Another Injury: Oklahoma Will Have to Re-Shuffle the OL Once Again, Per Report

Another starter along the Sooners' offensive line went down prior to the season opener during Monday's practice.

Oklahoma offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh talks to offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle during practice. | Carson Field / Sooners On SI

Oklahoma will need to re-shuffle their offensive line once again before embarking on the 2026 season.

Ryan Fodje, who was announced as the starting center Monday following original starter Jake Maikkula’s injury, will not play against UTEP due to an injury sustained early this week, per a report from SoonerScoop's George Stoia and confirmed by Sooners On SI sources.

One source indicated that Fodje had sustained a knee injury that was, like Maikkula's sprained MCL, not expected to be serious in nature or long-term. Fodje will have an MRI soon to determine the extent of the injury.

Reserve center Caleb Nitta, who transferred to OU from Western Kentucky, and reserve guard Noah Best are the primary candidates for the starting spot in the Sooners’ first game on Friday night.

Nitta appeared as the backup center on Monday’s depth chart reveal, with reserve fifth-year center Gunnar Allen as the third option. Best received an “or” designation behind/with guard Heath Ozaeta after receiving reps at center during fall camp. 

OU's offense was further diminished last week when junior wide receiver Parker Livingstone, a transfer from Texas, was made to enter concussion protocol, according to a Sooners On SI source. His availability for Friday's game and beyond is unknown. Livingstone was projected as a starter, but on Monday's UTEP depth chart, he was officially listed as a co-starter with sophomore Elijah Thomas.

Fodje met with the media on Sunday evening where he shared confidence in making the start at his third position on the offensive line since signing with the Sooners last year. In 2025, Fodje made starts at right guard — his more natural position — before kicking out to right tackle when Derek Simmons went down with concussions. 

“It's been good so far, working with Coach (Bill Bedenbaugh), Jake, Noah, all those guys,” Fodje said. “They're amazing. I said earlier  that I can take off my glove and play center so that's what I'm doing right now. But it's been good.”

Offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle downplayed the difficulty of snapping the football during his Monday press conference.

“Most quarterbacks will probably tell you they’ve taken snaps from a lot of people. So it’s just another guy under there,” Arbuckle said. “You gotta, just like a receiver, you’ve got to get the chemistry going with them. But they’ve been around each other so much and Ryan’s played a lot on the offensive line, there’s already a lot of chemistry there. So it’s really good.”

Venables had expressed confidence in Fodje.

"I think I'm beyond the impressed part now after kind of being here for a year, and us being able to see his versatility, his position versatility," Venables said. "He's displayed that since he got here. I would just say it's affirmation of who he's been, just from a consistency standpoint. He hasn't flinched in any way."

The Sooners will take on UTEP at 7 p.m. on Friday at Gaylord Family — Oklahoma Memorial Stadium to open their 2026 season before hitting the road next week for the program's first-ever contest at Michigan.

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