Weekend Open Post | April 10th – 12th
Posted on: April 10, 2026
Sourced Injury Approach | Preventing and Precautions
– Charlie S – Posted on: April 6, 2026
One of the most notable takeaways that we at TFB have picked up through the first two weeks of spring ball is that OU is taking absolutely zero chances with injuries.
Whether it be a guy who could conceivably be out there, like David Stone, and work through the pain, or guys coming in off minor procedures like Trell Harris, the Sooners do not view spring ball as make or break for established guys, and they aren’t going to push their freshmen who are dinged up and wind up setting them back in the long run.
In the past, OU has not been a place for the faint of heart, and every practice was viewed as a proving ground both mentally and physically. But in today’s evolving era, the Sooners read the room (correctly in my opinion) regarding depth and durability, and they have placed a higher priority on keeping the guys they need healthier and less worn down than in the past.
Sources continue to tell us almost on a daily basis that the training staff and the coaching staff are on the same page, and the Sooners are being much more vigilant and overly cautious when it comes to dealing with injuries, and I wholeheartedly agree with this approach.
Thoughts Midway Through Spring Camp
– Charlie S – Posted on: April 6, 2026
As the Sooners head toward the last two weeks of Spring Ball, thought now would be a good time to share some quick thoughts about each position group based on sources’ observations and my own opinions and conclusions.
We will start on the offensive side of the ball and I will do the defense tomorrow.
QB – It’s John Mateer and then a battle for QB2. Sources tell us Mateer has had a good spring and he has been focusing on some mechanics and decision-making. Look, you aren’t changing who he is largely, but when he is healthy, he can be good enough to get the offense over the hump. He still gambles a bit and he still is not uber accurate on deep balls, but his improvisation skills and leadership are big aspects of the offense. As for QB2… I’m ready to call it and say by the time the season rolls around, Bowe Bentley will be the ‘ long-term’ QB2. He has done everything asked of him and he continues to be a sponge and learn and improve every time out. Whitt Newbauer won’t go quietly, but it’s gonna be Bowe, IMO.
RB – With X Rob and Blaylock on the shelf at this point, Colorado State transfer Lloyd Avant and the pair of freshmen backs, Jonathan Hatton and DeZephen Walker, have gotten the opportunity to shine. Avant has been steady and the Sooners know they have a dependable, professional back, but it is the freshmen who have turned heads more often than not. Walker has actually been the most pleasant surprise as he has come in and absolutely made a claim to factor into the rotation, while Hatton has been just about everything advertised. Both kids will be factors in the competition for playing time once fall camp and the season roll around. The interesting part here, for me at least, will be how DeLand McCullough handles his rotations compared to how DeMarco Murray did.
WR – Isaiah Sategna has been doing Isaiah Sategna-type things, and I would not be at all upset if OU decided to shut him down for the rest of the spring (I have not heard this is the plan, I’m just saying). Then, you had the new guys who have not had a lot of playing time due to recovery for Trell Harris and small tweaks for Parker Livingstone. I expect Livingstone to partake in the last scrimmages and spring game, so we should get a little more info on him. After that, Manny Choice has been getting buzz as has freshman Jashiear Rogers. Jayden Petit is also making some plays, and transfer Mackenzie Alleyene has been a guy trying to fight into the equation. Elijah Thomas has been on the shelf, again…let him get healthy, but I would not be surprised to see him get some run in the last week of camp.
TE – Hayden Hansen may be the guy who could best be described as TE1 right now, but Rocky Beers has made plays every live period, and Jack Van Dorselaer was the guy everyone has been wanting to talk about. In fact, Trynae Washington and even Kade McIntyre have received their props from sources. So, its really kinda cool that basically everyone in the room, including the freshman, has gotten some love from sources. I think it says a lot about the current state of the TE room under Jason Witten, particularly when compared to what the room has looked like over the course of the previous four years.
OL – Sounds like Bedenbaugh has his preferred five right now, and that would be LT Fasusi, LG EPL, C Maikkula, LG Fodje, and RT E’Marion Harris. Fodje has a lower leg issue, nothing serious long-term, but that has given Heath Ozaeta plenty of reps. For me, Peyton Joseph is one of the bigger keys to the equation because if he can lock down the swing tackle spot, OU is plenty deep for the season and it takes some pressure off the less experienced guys like the freshmen (Schmitt who is practiceing at tackle and Best who is working inside) as well as Afalava who is really experiencing his first spring camp as a participant. Sources have said the OL has been ‘good’ to ‘very good’ at different points through the spring and I expect them to really ramp up the intensity over these last two weeks and into the spring game.
Quick Hitter | Sourced Defensive Line
– Super K – Posted on: April 7, 2026
I noted last week, that I’ve been told the Sooners are really trying to develop that defensive line rotation. Obviously they have a good first group but last year they weren’t just good, they were deep.
As Charlie noted, it does sound like the interior line had their way with the Sooners interior DL. Probably a combination of an improving OL and the interior DL trying to find its footing.
I was told before the scrimmage that the Sooners are going to play the back ups in these scrimmage situations a lot. They want to develop that depth ASAP.
A specific note I was told on Nigel Smith since he is the guy folks have been talking about most as of late is that he’s not as sudden as guys the Sooners lost but he is incredibly flexible and bends well. So, they are hopeful he can emerge as a guy who can split some double teams and be a good depth piece.
Stability in College Football
– Super K – Posted on: April 7, 2026
As you may know by now, recently, President Trump signed an executive order titled, “Urgent National Action to Save College Sports” which is meant to help move towards a resolution to all the upheaval we’ve recently seen in college sports due to unlimited transfers, NIL, etc.
I want to highlight what I think is the key issue and an issue that we are already seeing helps with stability…
Limitations on transfers.
This year we saw a limited transfer window after the fall season and with no spring transfer, coaches I’ve spoken to feel like it’s given them a lot more calm. They can focus on development and rely on the players they currently have to be with them in the fall.
This new EO appears to be trying to move things towards a one time transfer rule (pre-graduation) which would bring college football back to where sports like softball were before all this chaos.
A one time transfer would give student athletes some leverage and ability to get out of a poor situation but offer some additional stability to the sport, overall.
I don’t know where this will land but it seems clear to me that the powers that be know that if they can get a handle on the transfer situation, it’ll fix most of the other issues.
Thoughts Midway Through Spring Camp | Defense
– Charlie S – Posted on: April 8, 2026
As the Sooners head toward the last two weeks of Spring Ball, thought now would be a good time to share some quick thoughts about each position group based on sources’ observations and my own opinions and conclusions.
I started on the offensive side of the ball HERE and now we will talk defense.
Defensive Tackle – It’s a young man’s game this spring for the Sooners, for the most part, as Jayden Jackson and David Stone (OU’s starters) are not participating in any meaningful manner on the field. Stone and Jackson are leading through the meeting rooms and basically serve as coaches/cheerleaders during practice. What their absence has allowed is for a plethora of unproven and young guys to get plenty of snaps and reps. Trent Wilson and Nigel Smith generally line up with the 1’s and then you have guys like transfers Bishop Thomas and Kenny Ozowalu (sometimes, other times he works with the EDGEs) getting their feet wet in the Sooners system. As you move along on the depth chart, one youngster who has made a nice early impression is Tank Carrington who came into camp at a surprising 290. Brian Harris is going through it and adjusting to college ball and he is certainly an eager participant as well. Overall, some valuable reps are being taken by guys and that should pay off for the Sooners once the season rolls around. I project that Stone and Jackson will be backed up in season, at least initially, by Wilson and Smith and then some of the other guys will make some moves as the season rolls along. Keeping an eye on Bishop Thomas to carve out a larger role than some may have thought.
EDGE – This is a room with a lot of talent, but not a lot of proven production statistically outside of Taylor Wein. You have some freaks of nature athletically in PJ Adebawore and Danny Okoye, who are expected to be heavy contributors. PJ has missed all of spring, and Danny has had a lot of buzz around him in regard to how he has been progressing. After that, Wyatt Gilmore is picking up some compliments and freshman Jake Kreul is showing off some very advanced technique for a true freshman. I do believe he will have a role this season. CJ Nickson is another name who is starting to get some buzz around him as he has grown into a full-fledged monster at 270 pounds. Kenny Ozowalu will play EDGE and is actually a viable candidate to push for serious playing time, particularly when OU goes to an odd front. Overall, the room is in good shape, just need to see the continued development play out on the field. My bet for starters for snap one game one…I’m gonna say it’s Wein and Okoye as I am not sure I see PJ doing enough to bump Danny ahead of the season starting. PJ will play a lot, but I just think Danny will get the nod for being available.
Linebacker – So, here we go, right? OU is still waiting on word about the availability of Owen Heinecke for the 2026 season and if they get him back, OU is suddenly sitting there with perhaps the best LB room in the SEC. Even without him, Kip Lewis and Cole Sullivan (who has been everything and more that OU thought he would be when they poached him from Michigan) represent a formidable duo, but no Heinecke would leave depth a serious concern. James Nesta has been the darling of the buzz, though, and it sounds like he is showing signs of taking a big jump, which the Sooners can really use. Taylor Heim is a guy who is playing both ILB and Cheetah in the spring, and folks around Norman are quite pleased with where he is at, but again, he has no track record at this point, so it will be worth keeping an eye on when the bright lights turn on. The most talked about freshman, Jacob Curry suffered a lower body injury, and he will likely miss the rest of spring and most of summer at the very least, but Kristan Moore and Dane Bathhurst have had some moments here in spring ball.
Cornerback – Eli Bowen and Courtland Guillory are the undisputed starting pair. That won’t change ahead of game one snap one, no matter what happens, unless god forbid there is an injury, but behind them, the battles are raging. Right now, Jacobe Johnson and Jeremiah Newcombe are battling for CB3 and Newcombe is also working at Cheetah, so I am giving the edge to Johnson in that battle. One of the pleasant notes from spring from sources to this point is that Trystan Haynes is starting to make his presence felt. Also, Dakoda Fields has been a solid teammate and a kid whose athletic ability flashes more and more as the days go by. Lot of feel-good stuff in this room right now, and I would not be surprised to see a couple of the guys down the depth chart start to dabble in the safety room a bit in order to get on the field more.
Safety – This is probably the room that is most concerning right now on the defensive side of the ball only because of the depth situation. Peyton Bowen and Mike Boganowski give you a very good starting pair, but after that, it really is Omarrion Robinson and a prayer as the way things stand. Reggie Powers can, and will play some safety, but again, he is written in as the starting Cheetah…so while I do not list Cheetah on this review, Powers and Heim are the guys who will be manning that spot initially (with some Newcombe sprinkled in) so that takes them both away from the rotations to a degree at safety and linebacker respectively. Prince Ijioma, the transfer, is a guy who is getting a lot of reps in the two deep at safety, and he could work his way into a rotational role this season. Right now, OU is hunting and searching as to who will present their best options at depth, and it feels like every day, sources are trying to gas up a new guy or two, which kind of feels like they aren’t close to being satisfied with where things are at on that depth chart right now.
OU has a Nasty Schedule
– Super K – Posted on: April 9, 2026
I’ve already noted and I believe many of you agree that the Sooners face a tougher schedule this year than they faced last year.
Yesterday, I was chatting with a friend of mine who is a GM at a prominent program. As you might expect, as part of his job he does a lot of deep dives on recruits and personnel. So, I like to pick his brain on what teams he likes.
We got to talking about the playoffs and I asked him, based on the rosters he likes, some teams he thinks might make the top four.
He mentioned Georgia and Texas.
I told him OU plays both along with Michigan in the first half of the season.
He was pretty floored. Who knows if he’s actually right but he said that’s about as a brutal of a schedule you can find.
I agree with him and as I noted, we’ve said as much on here. But it really hit me that OU is going to face just in the first half of the season…
A team that won a natty fairly recently.
A team that has won multiple championships in recent years.
And a team in Texas with an offensive guru that has made recently made multiple playoff runs.
There is a tough schedule and then there is this. And one might think, ok yeah that’s ridiculously difficult but you get cupcakes on the back half of the schedule. Nope.
Ole Miss was a score away from being in the national championship last year. TAMU was a playoff team last year and barely lost to one of the teams that ended up in the national championship.
We’re not in Big 12 country anymore, Toto.
