Oklahoma's Freshman O-Line Trio Echoes Past Foundations for 2026 Rise

NORMAN — The Oklahoma Sooners are already going over their Christmas 2025 haul — 10 wins, a College Football Playoff berth and a fresh stack of “New Year, new grind” boxes to check on the get-back-in-shape plan. Everyone wants to get bigger, faster and stronger during the winter. OU's no different.

What helps the team find the beach bod they've always wanted? Having the offensive line as a strength heading into the season.

That's something the Sooners haven't been able to say since the days of Creed Humphrey. Oklahoma has been chasing the ghost of the 2018 Joe Moore Award-winning offensive line since that group left for big NFL contracts.

In 2025, it seems that OU has found its foundation for strength in the form of three freshmen, two true and one redshirt.

Oklahoma Sooners, Bill Bedenbaugh — Oklahoma offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh | Carson Field, Sooners On SI

Michael Fasusi started 10 games for the Sooners in 2025 and impressed as an 18-year old left tackle in the SEC. Per Pro Football Focus, Fasusi averaged out to a 66.2 grade in 11 games (10 starts). Fasusi was not named to the SEC's All-Freshman team, and was instead beat out by Alabama's Michael Carrol (67.4 grade in 14 games, six starts) and Tennessee's David Sanders Jr. (67.2 in eight games, five starts).

Ryan Fodje, another talented true freshman, was a Swiss army knife for Bill Bedenbaugh's offensive line. The big 320-pounder from Cypress, TX was recruited as a tackle but started his career at right guard before switching to right tackle. Fodje would return to right guard for the final two games against LSU and Alabama.

Eddy Piere-Louis' physicality and attitude helped turn the tide of the Sooner season when he slid into starting action during the loss to Ole Miss. From that point on, Oklahoma was able to rely on a running game until their backs became victims of attrition.

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In those three, the Sooners hope the 2026 offseason is one where that foundation becomes a strength for their offense.

We've seen this movie before with Oklahoma offensive lines of the past.

In 2006, the Sooners employed first-timers Duke Robinson, Brandon Walker and the recovering Jon Cooper, who had been injured in his true freshman campaign after starting a few games in 2005. Oklahoma enjoyed an 11-3 bounce back season with another Big 12 crown.

More importantly, those three young linemen became the foundation for the powerful offenses of 2007 and 2008.

Sam Bradford, Oklahoma Sooner — Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Sam Bradford throws against the Missouri Tigers at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. The Sooners beat the Tigers 41-31. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images | Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images

After a second loss to Ohio State in 2016, Oklahoma rolled out newcomers Ben Powers, Dru Samia and Erik Wren. Cody Ford's ACL tear shifted Jonathan Alvarez to left guard and Wren to center — a spot he locked down through 2017.

Like the young guns who laid the foundation on Oklahoma's 2006 offensive line, the new crew that gelled in 2016 powered through the Big 12 — and into the record books — with Baker Mayfield in 2017 and Kyler Murray in 2018.

10 years later, the Sooners are hoping their latest offensive line featuring a cast of young characters can help lead the charge for an Oklahoma offensive surge in 2026.

It doesn't hurt that a major player for one of those offensive line rebuilds from the past is already in the building — Kevin Wilson.

Oklahoma Sooners, Kevin Wilson — Oklahoma offensive analyst Kevin Wilson | Carson Field, Sooners on SI

Wilson served as an offensive analyst with the Sooners in 2025 as well as a mentor for the 30-year old Ben Arbuckle. Wilson's veteran insight helped Arbuckle grasp the gravity of Oklahoma's offensive coordinator gig.

The former Oklahoma play caller and offensive line coach already shared his thoughts with the current group of offensive line when he challenged their production during the season.

"He called out the BS in the air," Febechi Nwaiwu said last week. "I think him calling us out and especially hearing it from a coach of his stature and history, being an old coach here, it really made us realize the standard that we weren’t holding and the standard we had to get back to."

That 2006 offensive line that helped lead to the powerful offenses of 2007 and 2008? Yeah, Wilson oversaw that development during his first year as the Sooners offensive coordinator. No doubt his words left an impact with this new young group, like Nwaiwu suggested.

Will 2025's line lead to explosive offenses in 2026 and 2027? The Sooners sure hope so — but it is Christmas, why not wish upon a star?