Why the Oklahoma OL Is Doing 'Some Freaky Things' on the Field So Far

NORMAN — Oklahoma's offensive line is shaping up quite nicely through one week of fall camp, according to the man who will direct the Sooners' offense this season.

Quarterback Dillon Gabriel said the group has been "solid" so far.

"There's a lot of great guys that can do some freaky things," he said following Tuesday's practice. "That with just their will to learn and get better. It'll get to where we want it to be come game day."

Freaky?

"Big dudes can't usually move a certain way," he said. "And when you see them move that way, then I call them freaky."

In addition to athleticism, the Sooners appear to have solid depth in the trenches. Stanford transfer Walter Rouse, redshirt sophomore Savion Byrd, senior Andrew Raym, redshirt senior McKade Mettauer and redshirt junior Tyler Guyton took the first reps in drills during Monday's practice, which was open to the media for the first 40 minutes.

Freshman Cayden Green, Appalachian State transfer Troy Everett, redshirt junior Nate Anderson, Miami (Ohio) transfer Caleb Shaffer and sophomore Jake Taylor took the second reps.

Rouse (6-6, 322), a fifth-year senior who started 39 games in four years for Stanford, said the offensive line is jelling as a unit.

"I think it's been coming together really well. Overall, especially with the ones, we're really connected with one another," he said. "Loving working with Savion on the left side and we're forming a great relationship with one another.

"Some of the stuff we're doing is nonverbal because we're already feeling it. It was already instinctive. I'm just feeling great. We've got Jake Taylor. Hopefully we'll get Ty back soon. Looking forward to that. Raym has been a great leader and of course McKade. And everyone else from the freshmen, sophomores, juniors — everyone's been really hard at work."

Byrd (6-5, 310) played a reserve role in 2022 and made his first career start at left guard against Florida State in the Cheez-It Bowl.

Raym (6-4, 309) has started 17 games at center for the Sooners, surrendering just three sacks on 699 pass-blocking plays.

Mettauer (6-4, 305) was the only OU offensive lineman to start all 13 games in 2022. The Houston-area native was a second-team All-Pac-12 selection at California before transferring to Oklahoma.

Guyton (6-7, 320) started five games for the Sooners after transferring from TCU last season, allowing two sacks and no hits in 191 pass-blocking plays.

Collectively, the unit has been the surprise of camp so far for Gabriel.

"I don’t want to put the cart before the horse, but those guys are playing their butt off and I’m proud of them," he said. "Everybody, they just compete and they’re really smart just in everything they do. That group as a whole is a bunch of guys I’m impressed with.”

Offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby, speaking last week at OU Media Day, said he has penciled in Rouse, Raym, Mettauer and Guyton as starters, adding that there is an open competition at left guard.

Monday, Lebby said the offensive line is showing cohesiveness through four practices.

"As you look at it again with big Walter (Rouse) not being here, not being able to go through the spring, he’s had a good start," he said. "Savion’s had a good start. McKade and Raym."

"Again, these guys have really done a nice job getting going. We’ve got to continue to create depth. Backup center, who are those next guards? Troy Everett has done a nice job competing at left, playing some center. Doing some different things. So we’re rotating guys. We’re rolling guys. But we’re in a good spot."

Rouse, who underwent offseason shoulder surgery, said he is starting to feel like his old self again.

"The shoulder feels great. A lot better than I expected it to be," he said. "Honestly, from the first day to now I feel like I’ve been getting better every single day. Improving just a little bit. I’m also just having fun. I haven’t been able to hit somebody in about eight months."

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