NORMAN — The offensive line is an understandable question mark for the Sooners early in fall camp. They're replacing five players who played significant roles a year ago and will be leaning on a ton of newcomers in 2024.

But OU coach Brent Venables doesn't sound like a guy who's worried.

While the Sooners have plenty to figure out over the next few weeks, Venables doesn't have a ton of concern about where things stand after three days into fall camp.

"We love the group of guys," Venables said. "... The hard work has shown. It’s been going on since the spring with a couple of additions in fall camp since the last time we laced them up. We really like how that group has come along."

The Sooners did make sure to add plenty of options during the offseason.

Through the transfer portal, the Sooners added Branson Hickman, Michael Tarquin, Spencer Brown, Geirean Hatchettb and Febechi Nwaiwu, a group that's combined for over 80 starts at the collegiate level. As far as returning players, the Sooners have guys who could step into bigger roles, particularly Jacob Sexton, Jake Taylor, Joshua Bates and Troy Everett, though his status is uncertain after an injury during the spring. Among the freshmen, the Sooners added four-star prospects Eddy Pierre-Louis and Eugene Brooks, and a trio of three-star prospects in Isaiah Autry, Daniel Akinkunmi and Josh Aisosa.

"We have good depth there in regards to guys we feel like can play winning football," Venables said. "Jacob Sexton, Jake Taylor, Mike Tarquin, Febechi, Branson Hickman, Josh Bates, several other guys along with those guys — Logan Howland has really done some great things as a young player, (Eugene) Brooks, Joshua Aisosa, that’s a group of guys that we are really excited (about). Pierre-Louis has jumped in there .. the young guys and the new guys have really impressed with their ability to execute, and then the older guys are better than they’ve ever been.

Venables specifically pointed out the development of Sexton and Taylor. Both players are heading into their third seasons at OU, and Sexton in particularly saw the field for 410 snaps, per Pro Football Focus. Both of them figure to be heavily in the mix for playing time.

"The leadership we’re getting from Sexton and Taylor both and the improvement that they’ve brought to the table (is impressive)," Venables said, "and then, again, my feeling is that it’s the best that Febechi’s playing... (OU offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh) has done a great job, along with the rest of our guys on the offensive line coaching them up and getting them ready."

The Sooners may have options, but Bedenbaugh is still tasked with getting them to gel quickly.

Essentially every lineup combination the Sooners can play have not seen much time together on the field, and there's likely going to be guys getting significant snaps who've not played in an OU uniform. The Sooners are also going to need to develop depth, which was an area of concern last year — Andrew Raym, McKade Mettauer and Walter Rouse all played over 840 snaps last season (the Sooners played 1,026 as a team), and Cayden Green and Tyler Guyton both logged over 540. In the coming weeks, the Sooners are going to have to start making real decisions about the depth chart.

There's a few guys who are front runners for starting spots, but Venables said the coaching staff is approaching fall camp as if every position is up for grabs. Either way, there may be question marks, but Venables is confident they'll have answers.

"It’s gonna happen fast," Venables said. "By next Saturday, we start school that following Monday and by Wednesday we’re working scout team. So it’s gonna happen fast. That was a challenge. Everybody looks at yesterday was four weeks from kickoff. That means your three weeks from game week and you’re really two-and-a-half weeks from starting to split the squad up and really starting look at opponents and things of that nature. It’s gonna go by, and it’s gonna be just a vapor.

"So solidifying that, you’ve got a really good feel of what group of guys it’s gonna be. Then you pare it down to who runs out there first and that’ll be a big thing. What I like about the group is there’s a lot of versatility with key guys to play both inside and outside, and maybe they’ll even do that in a game as well and play it as a high level.”

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