There’s just a certain standard when it comes to offensive line play at Oklahoma. Lincoln Riley knows it, offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh knows it.

Everybody knows it, and everybody knows the last couple of seasons just haven’t felt like the typical dominant outings from that group.

Perhaps you can give a pass for 2020 because there’s no question the one group hit hardest by COVID-19 and the contact tracing and everything that went with it was Bedenbaugh’s guys.

It was rough, physically and mentally. Now a couple of weeks into spring 2021 practice, though, it doesn’t feel like that is gonna fly anymore. It’s time to get back to what OU does best.

“Mentality. Just mentality and consistency,” Bedenbaugh said. “The one thing I will say about these guys, and hopefully it continues, I see a totally different mentality from individuals and as a group. Just everything you do… Playing the position at this level and with the standards that we have is tough. It’s hard. It really is. I’m never truly satisfied.”

Bedenbaugh mentioned even when OU won the Joe Moore Award for the best offensive line in the country for 2018 season, there was never a game where he felt satisfied with the results.

There is a lot of experience in the room when you look at guys like Marquis Hayes and Tyrese Robinson. And a lot of potential when you examine some of the younger tackles.

It’s about putting it all together.

“It’s a decision that you make. All right, I want to be elite. I want to be the best,” Bedenbaugh said. “You go from being a good player to an elite, great player just by your mentality and how you approach every day. That’s the biggest thing. I’ve seen it change. I’m preaching it and they’re getting it. As long as it continues to evolve and develop, I do think we have a chance to be a really, really good group.”

Murray next man up at center

A lot of the focus for spring, rightfully so, is trying to find the center replacement for Creed Humphrey. Not just his play on the field, but his leadership off of it, too.

Probably a bit much to ask for all those questions to be answered in such a short period of time, but it does appear as though a couple of names are starting to make their mark.

“Chris Murray is working there. Ian (McIver) has played there. Nate Anderson. We brought Robert Congel in,” Bedenbaugh said. “Right now those guys are doing a good job. I feel pretty good about it. They’re all competing, they’re playing. It’s more the mental aspect of it.”

After a season at guard, Murray seems poised to become the guy to really watch.

“I do think his best position is center. Now it’s just the mental aspects,” Bedenbaugh said. “We ask our centers to do so much stuff. They’re the leader obviously of the offensive line, but the offense. They’ve got to get everybody going in the right direction. So it’s more studying things, getting to really understand the offense, getting to really understand what the defense is doing. It’s a lot different playing guard as opposed to center.”

Morris fitting in

Offensive tackle transfer Wanya Morris isn’t on the practice field just yet, but he’s doing all he can to become a part of the team.

What stands out to Bedenbaugh is Morris’ willingness to ask questions and his want-to in terms of learning the position.

“The one thing I really like is he asks a lot of questions,” Bedenbaugh said. “As good as he’s played in the past, started I think 19 games, started as a true freshman at the place he came from, has had some success, but he’s not resting on what he’s done.

“Everything, how he works, how he approaches it, asks questions, comes up here and meets with me on his own. I’ve been impressed with him so far. I think we’re going to have some pretty good competition at tackle.”

After Morris hit the transfer portal from Tennessee, it was almost immediate to where everybody knew he wanted to be a Sooner.

Bedenbaugh admits he can’t speak in absolutes, but he truly believes Norman is where Morris wanted to call home the entire time.

“I really think Wanya wanted to come here out of high school,” Bedenbaugh said. “I really, truly believe that and he’s said that and his mom has. But it was close to home. He chose a place that was close to home. But I think it’s going to be huge for us. I recruited him out of high school. He’s a guy I got to see work out a bunch, practice, work out in the weight room. I trust his coaches.”

Quotables

“The dude can be as good as anybody we’ve had here. I hate even saying that because who knows what’s going to happen. His talent level is off the charts. He’s a special, special dude.” – Bedenbaugh on Anton Harrison

“And now it's just getting the mind right and putting everything together and eliminating a lot of distractions that you have on the outside. If he continues to go in the direction that he has up to this point, he's got a chance. But he's got to keep going in that direction and not have the ups and downs and the inconsistencies.” – Bedenbaugh on Stacey Wilkins

“Raym, you know rain was a guy that, you know I thought was gonna start at some point last year… he can play a bunch of positions. He's really focused on right guard right now. Can play left guard. We had him doing some center. He played some tackle, right tackle last year into fall camp. But I think where he's going to, you know, be a player for us is on the interior right now, any of those three positions.” – Bedenbaugh on Andrew Raym