Oklahoma Running Back's Status Murky for Sooners' Game Against South Carolina

The Sooners saw seven of their players listed on the first SEC Availability Report of the week, released on Wednesday.

Offensive lineman Derek Simmons, though, wasn't one of them.

Simmons, who got rolled up on during the first quarter of Oklahoma’s 23-6 loss to Texas in the Red River Rivalry game last week, didn't carry a designation on the initial report.

A transfer from Western Carolina, Simmons has played 275 snaps at right tackle in his first year with the Sooners. Simmons’ 63.8 Pro Football Focus (PFF) run-blocking grade of 63.8 is the second best among all OU offensive linemen, behind only freshman Michael Fasusi. He did not return to the game against Texas after suffering the apparent lower-body injury.

Oklahoma running back Jovantae Barnes is questionable for the Sooners’ game against South Carolina.

Barnes didn’t appear in either of OU’s last two contests after playing in the Sooners’ first four games. The running back has rushed 19 times for 45 yards so far this season.

OU coach Brent Venables revealed on Tuesday that Barnes suffered an injury before the Sooners’ game against Texas.

Three players are listed on the report as doubtful: wide receiver Keontez Lewis, tight end Kade McIntyre and offensive lineman Logan Howland.

Lewis played against Texas after suffering a scary, game-ending injury against Kent State the week before. He finished the game against the Longhorns with two catches for 16 yards.

McIntyre, a redshirt sophomore, has appeared in just one contest for OU so far this season. He played in seven games in reserve roles during his first two seasons in Norman.

Howland appeared in each of Oklahoma’s first five games but suffered an undisclosed injury against Kent State in Week 6. The offensive lineman — who has played right tackle, left tackle and left guard so far in 2025 — posted a 58.4 offensive grade in the first half of the season.

Three players — offensive linemen Jacob Sexton, Jake Taylor and Troy Everett — have already been ruled out for the South Carolina game.

Sexton’s lone appearance of 2025 came in Week 1, when he appeared on just six snaps before aggravating a knee injury that has plagued him since last season. He started the first eight games of the 2024 season, starting four games each at left tackle and left guard.

Taylor has played in zero games during the 2025 season. Since arriving in Norman in 2022, Taylor has appeared in 16 contests.

Venables announced on Sept. 16 that Everett will miss the remainder of the season with a knee injury. His only appearance of 2025 came against Illinois State in Week 1.

Absent from the availability report is John Mateer, who played the entirety of Oklahoma’s loss to Texas.

Mateer, playing just 17 days after undergoing a surgery on his right hand, threw for 202 yards and three interceptions on 20-of-38 passing in the Texas game. Per Venables, Mateer didn’t do any “good-on-good” work in the week leading up to the loss to the Longhorns.

The quarterback revealed on Monday that he will be a full participant in practice before the Sooners take on South Carolina in Columbia on Saturday.

The SEC requires school personnel to submit daily injury reports prior to each conference game before submitting a final report no later than 90 minutes before game time.

Oklahoma’s game against South Carolina will begin at 11:45 a.m. and will be televised on the SEC Network.