Can’t necessarily say it was the case for every football team, but there’s no question it was the Oklahoma offensive line that was hit the hardest by COVID-19 in 2020.
It didn’t even have to be testing positive for COVID-19, simply the conditioning of the group was just a big concern all year long.
Back to normal, or as normal as it can be, and Bill Bedenbaugh has a lot of pieces to where he can make things work.
Breaking down what they did in 2020 and what you could expect in 2021. Because there are so many linemen, splitting this up into different categories.
Contenders
Tyrese Robinson (RS Jr.)
The story: The No. 1 player, at least from the outside looking in, where you would feel like COVID-19 disruptions caused the biggest change was Robinson. He just didn’t seem to be the guy who everybody thought was going to make a gigantic leap. Penalized often, but Robinson did start to turn things around in the latter half of the season.
2021 outlook: OK, spring will be a great first indicator of where Robinson is at when it comes to his conditioning. He looked a little heavy, heavier than what he needed to be and what OU needed him to be. Nobody is discounting his ability or dedication, what you’re hoping is that with things stabilized, Robinson brings out the best in himself again.
Anton Harrison (Fr.)
The story: The true freshman season couldn’t have worked out much better for Harrison. He got massive reps and showed he can more than hold his own at left tackle. What you can appreciate is Harrison never took that freshman dip, never felt like the moment was too big for him, and he wasn’t going to be able to compete at a high level.
2021 outlook: Harrison alternated with Erik Swenson the whole season, you wonder if he can separate himself there. Or, in a new year, will Harrison move to right tackle since Adrian Ealy has departed? Either way, Harrison will be somebody in the conversation for the tackle position, and that’s a really good thing for the Sooners in 2021 and beyond.
Marquis Hayes (RS Jr.)
The story: Hayes is “this close” to being among the elite of the elite. Every game you felt like you saw flashes of him being as dominant as he needs to be. Hayes wasn’t a disappointment by any means, but the common theme here is going to be consistency. He’s toned down the undisciplined penalties but still managed to be nasty.
2021 outlook: One of the biggest announcements for OU was Hayes returning for another season. He should be one of the best guards in the conference and probably in the country. If he reaches that level, the OU offense can go to that next level because he can be that type of leader and make that type of difference in both the running game and passing game.
Chris Murray (Jr.)
The story: It took about halfway through the season for Murray to be declared eligible, and he performed well when he was put in there. A big question for a lot of OU fans was why were his number of snaps so limited when it looked like Murray was playing at the level necessary. But he didn’t lose the year of eligibility, so no worries.
2021 outlook: Heading into spring, sure appears as though you can pencil in Murray as the replacement for Creed Humphrey at center. That’s one heck of an interior group if it turns out that way with Murray, Hayes and Robinson. Murray brings versatility and can obviously play anywhere in the interior, but OU seems to have him pegged as its next great center.
Andrew Raym (Fr.)
The story: A little interesting because Raym was getting some reps early in the season before things sort of fizzled out going down the stretch. Reports from multiple sources said Raym was doing as well as you could expect for a true freshman, so you hope he wasn’t discouraged by the lack of playing time. Still feels like he’ll be someone special.
2021 outlook: He’s the wild card, right? Is he someone who is going to push one of the guards for the starting spot? Or does Raym become the answer to the center question? Either way, Raym should be in the conversation for the Sooners interior spots the whole season. The goal, obviously, is just that all four of them (Raym, Robinson, Hayes, Murray) just push each other.
Stacey Wilkins (RS Fr.)
The story/2021 outlook: Not much of a story here. Wilkins opted out about a month into the season. A lot of speculation about him entering the transfer portal but that never happened. Now the belief is he worked on his upper body and has gotten stronger and will be ready to make noise. A lot was expected of him from the 2019 class and this is a great time to shine.
Wanya Morris (Soph.)
The story/2021 outlook: Morris dealt with a lot in 2020 at Tennessee. Between the hip injury and COVID issues, he was never the same Morris who dominated so much as a true freshman in 2019. Bedenbaugh made the impression during high school, and when Morris wanted to transfer, OU shot to the top of his list. He’s a Sooner, got what he wanted, now let’s see how elite of a tackle he can be.
Erik Swenson (RS Sr.)
The story: Still not the flashiest choice all these years later, but Swenson has become dependable and clearly has the respect of Bedenbaugh. Injuries weren’t as much of a concern in 2020, and he started to get more and more reps as the season progressed. You just wonder if there’s another level Swenson can get to at this juncture.
2021 outlook: The rare sixth season comes to Swenson. You know full well he can be that type of mentor for the younger guys, but can he still make a difference on the field? Guys like Harrison, Morris and Wilkins are all gunning for those spots, too, but will Swenson be able to hold them off for one more season?
Freshmen
Aaryn Parks (Fr.)
Nate Anderson (Fr.)
Noah Nelson (Fr.)
The story/outlook: Nobody is doubting the 2020 offensive line class, but these were the three that didn’t do anything of note, at least on the field. Will any of them break through? And how much will they benefit from having a normal offseason, normal spring practice and normal summer to get ready for the season ahead?
Freshmen, Part II
Cullen Montgomery (Fr.)
Savion Byrd (Fr.)
The story/outlook: With neither of them being mid-year enrollees, seems pretty obvious to not go crazy on the expectations for the first-year players. Byrd is someone OU fans are delighted to have and know Bedenbaugh can turn him into a productive player, while Montgomery was an early favorite of the OU coaches and was all-in with the Sooners during his entire recruitment.
Now or never
Finley Felix (Sr.)
Brey Walker (RS Soph.)
Marcus Alexander (RS Fr.)
Darrell Simpson (RS Soph.)
The story/outlook: It feels harsh to say, but it’s true. Felix is back for another senior season, but it’s hard to see if he does more than just bring depth. Walker was injured late in the season although head coach Lincoln Riley gave him praise for what he was doing behind the scenes. Tank Alexander has yet to make his mark, but his third in the program gives him the opportunity. Simpson had a rough 2020 between the death of his father and COVID, so if he’s still mentally all-in, he’s always been a physically imposing presence.
