Returning Leadership Could be the X-Factor for Oklahoma's Offensive Line in 2026

The Sooners saw continuity on their offensive line in 2025, and now the foundation is built for them to be even better in 2026.

Oklahoma offensive lineman Ryan Fodje | Carson Field / Sooners On SI

NORMAN — Oklahoma’s offensive line saw consistency in 2025, and now the Sooners hope that the unit becomes one of the best in the SEC.

The Sooners will enter the fall with several of their top linemen back from last year’s squad, including Michael Fasusi, Eddy Pierre-Louis, Ryan Fodje, Jake Maikkula and Heath Ozaeta. 

OU coach Brent Venables underscored the importance of that group’s experience.

“You can’t manufacture that,” Venables said. “It’s huge.”

The Sooners’ linemen used the 2025 season to gain experience and build a foundation for future success at the line.

And they’ve used the offseason to build chemistry.

Fasusi and Fodje were both true freshmen in 2025, and Venables said that neither of them were “capable of leading” in Year 1. But during winter workouts and spring ball, Fasusi and Fodje became more vocal, per Venables.

“The leadership is real,” Venables said. “Lots of different personalities, same mentality and that’s what I’m most excited about.”

Venables said Pierre-Louis became a strong leader as a redshirt freshman last year and that he has helped Fasusi, Fodje and some of the other young linemen become more vocal.

“He’s got the soul that everybody else can relate to,” Venables said. “They feel him. He’s about the work, along with those other guys.”

---

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook and X for the latest news.

---

Arkansas transfer E’Marion Harris is another player who has quickly become a role model within OU’s program. Harris played 1,694 snaps over four seasons with the Razorbacks. 

“He’s very talented, he’s gained the weight, he’s gained strength, he’s gained confidence,” Venables said.

Venables also said that Maikkula and Ozaeta — a senior and a junior, respectively — have grown as leaders despite each of them missing multiple games last year.

The aforementioned six linemen will likely get the most snaps in 2026. But Venables also believes that some of the younger linemen could be impactful if called upon, thanks to the leadership from the veterans.

“Now you start feeling like, OK, we might have seven guys, maybe eight if somebody else comes on,” Venables said. “It’s not 9 or 10, but it’s better than maybe what you thought, and we had to stay healthy there. But that group of guys is coming back with different levels of cohesion.”

Oklahoma’s offense stalled in the back half of the 2025 season. The Sooners finished the year ranked 12th in the SEC in both scoring offense and total offense.

But Venables believes that the offensive line can help elevate the offense as a whole — as long as the linemen continue building chemistry and growing as leaders.

“That unit right there, man, if they’re going to play well together, the closeness, the connection, the brotherhood of that group is important, maybe the most important unit on your football team,” Venables said. “It might be the best that we’ve had since we’ve been here when it comes to that — the continuity, the chemistry, the togetherness. It jumps out at you. They’re competing, and showing up every day with a different level of confidence, as well.”