Oklahoma’s Offensive Line Getting ‘Abnormal’ Boost From Freshman

NORMAN — Last year, it was Michael Fasusi and Ryan Fodje who saw meaningful playing time during their freshman seasons at OU.

Fasusi was a consensus 5-star recruit out of high school, and he appeared on 676 offensive snaps in Year 1 at Oklahoma. Fodje, formerly a 4-star prospect, played on 433 snaps and made six starts.

Freshman Noah Best — a native of Midlothian, Texas — wasn’t as highly touted as Fasusi or Fodje when he enrolled at OU. But coach Brent Venables has already seen enough to believe that he’ll be an instant contributor.

“He’s done a good job,” Best said. “He’s got a capacity, mentally, to come compete every day. That’s a little bit abnormal for freshmen.”

Best was a star throughout his high school career at Midlothian High School. He earned Texas 5A Second Team All-State honors as a senior in 2025, and he was a two-time first team all-district pick.

Still, the 6-4, 319-pound lineman wasn’t considered a top prospect. Every major recruiting network graded him as a 3-star, and he ultimately chose OU over offers from Texas Tech, Missouri and Kansas State.

According to Fodje, it’s very clear that Best may turn out to be a hidden gem.

“He doesn't talk too much, but he is consistent with his work,” Fodje said. “You'll see him strike (junior defensive tackle) Jayden Jackson — he was a Freshman All-America. And as a true freshman, that's extremely hard.”

After Fasusi and Fodje’s success a year ago, it has become easier for Venables to trust first-year offensive linemen.

And with three weeks until the start of the regular season, Venables believes Best will be able to take on any role that’s given to him.

“His improvement and his consistency and his toughness, his maturity that he’s shown with young players has really helped him earn some trust, and that’s what it’s about,” Venables said. “Being a part of that circle of trust, that is really important.”

It’s hard to predict exactly where Best will fit in on OU’s offensive line.

During high school, he played primarily at guard. But according to Venables, he’s moved around regularly, making him a viable depth option at multiple spots in 2026.

“He’s played different positions in the spring, so we’ve been able to develop some depth without having depth in numbers,” Venables said.

Fasusi and Arkansas transfer E’Marion Harris are expected to start at the guard spots, while Fodje, Eddy Pierre-Louis and Jake Maikkula will likely start on the interior.

But Fodje believes that Best has more than stated his case for a starting role in the Sooners’ season opener against UTEP on Sept. 4.

“I feel like he has a chance to be a starter on Day 1,” Fodje said. “The thing I like about him the most is how consistent he is. Obviously, we have to finish camp, but he’s a great player.”

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