Tag: Febechi Nwaiwu

Oklahoma Sooners No. 18 in ESPN’s post-spring power rankings

ESPN released their post-spring power rankings for 2024 and the Oklahoma Sooners came in at No. 18.

Feelings are all over the place about the Oklahoma Sooners. From USA TODAY Sports’ post-spring power rankings, which have the Sooners at No. 8, to On3’s, which has them at No. 24, opinion on OU is scattered as they enter year one in the SEC.

Oklahoma is a talented team, but it also has questions that will only be answered when it faces SEC teams in the first month of the conference schedule.

In ESPN’s post-spring power rankings, the Oklahoma Sooners come in at No. 18.

Spring update: The Sooners improved by four victories in coach Brent Venables’ second season, and programs typically make an even bigger jump in Year 3. The only problem: It’s also Year 1 in the SEC, and the schedule is downright scary. The offense will have a new look after Dillon Gabriel left for Oregon, and former North Texas coach [autotag]Seth Littrell[/autotag] took over the playcalling. Quarterback [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] had a good spring and looks like a future star. Purdue transfer [autotag]Deion Burks[/autotag] had five catches for 174 yards with two scores in the spring game. Transfers [autotag]Michael Tarquin[/autotag] (USC) and [autotag]Febechi Nwaiwu[/autotag] (North Texas) were working with the No. 1 offensive line, which must replace all five starters. OU added SMU center [autotag]Branson Hickman[/autotag] in the spring portal opening. The Sooners could be good again, but they’re going to face one of the most difficult schedules in the FBS with road games at Auburn, Ole Miss, Missouri and LSU and home contests against Tennessee, Texas (in Dallas) and Alabama. – Schlabach, ESPN

The transfer additions are going to be key for the Oklahoma Sooners in 2024. From the offensive line to Deion Burks, Oklahoma is banking on those guys making an impact and helping first-year starter Jackson Arnold make a smooth transition into the lineup.

Defensively, the Sooners didn’t have as much to replace, but were able to add one of the best defensive tackles in the country via the portal in Damonic Williams. Williams in the middle of a defense that has improved year over year in Brent Venables first two seasons in Norman gives OU the chance to take another significant step toward being an elite defense.

Regardless of the level of competition the Sooners will face, Brent Venables and his staff have been building the Sooners roster to compete with the heavy hitters in the SEC. Although there will be challenges, there’s no reason the Sooners can’t contend in the SEC. They’ve got a ton of talent on both sides of the ball.

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Oklahoma Sooners are a wild card in 2024 according to On3’s Andy Staples

Andy Staples of On3 thinks the Sooners will be a “wild card” in Year 3 under Brent Venables. Could they make the expanded playoff?

The Oklahoma Sooners are at an interesting inflection point two and a half months from the beginning of the 2024 college football season.

The Sooners are entering year three of the [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] era in Norman. After he was hired to be OU’s next head coach in December of 2021, a disappointing 6-7 campaign in 2022 followed.

Oklahoma rebounded in 2023 with a 10-3 mark in year two, and there’s no question that this is a Brent Venables program now. He’s got his guys in place on the field and on the coaching staff.

But the Sooners head to the [autotag]Southeastern Conference[/autotag] in 2024, after a long run atop the [autotag]Big 12 Conference[/autotag] that featured fourteen conference titles. That’s ten more than anyone else.

The SEC will be a much tougher road than the Big 12 was, and On3’s Andy Staples has some concerns for the Sooners in 2024, calling them a mystery.

According to Staples, the floor for this Oklahoma team could be 6-6. However, he also thinks the ceiling could be a trip to the [autotag]College Football Playoff[/autotag].

“If they’re 6-6, if they’re 7-5,” Staples said, “What do you do about Brent Venables? How do you feel about Brent Venables if you’re [autotag]Joe Castiglione[/autotag], their athletic director?”

Staples and others present the offensive line as a concern for the team in 2024. Oklahoma is replacing the entire unit this season. [autotag]Tyler Guyton[/autotag] was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the first round of the [autotag]NFL Draft[/autotag] and [autotag]Cayden Green[/autotag] transferred to Missouri. The Sooners also lost [autotag]Walter Rouse[/autotag], [autotag]Andrew Raym[/autotag] and [autotag]McKade Mettauer[/autotag] up front.

Staples notes that the Sooners added pieces via the [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag] to fill those holes. [autotag]Spencer Brown[/autotag] came over from Michigan State in the winter portal window. [autotag]Branson Hickman[/autotag] is a plug and play piece at center, transferring in during the spring window from SMU. [autotag]Michael Tarquin[/autotag], [autotag]Febechi Nwaiwu[/autotag] and [autotag]Geriean Hatchett[/autotag] also arrived via the portal and will have an impact along the offensive line this fall.

These players will form the core of the unit along with young pieces like [autotag]Joshua Bates[/autotag], [autotag]Jacob Sexton[/autotag],[autotag]Troy Everett[/autotag] and [autotag]Jake Taylor[/autotag], but it is a patchwork O-line that will have to protect quarterback [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] if the Sooners want to be successful in 2024.

Staples thinks the Sooners are the deepest they’ve been in a while on defense,  and he knows why the OU staff and fans are excited for Arnold. He praised the wide receiver group as well.

Many in the national media don’t seem to have the faith in Venables quite yet that most Sooner fans do. They site the SEC presenting a challenge that Oklahoma hasn’t seen before.

But Venables is one of the great defensive minds in college football. He’s leading the way for the program, in addition to all of the skill and depth on that side of the ball. Then, of course, there’s that talented but young quarterback stepping into the starting role.

The Sooners may very well be a wildcard in year one in their new conference. But if the offensive line can hold up long enough for Arnold to have time to throw, it could be a very fun year in Norman.

If not, it could be detrimental to Arnold’s development, and 2024 could be a long season in the SEC.

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ESPN concerned the Sooners offensive line may be their undoing

ESPN handed out spring overreactions for each team in their Way-Too-Early Top 25, and Oklahoma’s offensive line was highlighted in a positive light.

The Oklahoma Sooners continue building toward the 2024 football season, their first as a member of the SEC. It’ll be the third year at the helm for head coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag].

The Sooners bring back a great deal of production, especially on defense. They have quarterback [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] stepping into the spotlight to lead an offense that has its fair share of weapons.

But the question for most of the offseason has been whether the offensive line can hold its own after losing all five of last year’s primary starters to the [autotag]2024 NFL draft[/autotag] and the [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag].

It’s a challenge as they head into the SEC, and Dave Wilson of ESPN thinks it could be Oklahoma’s undoing. ESPN’s college football writers shared their spring overreactions in their top 25. While the Sooners have question marks, there’s reason for optimism. Dave Wilson praised the transfer additions on the offensive line and was complimentary of offensive line coach [autotag]Bill Bedenbaugh[/autotag].

Not ideal heading into its first SEC season. But the Sooners boast one of the top offensive line coaches in the country in Bill Bedenbaugh, who is piecing together transfers from Washington, Michigan State and USC, among others, to pair with young OU linemen. – Wilson, ESPN

Portal additions [autotag]Geirean Hatchett[/autotag], [autotag]Spencer Brown[/autotag] and [autotag]Michael Tarquin[/autotag] are Power Four transfers, while [autotag]Febechi Nwaiwu[/autotag] has impressed after coming over from North Texas.

One player the article didn’t highlight was [autotag]Branson Hickman[/autotag], another addition in the portal. Hickman looks to be a plug-and-play solution at center for Bedenbaugh and lets Sooner fans relax a little about the interior of the unit. Oklahoma is also developing young, home-grown players up front to help this season and lead the way in the years to come.

Wilson went on to write that if [autotag]Zac Alley[/autotag] and the OU defense can keep the team from becoming one-dimensional, [autotag]Seth Littrell[/autotag] and the offensive staff will have time early in the season to scheme their way around any growing pains on offense.

Bedenbaugh remains the constant for the offensive line. His expertise can be further validated if he rebounds from the losses and turns 2024’s unit into a force.

It might just mean Oklahoma has a special kind of season in Year 1 in the SEC.

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Febechi Nwaiwu could be the next star offensive lineman for the Oklahoma Sooners

The Sooners signed a pretty good transfer class but one guy flying under the radar is offensive lineman Febechi Nwaiwu.

The Oklahoma Sooners have spent their offseason trying to build their offensive line and make it SEC ready. They signed four from the [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag] and five in the [autotag]2024 recruiting class[/autotag].

The aggressiveness comes after they lost five starters from a season ago. Only two who started any games last season return: [autotag]Troy Everett[/autotag] and [autotag]Jacob Sexton[/autotag].

One guy I’m highest on and think could be Oklahoma’s next star offensive lineman is North Texas transfer [autotag]Febechi Nwaiwu[/autotag].

When I watch Nwaiwu’s film, this guy has power and moves really well. He has really good size at 6 feet, 4 inches and 326 pounds. He’s a perfect guard for the Sooners this season. I’ve heard nothing but praise so far in the offseason and that only increases my expectations for him.

Nwaiwu spoke about the pitch to him to come to Norman and how he’d fit into the current offensive line roster.

“He (Bill Bedenbaugh) told me he saw a lot of potential in me,” Nwaiwu said. “He also told me that there were a lot of things I could also work on that he thinks he could help me get better at. That’s what really helped sell me that it’s not just that I’m good but that he can make me even better.”

There is a world where Nwaiwu has a big season and is one and done at Oklahoma but I think he could be a two-year guy. I also think he could get some postseason conference recognition and be another draft pick along the offensive line for the Sooners.

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Bill Bedenbaugh’s offensive line getting acclimated

Sooners offensive line getting closer as spring football is here.

The 2024 season for the Oklahoma Sooners will be defined by how well the offensive line plays. Oklahoma has a five-star quarterback taking the reigns in [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag], a deep wide receiver room, and a running back in [autotag]Gavin Sawchuk[/autotag], who closed the season with five straight 100-yard games.

But along the offensive line, Sooners are replacing five starters from last season.

They do return [autotag]Jacob Sexton[/autotag], who started the last few games, and [autotag]Troy Everett[/autotag], who started a couple of games in the middle of the season. Even though they’ve added transfer players with starting experience like [autotag]Spencer Brown[/autotag], [autotag]Geirean Hatchett[/autotag], [autotag]Michael Tarquin[/autotag] and [autotag]Febechi Nwaiwu[/autotag], there are still jobs up for grabs.

Bill Bedenbaugh has made it clear in his career he will start the best five. So, what these guys did previously doesn’t matter. That means even some of the young guys like [autotag]Daniel Akinkunmi[/autotag] will get a look.

Akinkunmi shared what it’s been like being around the other offensive linemen so far. “Getting to know those guys is amazing,” Akinkunmi said. “I absolutely love every single one of them. I feel like we are just getting closer and closer as the weeks go by. I feel like we are all close because we are all different and have different backgrounds.”

Akinkunmi said that hasn’t stopped the competition because having a strong offensive line group is important. As for the thing he was looking for most, as spring ball started on Monday? To show people what he can do and prove the doubters wrong.

Akinkunmi has quickly become one of my favorite recruits. I’m not sure he will see much playing time this season. He may need a year or two to develop. But with his mindset, I wouldn’t put anything past him.

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Sooners land commitment from Washington transfer OL Geirean Hatchett

The Oklahoma Sooners added more offensive line depth through the transfer portal with the commitment of Washington OL Geirean Hatchett.

Oklahoma’s approach to the transfer portal has been to address needs and bolster depth under [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag]. But they have never looked at and tried to build their entire roster via the transfer portal. This is why Venables is adamant about his recruiting efforts through the prep ranks.

However, after seeing the five guys who started along the offensive line and few depth options depart this offseason, Venables and his offensive line coach, [autotag]Bill Bedenbaugh[/autotag], knew they had work to do. That’s why the Sooners have brought in three transfer offensive line options this offseason. [autotag]Spencer Brown[/autotag] came from Michigan State, [autotag]Febechi Nwaiwu[/autotag] transferred from North Texas, and [autotag]Michael Tarquin[/autotag] transferred in from USC.

That list just grew as the Sooners landed a talented interior offensive line transfer in Geirean Hatchett. Geirean is a junior offensive lineman transfer from the Sugar Bowl-winning and national champion runner-up, Washington Huskies. 

Geirean Hatchett has played over 25 games, including eight in 2023. In his fifth year, he still has room to add more strength and continue to develop. It’s likely that will be a point of emphasis this winter with head strength and conditioning coach Jerry Schmidt. Geirean played well before an injury limited him in the second half of the season, posting some solid pass-blocking grades via Pro Football Focus. With time to heal, a return to his productive days before the mid-season injury seems likely.

Here’s what Roman Tomashoff, site editor for UWHuskies Wire, had to say about Geirean.

He’s a good run blocker but needs to continue to work in pass protection. He has all the tools to be a really good offensive lineman, but needs to get stronger as he gets beaten too often with power. He’s worked a lot at multiple positions but is best at guard. – Tomashoff, UWHuskies Wire

The Sooners are getting a talented football player who offers valuable snaps and experience to an offensive line room that lost the five guys who started for the majority of the year.

With another portal addition, the offensive line is retooled. The stage is now set for Bill Bedenbaugh to do what he does best: develop and get the most out of his offensive linemen.

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Have the Oklahoma Sooners adequately addressed their needs in the transfer portal?

The Oklahoma Sooners were active in the transfer portal, but have they done enough to address their needs?

The Oklahoma Sooners went into the offseason with a number of needs to address via the [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag].

Bryant Crews highlighted five positions that the Sooners needed to address in the portal, namely offensive line, defensive line, tight end, secondary, and kicker.

But how well did the Sooners address those needs and where else have they added talent?

With the coaching carousel extending into January with the Alabama and Washington jobs opening up, the transfer portal has heated up again for the next 30 days. Could the Sooners add more talent? We’ll see if they take advantage of the opportunity to add talent from the Crimson Tide or the Huskies.

But until then, let’s take a look at what they’ve done in the portal thus far and if they’ve addressed their needs.

Oklahoma Sooners take a dip in final AP Poll of 2023

The Oklahoma Sooners finish the 2023 season at No. 15 in the final AP Poll of the year.

As always with the Oklahoma Sooners, there are high expectations. Even coming out of a 6-7 season in 2022, there was a thought the Sooners would have a chance to “hang a banner” at the end of the year, according to Brent Venables.

The Sooners certainly had a chance after a 7-0 start, which included a win over Texas. But a pair of losses to Kansas and Oklahoma State knocked them out of Big 12 title contention. Still, the Sooners finished the regular season strong, with three straight wins over West Virginia, BYU, and TCU.

Even after their Alamo Bowl loss to the Arizona Wildcats, the Sooners finished the season as a top 15 team in the nation in the US LBM Coaches Poll. In the final iteration of the AP Poll, the Oklahoma Sooners come in at No. 15, falling three spots after their loss to the Wildcats.

National champion Michigan came in at No. 1 and Washington at No. 2. The Georgia Bulldogs climbed three spots to No. 3 followed by the Texas Longhorns at No. 4. Alabama rounds out the top five.

The Sooners are the second-highest ranked Big 12 team to finish the year. In 2024, they’ll face four teams ranked in the top 10 and six in the top 25 of the final AP Poll.

Oklahoma made some promising improvements, especially on the defensive side of the ball, and continues to make strong headway on the recruiting trail.

The Sooners will certainly have questions up front, but they’re attempting to address those concerns in the transfer portal with the additions of [autotag]Febechi Nwaiwu[/autotag], [autotag]Spencer Brown[/autotag], and [autotag]Michael Tarquin[/autotag] and the continued pursuit of Zalance Heard from LSU.

With their skill positions solidified and the belief in Jackson Arnold as a top tier quarterback in college football, the Sooners offense should still be among the best in 2024.

Still, they’ll face tougher challenges week-to-week when they arrive in the SEC. They weren’t as good as they could have been in 2023 and have to learn to get out of their own way. Each of their three losses were marred with turnovers. If the Sooners can consistently protect the football, they’ll have a chance to be a playoff team in 2024.

More: Sooners drop three spots in final US LBM Coaches Poll

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Portal target: LSU transfer OL Zalance Heard visits Oklahoma

The Sooners continue to try to build their offensive line, this time with a visit from a highly-touted offensive lineman.

The biggest question mark going into next season for a lot of people was the offensive line. The Oklahoma Sooners would have to replace the five guys who started a majority of the season.

They have to do that while also entering into the SEC, which makes that task even more daunting. The Sooners have gotten to work, signing a high school class that appears to be underrated. Also, they’ve gotten to work in the portal with commitments from [autotag]Michael Tarquin[/autotag], [autotag]Spencer Brown[/autotag] and [autotag]Febechi Nwaiwu[/autotag].

But the Sooners aren’t done there. They hosted former five-star and LSU Tigers transfer, [autotag]Zalance Heard[/autotag]. Heard was LSU’s highest-ranked recruit in the 2023 class and comes with three years of eligibility. He appeared in 12 games a season ago and made one start.

He would be a massive get for Oklahoma not only for this upcoming season but for the following season as well because it would almost assuredly solidify their left tackle spot for at least those two years. But it won’t be easy for Oklahoma to win his services.

Heard also visited the Tennessee Volunteers over the weekend, and rumors started to swirl about the [autotag]Ole Miss Rebels[/autotag] possibly getting involved as of Monday. But all reports have been positive for Oklahoma. He apparently is high on [autotag]Bill Bedenbaugh[/autotag] and his track record of developing guys and getting them into the [autotag]NFL[/autotag].

We also know Oklahoma will play the NIL game. They just won’t overspend for a guy like other schools will. It also could be positive for Oklahoma that Ole Miss got a commitment from a transfer tackle on Monday evening and is hosting another tackle this weekend.

For now, it’s a waiting game, but if Oklahoma can pull it off, it could be a massive win.

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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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