Tag: Cayden Green

Sooners pick up another offensive lineman via the transfer portal

The Oklahoma Sooners have added their third offensive lineman in the transfer portal, former Florida and USC tackle Michael Tarquin.

The Oklahoma Sooners had work to do heading into the offseason. Even prior to the transfer of true freshman [autotag]Cayden Green[/autotag], Oklahoma was set to lose four starters along the offensive line heading into 2024.

They’ve made moves in the [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag] to add offensive tackle Spencer Brown from Michigan State and [autotag]Febechi Nwaiwu[/autotag] from North Texas. Now, the Sooners have added another experienced player to add to Bill Bedenbaugh’s group.

Former Florida Gators and USC Trojans offensive lineman Michael Tarquin is heading to Norman to join the Sooners, according to OUInsider’s Parker Thune.

Tarquin has started 28 games in his collegiate career with more than 1,110 snaps per Pro Football Focus. He’s predominantly been a right tackle at the collegiate level.

A former four-star player in the 2019 recruiting class, Tarquin has been on Bedenbaugh and the Sooners’ radar for a long time. Most recently, the Sooners attempted to recruit Tarquin to Norman after the 2022 season.

In the portal this offseason, the Sooners have added a trio of offensive linemen that provide a lot of experience to a young offensive line group.

With [autotag]Jacob Sexton[/autotag], Spencer Brown and now Tarquin with experience at right tackle, Bedenbaugh and the Sooners’ offensive staff will have to make some decisions to make with how they deploy their offensive linemen. It’s possible one of their tackles will move inside to guard. Tarquin could be a viable option to bump inside to right guard.

In addition to the 2024 offensive line class, the Sooners have done a nice job retooling their offensive line room in the wake of their five departures up front. Now it’s a matter of once again making the pieces fit together as the Sooners head into the SEC.

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Oklahoma Sooners must solve their offensive line problem heading into 2024

The Oklahoma Sooners have their work cut out for them with the offensive line but could any of the young guys be an answer?

There is no doubt the Oklahoma Sooners’ biggest question mark heading into 2024 and their inaugural season in the [autotag]SEC[/autotag] is the offensive line. The Sooners lose five guys who started a bunch of games last season.

[autotag]Walter Rouse[/autotag], [autotag]McKade Mettauer[/autotag], [autotag]Andrew Raym[/autotag], [autotag]Cayden Green[/autotag] and [autotag]Tyler Guyton[/autotag] are gone. Four are off to the [autotag]NFL[/autotag]. The other found a new home in Missouri. That means the Sooners will have their work cut out for them to replace those five.

[autotag]Troy Everett[/autotag] played some at guard but started the bowl game at center, which is probably his more natural position. We’ll see if he wins that job, but it appears he’s the leader to take over for Raym. [autotag]Jacob Sexton[/autotag] started the last few games after Guyton went down with an injury and did pretty well. The Sooners also brought in two transfers [autotag]Spencer Brown[/autotag] and [autotag]Febechi Nwaiwu[/autotag], who look poised to take over at tackle and guard.

But that still leaves spots unfilled. The Sooners are almost certainly going to remain active in the portal, but it’s also possible an incoming freshman gets a look. Most people have assumed that would be [autotag]Eddy Pierre-Louis[/autotag], seeing how highly thought of he is. But a constantly mentioned top performer at the Under Armour All-American events is [autotag]Eugene Brooks[/autotag].

“I don’t know where it will start for me, but I’m just going to go in there and ball out,” Brooks said. “I’m going to work my butt off. I’m going to go in there every day and give it 110% and be the first one in and the last one out.”

It seems with Brooks, [autotag]Daniel Akinkunmi[/autotag], Pierre-Louis, [autotag]Isaiah Autry[/autotag] and [autotag]Josh Aisosa[/autotag], the Sooners have a class of offensive linemen that are physical and bring some nasty back to the offensive line.

That’s something they’ve been missing the last few years, and something we know Bedenbaugh wants out of his linemen. Combine that with what appears to be a strong work ethic from each, and Oklahoma could have a better offensive line class than many thought initially.

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Seth Littrell not looking to change things up ahead of Sooners Alamo Bowl contest

Though the offensive coordinator will be different, the Sooners offense will remain the same in their Alamo Bowl matchup with Arizona.

Anytime there’s a coordinator change, you can expect things to look different on that side of the ball. However, that won’t happen just yet with the Oklahoma Sooners as they get set to take on the Arizona Wildcats.

Gone is [autotag]Jeff Lebby[/autotag]. Insert [autotag]Seth Littrell[/autotag] and [autotag]Joe Jon Finley[/autotag] as the new offensive coordinators. Littrell will call the plays. While the play-caller will be different, the offense will look a lot like the one Lebby produced with the Sooners.

Speaking with the media in the buildup to the [autotag]Alamo Bowl[/autotag], Littrell spoke about maintaining continuity for the Sooners in their bowl preparation.

“The offense that we’re running will stay consistent with what we’ve done throughout the year,” Littrell said. “Then we can look up after the season and figure out what we need to do moving forward as far as adjustments and kind of evolving and how we grow. But this isn’t the time for that. This is the time for these guys to go out there and play fast and have that camaraderie together.”

The tenets of the offense that have been so good this year will still be evident in Littrell’s execution. They’ll want to play fast, run the football, and try to hit big plays in the passing game. With [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] in at quarterback, the Sooners will have a bigger arm to help push the ball down the field.

The question is, will the true freshman have time? Oklahoma will be missing their left guard and center from the final three games of the season after [autotag]Cayden Green[/autotag] transferred and [autotag]Andrew Raym[/autotag] opted out of the bowl to prepare for the NFL draft.

The Alamo Bowl may provide our first look at the offensive philosophy of Seth Littrell. Though the scheme and the plays will remain the same, how they’re called, the flow of the game and Littrell’s offensive demeanor may look different.

Oklahoma Sooners receive three predictions for transfer offensive lineman

Oklahoma Sooners could be getting some more good news, this time in the transfer portal.

It’s no secret, the Oklahoma Sooners have a lot of work to do along the offensive line before next season. The Sooners must replace all five starters from this season, although [autotag]Jacob Sexton[/autotag] and [autotag]Troy Everett[/autotag] started a few games in 2023.

[autotag]Walter Rouse[/autotag], [autotag]McKade Mettauer[/autotag], [autotag]Andrew Raym[/autotag], [autotag]Cayden Green[/autotag] and [autotag]Tyler Guyton[/autotag] are gone. Sexton replaced Guyton at the end of the season due to an injury. Everett played some guard earlier in the year when they were trying to solidify that position before Green took over.

The Sooners brought in [autotag]Eddy Pierre-Louis[/autotag], who is the top interior offensive lineman in the 2024 recruiting class, according to Rivals. While [autotag]Bill Bedenbaugh[/autotag] showed he will play freshmen, we know that’s not what he wants to do.

So, the Sooners have hit the portal hard. They’ve received one commitment, former Michigan State Spartans offensive tackle [autotag]Spencer Brown[/autotag]. Now, they’ve received three predictions from SoonerScoop’s Josh McCuiston, Michigan State insider Justin Thind and national recruiting analyst Brian Dohn for his running mate at guard, [autotag]Geno VanDeMark[/autotag].

VanDeMark and Brown started on the right side of the line, so they have chemistry playing together. Given Sexton played right tackle, those two could be moved to the left side or they could move Sexton to the left side if VanDeMark were to sign.

Michigan State had an up-and-down season, and so did VanDeMark, although his best games came against his best competition. According to Pro Football Focus, he had pass-blocking grades of 71.7, 76.6, and 86.4 against the Michigan Wolverines, Ohio State Buckeyes and the Penn State Nittany Lions.

He definitely is better at pass blocking than run blocking, although he’s solid at that as well. Ultimately, he would bring experience and depth to a depleted offensive line.

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Oklahoma Sooners land Rivals’ top interior offensive lineman

It was a long recruiting battle but the Sooners officially land the signature of one of the most sought offensive linemen.

The Oklahoma Sooners will have to replace five starting offensive linemen from this season’s team. [autotag]Walter Rouse[/autotag], [autotag]McKade Mettauer[/autotag], [autotag]Andrew Raym[/autotag], [autotag]Cayden Green[/autotag] and [autotag]Tyler Guyton[/autotag] are gone in 2024.

That’s why it was so important Bill Bedenbaugh landed the nation’s top interior offensive linemen, according to Rivals, [autotag]Eddy Pierre-Louis[/autotag]. He did just that by earning his commitment less than a week ago. The commitment became official Wednesday when Pierre-Louis signed his letter of intent with the Sooners.

The 6-foot-3, 335-pound guard is a freak of nature. He recorded 25 reps at 225 pounds on the bench press at a camp last summer which would have been the 16th most at the NFL combine by an offensive lineman in 2023. He also ran a 12.97 100-meter dash in high school.

He could compete immediately for playing time given the losses Oklahoma has had on the offensive line. As long as he gets the details down, he’ll have a chance to make an impact. Regardless, he has a very bright future.

More from the [autotag]2024 Early Signing Period[/autotag]

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State of Oklahoma’s top interior offensive lineman has officially signed with the Sooners

Josh Aisosa is on board as he has signed his National Letter of Intent with the Oklahoma Sooners.

There might not be anyone in the country who is better at their job than [autotag]Bill Bedenbaugh[/autotag]. He’s produced countless offensive linemen that have gone on to have successful NFL careers.

He hopes to have more of that success with his 2024 recruiting class. One of those guys is three-star and the state of Oklahoma’s top interior offensive lineman, [autotag]Josh Aisosa[/autotag]. Aisosa is a 6-foot-4 and 305-pound offensive lineman who will probably play guard at Oklahoma.

He also has a wrestling background, which usually pays dividends for offensive linemen. [autotag]Creed Humphrey[/autotag] is a name that comes to mind for that.

For his role in 2024, typically Bedenbaugh likes his linemen to sit a year while developing their bodies with [autotag]Jerry Schmidt[/autotag]. That’s not to say he won’t play true freshmen, as we’ve seen. Especially with the loss of [autotag]Cayden Green[/autotag], a true freshman offensive lineman could earn a role in 2024.

But most likely, Aisosa will have a developmental year before taking on a bigger role in the future.

More from the [autotag]2024 Early Signing Period[/autotag]

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Report: Former Oklahoma OL Cayden Green to take visit to Oregon

Former Oklahoma Sooners OL Cayden Green is expected to take a visit to see the Oregon Ducks over the weekend.

One of the more intriguing names in the 2024 transfer portal has been Oklahoma offensive lineman Cayden Green, who was on of the top true freshmen in the nation last year. He shocked many Oklahoma fans and coaches earlier this month by entering his name in the transfer portal when he was expected to be one of the cornerstones of the roster going forward.

There have been some rumors that the Oregon Ducks were in on Green, and trying to get him to Eugene for a visit, and that reportedly is taking place, according ton On3’s Hayes Fawcett. The soon-to-be sophomore OL is expected to take a visit to Oregon this coming weekend.

As a true freshman, Green was one of the top players for the Sooners, starting seven games in 2023 and playing in 11 of the 12. He primarily played at left guard, but has shown the ability to move out to the tackle position when needed as well.

According to Pro Football Focus, Green had a pass-blocking grade of 71.4 as a freshman.

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Sooners trying to figure out the offensive line for the bowl game

The Sooners will be down three offensive line starters heading into the bowl game something they are still trying to figure out.

The Sooners are two weeks away from taking on the [autotag]Arizona Wildcats[/autotag] in the [autotag]Alamo Bowl[/autotag]. One thing several teams, including the Sooners, have to deal with is players opting out of their bowl game.

As of now, the Sooners are going to be down three starting offensive linemen. [autotag]Andrew Raym[/autotag] and [autotag]Tyler Guyton[/autotag] announced they would opt out to prepare for the NFL Draft and [autotag]Cayden Green[/autotag] shocked everyone by announcing he would be entering the transfer portal. Although as of this moment, he hasn’t officially entered.

Thankfully for Oklahoma, seniors [autotag]McKade Mettauer[/autotag] and [autotag]Walter Rouse[/autotag] appear to be playing in the game, giving them some stability. Also, [autotag]Jacob Sexton[/autotag] started the last few games for Guyton, who was battling an injury. So, they’ll have three players with starting experience this season ready to line up for the Sooners against the Wildcats.

Now, they have to figure out the center position and left guard. During the media viewing opportunity, it looked like freshman [autotag]Josh Bates[/autotag] was the one handling the snapping duties. [autotag]Troy Everett[/autotag] is who many think will take over that position but he was mainly an observer. It’s unclear if that is injury-related.

Mettauer talked about how key it is for the linemen to know multiple positions. “We don’t really know what the starting lineup is going to be yet,” Mettauer said. “But Coach B (Bill Bedenbaugh) does a good job at, we practice at a lot of different positions so him shifting us around during our individual period is good. We can play whatever. I mean it’s our responsibility to know both sides.”

On top of all of that, a true freshman will be making his first career start at quarterback. What a way to have your first start.

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Did Michigan football’s next tackle just enter the portal?

#Michigan went hard after him as a recruit. #GoBlue

The portal gives in unpredictable ways and the portal takes in unpredictable ways.

Oklahoma true freshman offensive lineman Cayden Green is the latest shocking name to announce his departure seemingly out of the blue. Oklahoma media members were watching practice today unable to spot the young standout when they saw the news on social media and reacted accordingly.

Coming out of high school, Green was the 98th player in the country with a grade of .9552 on the 247Sports composite. He committed to the Sooners over offers from Michigan, LSU, Georgia and many more. Michigan was one of his top schools near the end of the recruitment but was spurned after a late Oklahoma push. Now, Michigan and the rest of college football will get a second pass at the promising youngster.

Green started seven games for the Sooners this year as a true freshman, a feat rarely accomplished by first-year players.

Michigan will likely take one or two offensive linemen in the portal this year. The two that should top the list are Chase Bisontis from Texas A&M and Green. Both are true freshmen who were able to get into the starting lineup early and would likely start for Michigan as well.

The Wolverines could lose their top five offensive linemen to the draft this year. LaDarius Henderson, Trevor Keegan, Drake Nugent, Zak Zinter and Karsen Barnhart are approaching the end of their collegiate careers.

Replacing five starters is not easy. One assumes Trente Jones, Giovanni El-Hadi, and Myles Hinton will earn starting spots, but center and right guard are up for grabs.

Green and Bisontis would be the perfect candidates to take over. Both are young and talented and can play either guard or tackle in college and beyond. Look for Michigan to attack both targets heavily, but landing either will be tough.

Sooners OL Cayden Green plans to enter the transfer portal according to report

In a shocking turn of events, offensive lineman Cayden Green is planning to enter the transfer portal, according to a report from On3.

As the Oklahoma Sooners prepare for their [autotag]Alamo Bowl[/autotag] matchup with the Arizona Wildcats, the [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag] is starting to heat up. Oklahoma received a commitment from Purdue transfer WR Deion Burks on Tuesday.

But the more shocking news is that offensive lineman [autotag]Cayden Green[/autotag] plans to enter the transfer portal, according to a report from On3.

Green made a huge impact in his first season with the Sooners, coming into the Texas game to help stymie the Longhorns‘ stout interior defensive line. He started seven games for the Sooners and would be Oklahoma’s only returning starter from much of the 2023 season.

Green played 568 snaps this season and became a linchpin to an offensive line that really started to hit its stride on the ground in the second half of the season.

He was considered the No. 10 offensive tackle in the 247Sports composite in the 2023 recruiting cycle and was the highest-rated commitment earned by Bill Bedenbaugh in his tenure with the Sooners.

Thought to be an anchor for Oklahoma’s offensive line as it made it’s way to the SEC, now the Sooners have a huge hole on the left side of their offensive line.

They’ve already lost [autotag]Walter Rouse[/autotag] and [autotag]McKade Mettauer[/autotag] to eligibility and the NFL and [autotag]Tyler Guyton[/autotag] and [autotag]Andrew Raym[/autotag] have already announced their decision to pursue the NFL draft. The loss of Green leaves Jacob Sexton, Troy Everett, and incoming Michigan State transfer Spencer Brown as the only linemen with significant snaps under their belt from 2023.

The offensive line was already a need in the transfer portal, but now it shoots up to the highest priority for the Oklahoma Sooners.

Green’s loss stings. He was a player that had an All-American and top 50 pick trajectory. Now it’s up to the coaching staff to retool the offensive line on the fly to protect five-star quarterback [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] in year one in the SEC.

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