Oklahoma 'Still Working' to Get 'Special' Owen Heinecke Back for 2026 Season

NORMAN — Jim Nagy hasn’t given up hope on getting Owen Heinecke back in Norman next year.

The OU football general manager said the Sooners were still exploring options to get the linebacker a final year of eligibility.

“We're still working through some of that. We're not giving up,” Nagy said at the Sooners’ Spring Media Day on Monday. “Yeah, Owen's just a guy you want to fight for.”

Heinecke saw his initial appeal to the NCAA for an additional year of eligibility denied.

He has not yet filed a lawsuit against the NCAA, as many others, including Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss have done, as Heinecke decided to go through the Senior Bowl and NFL Scouting Combine process.

“Owen's incredible,” Nagy said. “Been in a lot of close contact with he and his dad through this process and through Owen's Senior Bowl and combine. And he came back last week and we were watching practice together and I think it got him really juiced up about potentially maybe coming back here and being a Sooner, being around his teammates again and seeing those guys work.”

Oklahoma Sooners, Owen Heinecke — Oklahoma linebacker Owen Heinecke earned a major role on OU's 2025 defense. | Carson Field, Sooners On SI

Heinecke started his collegiate career playing lacrosse at Ohio State, and the eligibility issue stems from how the NCAA is counting his time with the Buckeyes.

He was one of the breakout stars for OU’s defense a year ago, totaling 74 tackles, 12.0 tackles for loss and three sacks while also forcing one fumble and breaking up three passes.

Heinecke competed alongside nine other teammates at the NFL Combine.

With his eligibility up in the air, Nagy and his front office staff had to build the roster this offseason without him — a cold reality of the transfer portal calendar.

“We had to account for Owen not being here,” Nagy said. “So we did what we did in the portal to do that. But again, if there's any sliver of hope of getting Owen back, we're going to do that.”

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The period of time Heinecke has spent in limbo has been difficult, Nagy said.

“He doesn't know where to focus his time,” he said. “NFL Draft, am I doing that and chasing that? Am I going to be a Sooner again? I know it hasn't been easy on Owen but his maturity, like he's handled it great. But yeah, it's been a lot harder on him than us.”

Regardless of where Heinecke ends up next year, Nagy is confident he will make his team better.

“He's special. He's a really special young man,” Nagy said. “If it ends up where he's in the NFL next year, whoever gets him is going to get a really good football player and a great young man. But yeah, we're still working through that.”