Oklahoma 2021 Report Card: Offensive Line

O-lines at OU have a high standard, so as experienced and together as this year's group was, it gets graded down for allowing too much pressure on the quarterback.

There’s a high standard when grading the Oklahoma offensive line. Expectations from one year to the next might be unrealistic.

But the reality is Bill Bedenbaugh is regarded as one of college football’s best offensive line coaches for a reason. OU won the award for the nation’s best unit three years ago. The Sooners should be in contention for the Joe Moore Award just about every year.

So when the OU o-line performs like it did in 2021, it’s a bit of a letdown.

The players on this year’s team came into the season with a combined 126 career starts. Some of those (Wanya Morris, Robert Congel) were at other schools, but experience in the trenches is invaluable — one of the most important things an offensive line can have.

Tyrese Robinson / Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

And yet, this Sooner squad gave up 33 quarterback sacks — that’s 99th in the nation — and struggled again in short-yardage situations.

OU as a team averaged 5.44 yards per carry, a number that ranked fifth in the nation. Some of that eye-popping average must be attributed to the tackle-breaking abilities of Kennedy Brooks and Caleb Williams, but give the Sooners credit up front, too.

Again, fair or not, OU offensive lines get graded on a high curve. And when there’s so much experience back, the bar is set high.

Also, this year’s squad doesn’t get the benefit of the doubt when it comes to COVID absences or injuries. Left tackle Anton Harrison, left guard Marquis Hayes, right guard Chris Murray and right tackle Tyrese Robinson started all 12 regular season games together.

Only the center position, which went back and forth between Congel and Andrew Raym, saw change.

Andrew Raym :: BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN-Imagn Content Services, LLC

With all those games together, this unit should have had much better communication, much better chemistry and much better pass protection.

The bottom line is the OU offensive line wasn’t physical enough when it needed to be in 2021. An inability to generate late first downs and close out early games against Tulane, Nebraska, West Virginia and Kansas State eventually cost the Sooners in November games against Baylor and Oklahoma State.

OU rushed for just 82 yards on 29 carries in Waco (2.8 yards per attempt), and managed 189 on 44 rushes in Stillwater (4.3). Both games, Oklahoma didn’t match their opponent’s physical play in the trenches, and both games, Oklahoma lost. Had the Sooners been able to generate first downs at OSU, they’d have played for another Big 12 title (albeit against a Baylor team that owned the line of scrimmage just two weeks earlier).

This year’s squad had two first-time starters in Harrison and Raym. Also, Murray — previously a starter at UCLA — started for the first time in a Sooner uniform after spending 2020 as a backup.

Erik Swenson, Anton Harrison :: BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN-Imagn Content Services, LLC

Hayes and Robinson were the only starters back who had started at OU before, although sixth-year senior Erik Swenson — a two-year starter on the line — was a valuable and versatile backup and started the bowl game at left tackle.

Now the Sooners move forward with uncertainty. Robinson and Hayes decided to give up their extra year of eligibility for the NFL. Raym is back, and Congel has the option. Harrison played like a star at times. Murray can come back if he wants.

Morris is an enigma — good enough to start for two years at Tennessee, not good enough to see the field at OU. It’s also high time for some younger players to make a move up the depth chart, although it may be too late for some, as Bedenbaugh has already started replenishing talent through the transfer portal (Cal transfer McKade Mettauer is already an intriguing prospect).

Grading the Offensive Line

• Hoover: C-
• Chapman: C-
• Callaway: C

Offensive line GPA: 1.778 (on a 4.0 scale)