The Oklahoma Sooners added a veteran presence to their offensive line in guard McKade Mettauer.
One of the more critical additions that the Oklahoma Sooners made via the transfer portal this offseason was that of offensive lineman [autotag]McKade Mettauer[/autotag] from Cal.
The former Golden Bear played 1,768 snaps over three seasons, including the Pac-12’s condensed 2020 season. He started 28 games at right guard. Landing with the Sooners, Mettauer is making the switch to left guard, replacing Tyrese Robinson, now with the Arizona Cardinals.
Mettauer’s experience, work ethic, and leadership have stood out since joining the Sooners.
“Yeah, I love how he works,” offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh said during OU Media Day. “Smart guy, loves playing football, passionate. He’s been a leader. He came in here and led from the beginning, worked hard. And obviously you can see it on his tape from the previous place he came from. And he’s getting a little bit bigger, a little bit thicker, which I think he needs. I don’t think it’s gonna hurt his athleticism. But [he’s a] really, really smart dude, plays hard. He’s consistent.”
Coach Bedenbaugh made no bones about the expectations for Mettauer when the offensive line coach spoke with the media back in the spring, and it seems like he’s living up to those expectations thus far.
“He works hard. He loves being here. He’s a great guy. He loves all the guys,” offensive tackle [autotag]Anton Harrison[/autotag] said. “He’s a guy you could chill with outside of football. And he’s always gonna work hard. So, that’s a guy I love playing beside me.”
Communication and chemistry are key along the offensive line. Especially among players who line up alongside each other. Offensive linemen have to have a feel for timing double-team releases, passing off pass rushers in stunts, and need to be able to communicate well before and during a play. Like a quarterback and a wide receiver, offensive line teammates must have a certain chemistry playing alongside one another. With fall camp underway, it sounds like the left side of the offensive line has worked hard to build that chemistry.
Harrison talked about what it’s been like working with a new left guard after Robinson left for the NFL. “It’s been good. We started in spring, like when McKade Mettauer first got here, really like when we find out he was gonna be left guard the first week in spring; me and him, we talked a lot. We went through the playbook a lot. We watched film from last year, even though we didn’t have the same playbook. We really just communicated. It’s a lot of communication, and then we’re going day-by-day. At practice, we got better every day. And now I feel like he’s been here for two years like I have. So, it’s just like it’s a great connection.”
With a new quarterback (though an experienced one), a new starting running back, and in a new offensive scheme, adding Mettauer has helped mitigate the losses of Robinson and Marquis Hayes. Replacing players on the offensive line is not an easy task and Coach Bedenbaugh and the Sooners were able to add one of the most experienced players in the portal in Mettauer.
Adding him to the returning Harrison, Andrew Raym, and Chris Murray should help the Sooners’ offense be ready to roll when they take the field week one against UTEP.
There’s no substitute for experience and McKade Mettauer’s years of experience at the Power Five level has been a welcomed addition to the Oklahoma Sooners.
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