinecke made his first career start Nov. 1 at Tennessee and it didn't take him long to make an even bigger impression.

It was Heinecke's hit that sprung the ball free and helped lead to R Mason Thomas's 73-yard fumble return for a touchdown that helped turn the tide the Sooners' way in the game.

He finished second on the team with 74 tackles and 12 tackles for loss. He also added four pass breakups, three sacks, two quarterback hurries and forced a fumble.

Heinecke was a second-team Associated Press All-SEC linebacker.

If Heinecke's appeal is denied, the Sooners' linebacker depth would take a hit, but they wouldn't be in terrible shape.

One of the Oklahoma's biggest gets in the transfer portal was Michigan transfer linebacker Cole Sullivan.

After being primarily a special teams contributor in 2024, Sullivan became a key piece of the Wolverines' defense last season after coming on strong in the offseason.

He finished the season with 44 tackles, five tackles for loss, four pass breakups, a team-high three interceptions and a forced fumble.

In the third quarter of the Sooners' 24-13 win over Michigan on Sept. 6, Sullivan dove on Isaiah Sategna's muffed punt for a fumble recovery.

That game also wound up being a breakout game for Heinecke, who led the Sooners in tackles with

If Sullivan winds up being the starter, redshirt sophomore James Nesta figures to be among those next up behind him.

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Ryan Aber
RYAN ABER

Ryan Aber has been covering Oklahoma football for more than a decade continuously and since 1999 overall. Ryan was the OU beat writer for The Oklahoman from 2013-2025, covering the transition from Bob Stoops to Lincoln Riley to Brent Venables. He covered OU men's basketball's run to the Final Four in 2016 and numerous national championships for the Sooners' women's gymnastics and softball programs. Prior to taking on the Sooners beat, Ryan covered high schools, the Oklahoma City RedHawks and Oklahoma City Barons for the newspaper from 2006-13. He spent two seasons covering Arkansas football for the Morning News of Northwest Arkansas before returning to his hometown of Oklahoma City. Ryan also worked at the Southwest Times Record in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and the Muskogee Phoenix. At the Phoenix, he covered OU's national championship run in 2000. Ryan is a graduate of Putnam City North High School in Oklahoma City and Northeastern State University in Tahlequah.

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