Bill Bedenbaugh, the Oklahoma offensive line coach, has always been the guy who could dodge the blame, even when the Sooners couldn’t put points on the board. For years, the guy was untouchable, right? He earned that pass, coaching 14 NFL draft picks since 2013, including legit NFL stars like Orlando Brown and Creed Humphrey. He was even a Broyles Award finalist in 2017! Plus, his lines blocked for Heisman winners Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray. But folks, those days are GONE.
From Untouchable To Under Fire: The O-Line’s Epic Collapse
Now, Bedenbaugh is absolutely feeling the heat, and it’s intense. This whole situation is spiraling right into their Saturday game against Texas in Dallas, and it’s because this unit has just been absolutely awful. We’re talking a stretch of three games where the Sooners have scored a combined 37 points. Think about that for a second: 37 points in THREE games. They haven’t even cracked 300 yards in those matchups, and they’ve lost twice. That’s not just a slump; that’s a full-blown crisis for an offense. What’s even wilder is how the media is responding. Usually, reporters would point fingers at the skill players, but now? The O-line and offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle are squarely in the crosshairs. This unit is just plain broken right now.
Coach Venables Didn’t Hold Back, And It Was Brutal
If you thought Coach Venables would protect his guy, think again. On Tuesday, when asked about the offensive line, he didn’t pull any punches. None at all. “It’s been incredibly inconsistent, very disappointing,” Venables flat-out said. He then dropped some truth bombs that really explain the mess: “As you build your football team, that’s a critical place. That is a place that probably requires the most development of any position that you have on your roster.” Ouch. He continued, “Very uneven job when it comes to choosing the guys that we’ve brought in here. Way too many guys are coming and going at that position group…It’s been very unstable and certainly not the kind of development that you want from top to bottom.” You can’t get much more direct than that, right? That’s not just criticism; that’s an indictment.
Injuries, The Portal, And Bad Luck: What’s Really Going On
Venables pointed to a few factors. First, player development is getting smacked around by how often guys switch schools. That transfer portal, man, it’s making it impossible to build continuity, and that’s usually Bedenbaugh’s bread and butter. Venables explicitly called the portal the “No. 1 reason” they haven’t allowed the development needed at that position. He also hinted that some of the issues aren’t just about coaching or recruiting. Some key linemen have been missing games due to injuries. Left tackle Michael Fasusi has missed three games and most of another with a shoulder injury. Center Jake Maikkula missed a game with a knee injury, and right guard Ryan Fodje also sat out a game due to his knee. Fasusi was listed as doubtful for the upcoming Texas game, and left guard Eddy Pierre-Louis is questionable with an undisclosed injury. Venables, maybe realizing he sounded a bit harsh, tried to soften it, adding that some of it’s “dumb luck.” But honestly? The damage was already done.
So, it all comes down to Saturday. Can this O-line finally step up against Texas in Dallas, or are we going to see another dismal performance from a unit that’s becoming the team’s biggest problem?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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