Tag: McKade Mettauer

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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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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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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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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2023 Position Review and Recruiting Outlook: Sooners offensive line marked by inconsistency

The Oklahoma Sooners offensive line was up-and-down in 2023 but once again finished strong and the future is bright.

The Oklahoma Sooners offensive line had an up-and-down season in 2023. They once again started the season slow, which has become a common theme in recent years.

But they were able to close the season pretty well, another common theme under Bill Bedenbaugh. It was a weird year for the offensive line that saw a lot of reshuffling up front.

They started the season with [autotag]Walter Rouse[/autotag], [autotag]McKade Mettauer[/autotag], [autotag]Andrew Raym[/autotag], [autotag]Savion Byrd[/autotag] and [autotag]Tyler Guyton[/autotag] as the starters along the line. At various points in the season, the line changed whether that was [autotag]Troy Everett[/autotag], [autotag]Cayden Green[/autotag] or [autotag]Jacob Sexton[/autotag] working their way into the starting lineup.

This was a group I was very high on to start the season, so let’s take a look at how I thought they fared.

Oklahoma offers Michigan State transfer OT Spencer Brown per 247Sports

Oklahoma is pursuing offensive line help in the portal, offering OT Spencer Brown, a grad transfer from Michigan State.

Oklahoma’s offensive line will look quite different when they get set to start their first season in the SEC.

The Sooners have lost or could potentially lose every starter from the line that took the field for the first game of this season. [autotag]Walter Rouse[/autotag], [autotag]McKade Mettauer[/autotag], and [autotag]Tyler Guyton[/autotag] are headed to the NFL. [autotag]Savion Byrd[/autotag] and [autotag]Nate Anderson[/autotag] entered the [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag] today. [autotag]Andrew Raym[/autotag] has yet to make his plans known, but there’s a real chance he will bolt for the NFL.

The offensive line changed throughout the season, and true freshman [autotag]Cayden Green[/autotag] usurped the left guard spot. He looks like the only penciled-in piece heading into next year. [autotag]Jacob Sexton[/autotag] took over at right tackle after Guyton suffered an injury and will have the inside track at one of the starting tackle spots.

So, how does [autotag]Bill Bedenbaugh[/autotag] construct the offensive line for new play-caller [autotag]Seth Littrell[/autotag]? That’ll be something to monitor over the coming months, but we know that Oklahoma is unafraid of seeking help outside the building.

Oklahoma has offered Michigan State transfer Spencer Brown (subscription required), per 247Sports national recruiting analyst Allen Trieu. Ole Miss and USC are also contending for his services. No visits have been set up as of yet, per Trieu.

A grad transfer, the 6-foot-6, 315-pound Brown is a true mauler who could bring some nastiness and much-needed experience to the offensive line. He has one year left and could slot in at the other tackle spot that Sexton doesn’t occupy.

The Sooners look to be actively searching for offensive line help via the portal, and tackle is an excellent start. It’s conceivable they bring in possibly two linemen from the portal to add depth, at minimum, for the interior offensive line and tackle.

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15 highest graded Oklahoma Sooners on offense per Pro Football Focus for 2023

The 15 highest-graded Oklahoma Sooners on offense after the regular season.

The Oklahoma Sooners’ offense had a banner year in 2023. A number of players had great seasons for an offense that finished No. 3 in the nation in scoring and No. 4 in total yards.

It was an offense that scored more than 40 points seven times and 50 or more three times.

Though there were times when the offense needed to be better, it was one of the best in the nation. Their performances against Texas, Iowa State, West Virginia, and TCU were incredible, helping propel the Sooners to a 10-2 record.

But who were the most important pieces to the offense? Let’s take a look at Pro Football Focus’ top 15 highest-graded players on offense from the 2023 regular season.

Minimum 188 snaps

Report Card: Offensive fireworks help gloss over Sooners’ defensive woes

Offense dominates the day and passes final Big 12 test en route to a 69-45 win over TCU. We graded the team’s performance in this week’s report card.

Oklahoma has rebounded from the nightmarish season from 2022. They’ll spend the rest of Thanksgiving weekend at 10-2, a sharp contrast from the 6-6 record they amassed before their bowl game last year.

Friday saw the Sooners end their final regular season as Big 12 members in true Big 12 fashion with an old-fashioned shootout. The two teams combined for over 1,000 yards of total offense and 114 points in a 69-45 Oklahoma win.

Senior Day festivities preceded the game, with more than 20 Sooners recognized. Oklahoma’s win also solidified their 59th undefeated home record as well.

As Oklahoma waits to see how the rest of the Big 12 race plays out, we’re here to grade their performance in the win over TCU. Here’s the final report card for the regular season.

Oklahoma Sooners name permanent captains for the 2023 season

Oklahoma has named the permanent captains for the 2023 season.

Just like that, the 2023 Oklahoma Sooners regular season is about to come to a close. As we head into the final game of the season, the Sooners have announced who their permanent captains will be for the remainder of the season.

Those are [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag], [autotag]Ethan Downs[/autotag], [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag], [autotag]McKade Mettauer[/autotag], [autotag]Drake Stoops[/autotag], [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] and [autotag]Woodi Washington[/autotag]. Four of those players will be honored on senior night this weekend.

Bowman has emerged here lately and taken his game to another level. He has 52 tackles, which ranks third on the team, and leads the team with five interceptions.

Downs has had a solid season, leading the Sooners with 4.5 sacks on the year. He’s also been one of the best interviews all season. You can tell how much of a leader he is for the team.

 

Gabriel is having a career year for the Sooners. His 69.9% completion percentage is a career high. He’s also only a little under 400 yards shy of breaking his career high in yards and only five passing touchdowns shy of setting a career-high in passing touchdowns. His 38 total touchdowns, however, is a career high.

Mettauer has been a steady force on an offensive line that has really found its groove recently. It’s helped pave the way for [autotag]Gavin Sawchuk[/autotag] to have three straight 100-yard games on the ground.

Stoops embodies what this program is all about both on and off the field. He leads the team with 66 receptions and 755 yards and is tied for the team lead with nine touchdowns.

Stutsman is the emotional leader of the defense. You could tell his presence was greatly missed in the two losses. He leads the team with 91 tackles and 15.5 tackles for loss.

Washington has played a position that has seen a lot of turnover due to injury at the cornerback spot opposite of him. He’s been a steady force and leader for the cornerback position.

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