Tag: Walter Rouse

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.

Report Card: Defense bent but didn’t break as Oklahoma escaped BYU

How did the Oklahoma Sooners grade out in their win over the BYU Cougars?

Saturday was an odd day for the Oklahoma Sooners. The result is all that matters, but how the Sooners got there was a fascinating journey.

Oklahoma lost Dillon Gabriel at halftime to a concussion, and the Sooners had to roll with untested five-star freshman Jackson Arnold off the bench. The defense was not up to par and jeopardized Oklahoma’s chances of winning. However, two big plays from Billy Bowman and Danny Stutsman changed the game’s complexion.

The game was anything but clean, yet somehow, the Sooners passed their final road test of the season after failing in their last two trips away from Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.

Without further ado, here are grades for the Sooners win against BYU.

20 highest-graded Oklahoma Sooners through Week 10 per Pro Football Focus

The 20 highest-graded Oklahoma Sooners through week 10 per Pro Football Focus.

Though the Oklahoma Sooners are on a two-game losing streak, they’ve already surpassed their win total from a year ago with three games to go and a bowl game.

They still have a shot at a Big 12 title game berth. And after 6-7, that’s all we can really ask for.

The offense has shown improvement on third down and in the red zone. Dillon Gabriel is having a career year. The defense has shown significant improvement this season. A year ago, they allowed 30 or more points seven times. This year that’s only happened once against Kansas. Texas scored 30, but seven of those can be attributed to special teams on the blocked punt.

Yes, they lost winnable games the last two weeks, playing uncharacteristically sloppy football. Otherwise, they’ve been a really good team this year.

As they get ready to close the season, here are the top 20 highest-graded players according to Pro Football Focus through week 10.

Minimum 25% snap count

Offense: 177.75

Defense: 167.75

Report Card: Offense’s dysfunction dooms Sooners chance to end Bedlam on top

Grading the Oklahoma Sooners by position group in their loss to Oklahoma State.

If Saturday was the last time Bedlam is played, the Oklahoma Sooners will always regret how things went in their final game against their in-state rivals. The Sooners will walk away from this game knowing they have dominated this series. There’s no debating that the Sooners have owned the Cowboys. But on Saturday, Oklahoma had the chance to put one final bow on this lopsided series, and they didn’t get it done.

Oklahoma State came out swinging, and the Sooners responded. But the most common theme was Oklahoma’s offense stalling on four different possessions once they got to the Oklahoma State side of the field. Most notably on the Sooners’ final drive of the game.

Defensively, Oklahoma played well enough to win. After getting bullied early, the defense found its footing and locked in the remainder of the contest.

In the end, the dysfunction and mistakes on offense put Oklahoma in a near-impossible spot. When it mattered most, they couldn’t rectify their own mistakes.

Oklahoma will move on and turn their attention to West Virginia. Before that, it’s time to pass out grades for Oklahoma’s performance against Mike Gundy’s Oklahoma State Cowboys.