Tag: Michael Tarquin

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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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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Kentucky is viewed as a leading contender to land former USC offensive lineman Michael Tarquin

We will see what happens.

USC offensive tackle Michael Tarquin left the USC program as a graduate transfer after one season in Los Angeles, according to 247Sports’ Chris Trevino.

Tarquin came to USC last offseason by way of Florida. He was expected to fill an immediate role on a remade offensive line. He started the first seven games of the season, but was replaced in the starting five after the Notre Dame game.

He finished his lone season with the Trojans as the seventh-highest graded lineman for USC. Pro Football Focus gave him a 62.8 offensive grade, a 58.9 grade as a run blocker, and a 59 grade as a pass blocker. He was charged with allowing 14 pressures, including three sacks.

Tarquin previously played with the Florida Gators. He could very realistically land with their SEC competitor, the Kentucky Wildcats.

A Class of 2019 signee out of Citra (Florida) North Marion, Tarquin was a member of Dan Mullen’s first full recruiting class at Florida. Tarquin was a four-star prospect and top-50 recruit in Florida. Expect the power conference transfer to receive plenty of interest with Florida and Michigan State also being in the mix to land Tarquin too.

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Gators offer OL who transferred out last offseason

Florida lost offensive tackle Michael Tarquin to USC via the transfer portal last season, but could he make a return in 2024 as a transfer?

Florida’s latest transfer portal offer went to a player many in Gator Nation are familiar with — former UF and USC offensive tackle [autotag]Michael Tarquin[/autotag].

After a year with the Trojans, Tarquin is back in the portal as a graduate transfer. Florida struggled in the trenches in 2023, especially on offense, but Tarquin was a member of that 2022 line that dominated SEC defensive fronts.

He didn’t see the same kind of success with USC, ultimately being replaced by another transfer after seven games. Tarquin announced that Florida and several other schools offered him on Dec. 16. Auburn, Arizona State, Cal, Kentucky and Texas A&M are among his other offers.

There is no doubt that losing Tarquin made Florida worse in 2023. Billy Napier had to scramble and replace a starter with a transfer addition that didn’t really work out. Getting him back would be an interesting turn of events, but Napier’s job is to win by any means — conventional or not.

Tarquin is ranked sixth by On3 among offensive tackles in the transfer portal. He has a proven track record against the SEC and under Billy Napier. It’s a perfect match.

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USC offensive tackle Michael Tarquin enters the transfer portal

The portal continues to move rapidly at USC.

The transfer portal continues to work overtime, with hundreds upon hundreds of players jumping into the portal and looking for a fresh start in their collegiate playing careers. Another USC Trojan has entered the portal, and this one will get a lot of people talking.

Offensive tackle Michael Tarquin, who transferred to USC last year from the University of Florida and played for the Trojans in 2023, is now transferring out of the program. He has hit the portal, which creates fresh questions for USC’s offensive line.

Tarquin did not have an especially strong season for USC. On one hand, his departure means the Trojans are losing a senior who would have provided experience up front in 2024 in the Big Ten. On the other hand, Tarquin wasn’t an elite performer for the Trojans, so one could make the argument that his departure — while temporarily reducing the amount of depth USC has on its offensive line — could pave the way for an upgrade.

All USC fans can agree on this much: Regardless of the portal, USC offensive line coach Josh Henson has to start landing some five-star recruits on the trail.

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Jonah Monheim, Michael Tarquin part of fluid situation on USC O-line

Both Monheim and Tarquin will get some work at left tackle. It will be fascinating to see how this situation unfolds.

The USC Trojans football team had its media day on Thursday. Quite a few notable topics were raised at the event. Perhaps the most interesting development was that offensive line coach Josh Henson discussed changes within his position group.

There was an announced change up front. Jonah Monheim moved to left tackle and Michael Tarquin has moved to right tackle. They switched spots after the two held previous positions in the spring, per Ryan Kartje of The Los Angeles Times.

When asked what went into the switch, Henson identified “Jonah’s consistency, how consistent he is on a rep by rep basis.”

With Caleb Williams at quarterback in a loaded offense, protecting the pocket and giving him time is the main piece of the offensive picture this season.

Despite making the switch, Monheim reveals he isn’t focused on that and has the same mindset: “My thought process is just kind of always the same. Whatever the coaches ask of me.”

On Friday, though, Lincoln Riley seemed to hedge a little and not firmly commit to a positional switch for the season. Ultimately, both men will get some work at left tackle and will have a chance to battle for that spot in the coming weeks, maybe even a few weeks into the season.

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Florida’s offensive line a key focus for ESPN heading into 2023

Florida’s offensive line was a major reason the team wasn’t a complete disaster in 2022, and now the Gators have to replace four starters in the trenches.

Florida’s offensive line was among the best in the SEC and college football a season ago. Unfortunately, the Gators are replacing four starters on the offensive line after losing a pair of seniors to the NFL draft and two more to Southern California via the transfer portal.

UF will have center [autotag]Kingsley Eguakun[/autotag] returning, but gone are left tackle [autotag]Richard Gouraige[/autotag], left guard [autotag]Ethan White[/autotag], right guard [autotag]O’Cyrus Torrence[/autotag] and right tackle [autotag]Michael Tarquin[/autotag]. Replacing those four is the top storyline of Florida’s spring, according to ESPN’s Chris Low and Hary Lyles Jr., who dove into each SEC program at the start of spring ball.

The Gators brought in three transfers on the offensive line over the offseason. Alabama‘s [autotag]Damieon George Jr[/autotag]. and former five-star Kentucky signee [autotag]Kiyaunta Goodwin[/autotag] should get a shot to play tackle for Florida along with a returning [autotag]Austin Barber[/autotag], and Baylor transfers [autotag]Micah Mazzccua[/autotag] should step immediately into one of the vacant starting guard spots.

While it is almost a complete turnover in the trenches, Florida fans should still feel confident, according to Low and Lyles.

“The Gator faithful should feel confident in the abilities of offensive coordinator [autotag]Rob Sale[/autotag] and offensive line coach [autotag]Darnell Stapleton[/autotag] to get this group together, given their track record with [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag]’s great offensive lines at Louisiana, which produced multiple NFL draft picks,” the ESPN story read.

Low and Lyles also pointed a newcomer on the team to watch and chose to pick a player that will be behind the offensive line transfers mentioned above. Wisconsin transfer [autotag]Graham Mertz[/autotag] will be competing with [autotag]Jack Miller III[/autotag] for the starting quarterback job, and his experience in the Big Ten might give him the upper leg. Both he and the offensive line need to excel for Florida to have a bounce-back year.

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