All Sooners

Oklahoma Position Preview: Offensive Line

The Sooners have some new faces on the offensive line heading into the Brent Venables era.

Ross Lovelace

Oklahoma went into the offseason with question marks in the trenches and holes to fill along to offensive line.

With Tyrese Robinson, Marquis Hayes and Erik Swenson departed, the Sooners seemed to lack experience heading into 2022-23 among a group that already struggled to gel at times.

Last season, Oklahoma experienced inconsistency on and off the field. One of the main hold-ups early on, and a trend that continued throughout the season, was unpredictable performances from the offensive line. Some attributed the quarterback struggles to the shaky pass blocking.

After Brent Venables retained Bill Bedenbaugh, though, the two quickly started revamping the unit.

The biggest off-season addition for Bedenbaugh and the line was California transfer McKade Mettauer. The 6-foot-4 junior started his last 28 games for the Golden Bears and excelled on the field.

  • In 2019, Mettauer was awarded the Clint Evans Award given to the team’s most intense freshman competitor, starting 12-of-13 games. 
  • In 2020, the Woodlands, TX, product earned honorable mention All-Pac-12 recognition from PFF, starting all four games. 
  • In 2021, Mettauer had his best season yet, earning All-Pac-12 second-team honors from PFF and an honorable mention from the Pac-12 coaches.

Mettauer will likely slide in at the left guard spot, filling an immediate need for the Sooners. Joining the transfer on the offensive line are returning veterans Anton Harrison at left tackle, Andrew Raym at center and Chris Murray at right guard.

Harrison comes into the season with lofty expectations, looking to make a huge jump for NFL draft purposes too. He was recently ranked No. 6 among PFF’s best offensive tackle prospects in the 2023 draft. He was also named to CBS Sports’ Early Top 50 list. His development will be a big storyline to follow for the Sooners, who will be searching for a true anchor on the offensive line.

 2022 Oklahoma Position Previews

Raym has shown serious promise during his time in Norman, but has had a few setbacks due to injuries. After a strong spring season, he has a chance to cement himself as a full-time starter and a key piece up front.

The transfer portal graciously awarded the Sooners Murray’s services prior to 2020, and he’s been a Swiss Army knife ever since. The fifth-year right guard will man a starting spot and bring much needed experience to an otherwise unproven group.

In addition to the locked-in starters, there’s plenty of potential down the line. Oklahoma typically recruits well, as offensive line is almost always a strong suit.

Brey Walker and Wanya Morris are two big “what-if’s” heading into defining seasons for both players. 

Walker was a 5-star recruit in 2018 and hasn’t seen much on-field action during his time in Norman. While he looked to have a promising career early on, he’s struggled the past two seasons. Walker finding success on the field, particularly in the competition for left guard, would be huge for Bedenbaugh’s group.

Morris, a prized-possession transfer from Tennessee, didn’t experience the immediate expected success in year one, but seems to be in much better shape this spring and could be a contender at right tackle.

OL Preview

Redshirt freshman Savion Byrd and third-year sophomore Nate Anderson could push for playing time after a full spring to gel with the new offense. Byrd seems to have had a strong offseason and is in position rotate in and out this season.

In addition, the Sooners have two talented towers that just joined the team as part of the 2022 recruiting class. Jake Taylor and Jacob Sexton were both highly touted recruits coming out of high school and could be ready to step up and contribute right away.

Expect other names, such as center/guard Robert Congel and converted defensive end Marcus Hicks to make the competition interesting this summer. Having two players of that caliber as depth could prove to be a luxury this season.

Venables and Bedenbaugh seem to still be on the right track in rebuilding the offensive line.

Published
Ross Lovelace
ROSS LOVELACE

Experience Ross is a young, up-and-coming sports reporter who has covered the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Oklahoma Sooners over the past six years. He's made guest appearances on various radio stations and has helped out with the All Sooners podcast whenever he gets the chance. Ross enjoys public speaking and has done so at multiple churches and high schools across the OKC metro area. In addition to writing, Ross has been the Play-by-Play announcer for Crossings’ basketball and football programs since 2020. In high school, Ross worked for self-starter blogs and latched onto Thunder Digest, where he discovered his passion for writing. From there, he worked for the OU Daily as a women's basketball reporter and was hired by All Sooners. Ross landed an internship with Sports Illustrated's Inside the Thunder and has since become a full-time contributor. One day, Ross hopes to work in the NBA. Work History Education Ross holds a bachelor's degree in Public Relations and a minor in Communication from the University of Oklahoma. Personal Born and raised in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Ross played basketball and wrote for his own Thunder blog at Crossings High School in OKC, OK. He enjoys reading, New York Jets football and a week at the beach. Ross is engaged to be married at the end of the year. His Twitter handle is @Rosslovelace.

Home/Football