When starting right tackle Jake Taylor aggravated an injury and had to take a seat midway through the Sooners' 16-12 victory over Houston last Saturday, Bill Bedenbaugh faced a predicament.
Oklahoma's stalwart offensive line coach could choose to insert backup right tackle Spencer Brown, who had been largely ineffective the previous week in Taylor's stead. Or he could shift Michael Tarquin from left tackle to the right side, and count on redshirt freshman Logan Howland to hold things down at left tackle.
Bedenbaugh went with the latter option, despite the fact that Howland had made just two previous appearances — in garbage time, no less — in his young collegiate career. And no, Howland didn't immediately morph into the reincarnation of Trent Williams. But he rose to the challenge in a pinch for Oklahoma, playing 39 snaps and recording a PFF grade of 64.2. That grade was second only to Tarquin's team-high mark of 71.9 on Saturday.
Moving forward, with Taylor's status very much in doubt, it's not out of the question that Howland could be asked to step into a more regular role in the trenches for Oklahoma. He had no qualms about being thrown into the fire Saturday night, and if he's asked to inherit greater responsibility until Taylor can return, he's more than ready.
"Injuries happen in sports," remarked Howland on Monday. "We got to be a next-man-up kind of [team]. Luckily my name was called, and I did the preparation and stuff. I just had my chance and I took it. I'm happy we got the win... I thought it went good. There's always room for improvement. But it was a good stepping stone in the right direction."
At 6-foot-6 and 309 pounds, Howland fits the mold of a Power 4 left tackle. But he's still relatively new to the offensive line in general, as he didn't play tackle on a full-time basis until his senior year of high school in New Jersey. Up until that point, he'd played tight end and defensive end, which conjures up recollections of Lane Johnson's famed developmental rollercoaster. Johnson, the longtime Philadelphia Eagles tackle, is an Oklahoma alumnus who began his collegiate career as a quarterback before switching to tight end, then defensive end, then finally to offensive tackle. After a standout career with the Sooners, he was selected fourth overall in the 2013 NFL Draft. Today, he's a four-time All-Pro, a five-time Pro Bowler, a Super Bowl champion and a surefire Hall of Famer upon his retirement.
Is Howland the next Lane Johnson? No one's burdening him with those expectations right now. But Brent Venables has taken plenty of joy in watching Howland attack the process of learning his craft as a tackle, just as Johnson did.
“We know the Lane Johnson transformation from quarterback to tight end to offensive lineman; some of that is a little bit the same," said Venables of Howland. "It’s been a lot of fun to watch him put the work in, gain the weight, strength, confidence, learn the basics, learn the fundamentals. Watch that evolution and transformation take place. He’s only going to continue to get better.”
The Sooners' offensive line is beleaguered, as a slew of injuries has made it virtually impossible to establish any kind of continuity up front. Center Branson Hickman hasn't played since the first quarter of the season opener against Temple due to an ankle injury. Guard Troy Everett has yet to play after suffering an injury in spring ball that required surgery, although his return is imminent. Transfer guard Geirean Hatchett is done for the year after undergoing bicep surgery, and Taylor's timetable for return is unclear as he deals with multiple ailments. But Howland isn't about to make excuses for himself or for the unit.
“You got to be ready to do your job," he declared, "and once you get your shot, you have to be ready to do your job. It doesn't matter who you are and once you get your shot, you got to take it. We can always be nastier, always bury people on the ground. We always have to keep getting better with everything we do."
For his part, Venables believes that Howland's ceiling is immense, especially under Bedenbaugh's tutelage. Certainly, the Sooners would have preferred not to have lost Taylor to injury on Saturday night, but Venables found a silver lining in the way that Howland performed.
“He has a chance to play this game for a long time," the head ball coach said of his young left tackle. "This is good work for him last week. Getting into the game takes things to another level. Sometimes you have to get in there and get exposed. And sometimes you get in there — a coach could be a little bit gun-shy, if you will, about a guy who doesn’t have a lot of game experience. Sometimes that can help the coach, too, to earn trust.”
What will Oklahoma's starting offensive line look like this Saturday against Tulane? That's not yet settled. But if Howland's number is called once again and he earns his first career start, he's eager to do what he can to stabilize the unit. And he's not inclined to panic about the subpar play in the offensive trenches through two weeks. But he understands as well as anyone that the Sooners' play in the trenches needs to improve.
“I feel good," Howland maintained. "We got one of the best coaches in the country, if not the best. He gives you the tools and you just have to execute with them… The offensive line here is a standard. We have to live up to that standard every day. You see guys in the NFL doing well right now and we have to replicate them and try to get where they're at.
"Everyone needs to do better across the board. It's a game of inches. We just need to step up."
