BREAKING: Oklahoma Gets O-Line Relief for Michigan Visit, But Injury Concerns Linger

ANN ARBOR, MI — Oklahoma is expecting to have two injured starters back in the lineup when the Sooners take the field for Saturday’s big showdown with Michigan.

Center Jake Maikkula and right guard Ryan Fodje were at full speed and not limited in Monday evening’s practice in Norman, a source told Sooners On SI.

“We’ll get them going this week,” head coach Brent Venables said Monday night on his coaches show.

The availability of left tackle Michael Fasusi, however, is less certain.

If this were a Southeastern Conference game and OU was compelled to label Fasusi’s availability for the Wolverines per SEC rules, Fasusi would likely be listed as “questionable” with the possibility of being “doubtful,” according to the source.

Fasusi battled a sore shoulder throughout preseason training camp, and when OU opened the season against UTEP last Friday night, the sophomore from Lewisville, TX, played only 17 snaps, according to Pro Football Focus, before retiring to the Sooner bench.

“He’s fine,” Venables said after the game. “He’s great.”

Fasusi didn’t participate fully in Monday’s practice but did some light rehab-type work off to the side, a source said.

The source said the goal now might be to rest Fasusi for this week’s game at Michigan as well as next week’s home game with New Mexico so he can be full strength for OU’s Sept. 26 conference game at Georgia, followed two weeks later by the Red River Rivalry showdown with Texas.

Fasusi’s anticipated absence this week creates some potential movement at left tackle.

His backups are listed as 6-4, 331-pound sophomore Peyton Joseph and 6-4, 313-pound junior Fred Hinton.

Joseph is a transfer from Georgia Tech who played 27 snaps at right tackle last week against UTEP with an overall grade of 56.9 and a pass blocking grade of 70.4, per PFF.

Hinton is a transfer from Eastern Kentucky who got 15 snaps against the Miners with an overall grade of 88.5 and a pass block grade of 73.5.

Fodje and Maikkula both sustained minor knee injuries in the final weeks of preseason training camp. The prognosis for Maikkula’s sprained MCL was originally out 4-6 weeks, but he made it back in three. Fodje’s was more of a scare, as he was back at practice the following day.

Both were held out of last week’s 51-0 victory over UTEP.

Fodje, who practiced at center with Maikkula out and previously played both guard and tackle on the right side, also could step over to left tackle in Fasusi’s absence, which would elevate senior Heath Ozaeta again to right guard.

Ozaeta has played more than 1,000 offensive snaps in his career, including 40 last week against UTEP, when he graded out with a 63.8 overall rating and 81.2 on pass blocks, per PFF.

In their controversial 13-12 win over Western Michigan on Saturday night, the Wolverines limited their opponent to just 221 total yards — 89 passing, 132 rushing — as the Broncos averaged just 2.9 yards per rush and 4.2 yards per pass.

Michigan’s defense is loaded with talent as usual. Senior defensive end John Henry Daley and senior cornerback Jyaire Hill were first-team preseason All-Big Ten selections, and junior safety Chris Bracy was third-team.

Daley has missed time after an Achilles injury in November (with Utah) but he played 43 snaps last week against WMU and coach Kyle Whittingham said last week Daley is “more explosive than ever” and added Monday he was “playing well.”

Daley is also a second-team selection on the Walter Camp Preseason All-America Team and is on the watch lists of five awards.

Last season with the Utes, Daley compiled 17.5 tackles for loss and 11.5 quarterback sacks — a stat that puts pass blocking on the edge at a premium.

The Sooners and Wolverines kick off at 11 a.m. CT inside Michigan Stadium.

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