⚡ CFB Dashboard

- Injury: Sooners Illustrated can confirm Pete Thamel's report that Ryan Fodje and Jake Maikkula are both expected to return against Michigan.

- Oklahoma LT Michael Fasusi is doubtful and unlikely to play against Michigan, according to Sooners Illustrated's sources. His shoulder injury is described as week-to-week. The report does not call him definitively out or establish a return date. - Oklahoma linemen Ryan Fodje and Jake Maikkula are expected to return against Michigan. With Fasusi unlikely to play, the reported plan is Fodje at left tackle, true freshman Noah Best moving to right guard and Maikkula returning at center. These are expected assignments, not a confirmed game-day lineup. - Oklahoma RB Jonathan Hatton traveled with the team after improvement over the preceding two days and is expected to be available against Michigan. Tory Blaylock's status also improved, with the report describing him as likely probable. Neither update establishes a workload or snap limit. - Oklahoma defensive tackle Braxton Fely made the trip to Ann Arbor. The report confirms travel only; it does not separately confirm that he will play against Michigan or describe his expected role.

- RB: A kid named Tate played RB at Central State when I was there, years ago.

- Cover 3 framed Oklahoma's ability to run against Michigan, through either its backs or quarterback, as the key to creating a path to roughly 21 points and a win. - If the ground game fails, the hosts warned that the quarterback's passing and processing limitations could create interceptions that offset Oklahoma's other advantages and keep Michigan in contention.

- RB/LB: A running back cuts to the first daylight that he sees and is simultaneously opposite of his next step which becomes his plant foot.

- Pick/market: NORMAN — Oklahoma spent the offseason retooling its offense and placing an emphasis on establishing a "kickass" downhill rushing attack.

- Oklahoma left tackle Michael Fasusi remained questionable for Michigan after a very limited Monday practice and an apparent recurrence of his shoulder injury that restricted him to 17 opening-game snaps. - SoonerScoop sources reported that offensive linemen Ryan Fodje and Jake Maikkula practiced Monday after knee injuries and were expected to be available at Michigan, with Fodje likely to take left-tackle practice reps while Fasusi's status remained uncertain. - Brent Venables said Oklahoma defensive end Danny Okoye was expected to play against Michigan after an injury kept him out of the UTEP opener. - Oklahoma running back Tory Blaylock could return from his hamstring injury against Michigan, but Venables made his availability contingent on how he practices this week.

- Pick/market: That took a LOT of work on your part Brody- MUCH appreciated on my end!

- RB/TE: He’s in over his head and anyone with a little bit of football sense knows it.

- RB: Or perhaps Okoye was held out as punishment for a rules violation.

- Oklahoma beat UTEP 51-0 and showed big-play passing growth, but the report card still described the Sooners as leaving room for improvement. - John Mateer was graded as solid at quarterback with strong throws on the move, while Isaiah Sategna drew the top offensive grade after a breakout receiving and return performance. - The offensive-line review was mixed: E'Marion Harris was called Oklahoma's most consistent lineman, Noah Best played all three interior spots, but Heath Ozaeta was not viewed as creating enough movement. - Oklahoma's defense was dominant overall but had early run-fit issues against UTEP before becoming stingier in the second half. - The author specifically identified the run game on both sides of the ball as the main week-one question despite an otherwise strong opener.

- Oklahoma's revamped offense used roughly a quarter of John Mateer's snaps from under center and played 50 of 59 offensive snaps from 12 personnel against UTEP. - Mateer completed 11 of 17 passes for 225 yards and three long touchdowns while looking comfortable in the new under-center and multiple-tight-end structure. - Oklahoma's tight ends were moved across in-line, wide, and H-back alignments, with Trynae Washington serving as a lead blocker on Lloyd Avant's one-yard touchdown run. - All three Oklahoma touchdown passes came on play-action from two-tight-end sets, including scores to Rocky Beers, Isaiah Sategna, and Trell Harris. - Oklahoma's offense is still not complete because expected starting offensive linemen Jake Maikkula and Ryan Fodje were sidelined in Week 1.

- Oklahoma's revised offense leaned into downhill runs, under-center calls, and heavy two- and three-tight-end packages; transfer Lloyd Avant led the opening drive and finished with 79 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries. - John Mateer completed 11 of 17 passes for 225 yards and three touchdowns, including second-half scores of 34 yards to Isaiah Sategna and 48 yards to Trell Harris. - The offense still settled for two short field goals after failed red-zone finishes, and its 4.4 yards per rush came against a UTEP team expected to rank near the bottom nationally. - Expected offensive-line starters Jake Maikkula and Ryan Fodje missed the opener; Maikkula warmed up and both are expected back relatively soon, but their status is important before Oklahoma visits Michigan. - Oklahoma's defense pitched a shutout and forced two fumbles after not recording its first takeaway until Week 6 last season, although it allowed 5.2 yards per play in the first quarter and a 51-yard quarterback run late.