One question for each position group for the Oklahoma Sooners
NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...
Fall camp will get underway next week as the Oklahoma Sooners look to build on their College Football Playoff appearance from a year ago. But it's a new season with many of the same returning characters, but this year's group will create its own identity. It's a roster filled with talent, including 10 preseason All-SEC selections. There's an optimism heading into the year despite being voted seventh in the preseason SEC predicted order of finish.
The Sooners will have one of the best starting lineups in college football in 2026, led by a defense that was one of the best units in the sport last season. The offense, which had some shortcomings in 2025, will be much improved this season. It's a group that's hungry to get back to the playoff and do more damage this time around.
But like every team, the Oklahoma Sooners have some questions heading into fall camp. Here's a look at the questions we're asking about each position group heading into the preseason.
Quarterback: Will Whitt Newbauer or Bowe Bentley win the backup job?
In Brent Venables' tenure at Oklahoma, the Sooners have had their Week 1 starter play every game in a season just one time: the 2023 season with Dillon Gabriel. You don’t want to rely on your backup, but as we’ve seen, when you have to go to him, you need a guy that can help you win a game. In 2024 and 2025, Michael Hawkins Jr. helped Oklahoma beat Auburn and Kent State.
Heading into fall camp, sophomore Whitt Newbauer has the leg up on true freshman Bowe Bentley after their performances in the spring. There’s no rush on Bentley to play meaningful snaps, especially when you have Newbauer, who has experience in offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle’s system and has played meaningful snaps at the collegiate level.
If Newbauer wins the backup job, it's not an indictment on Bentley in the slightest.
Running Back: How will Deland McCullough manage the workload?
New running backs coach Deland McCullough has a strong group to work with in Xavier Robinson, Tory Blaylock, Lloyd Avant, Jonathan Hatton, and DeZephen Walker. Robinson and Blaylock are full go for fall camp after missing much or all of the spring, and you’d think they’d have the best opportunity to lead the way in 2026, but Avant, Hatton, and Walker had really nice springs in their absence and could be a part of the running back rotation as well.
Trying to get everyone opportunities may be a challenge for McCullough, but it’s one of those good problems to have.
Tight End: Will Hayden Hansen and Rocky Beers exceed the receiving production from a year ago?
There's been a lot made of the additions of Hayden Hansen and Rocky Beers and what they bring to the running game. But at the tight end position, they'll be asked to catch passes too. In 2025, despite some inadequacies as a blocker, Jaren Kanak was productive in the passing game for the Sooners, putting together the best tight end season since Brayden Willis' breakout campaign in 2026.
In addition to what they bring to the run game, Hansen and Beers bring a combined 61 receptions for 642 yards and nine touchdowns. If the duo combines for those kinds of numbers for the Sooners this year, it will be a great year for the Oklahoma offense.
Wide Receiver: Will Oklahoma find a homegrown option for the rotation?
The Oklahoma Sooners have one of the more talented starting trios in Isaiah Sategna, Parker Livingstone, and Trell Harris. Sategna came over as a transfer from Arkansas in the 2025 offseason and Livingstone and Harris joined the Sooners in January. Oklahoma's been very transfer reliant at wide receiver the last couple of seasons and haven't seen a player they signed out of high school become a signifcant factor since 2023.
Manny Choice and Elijah Thomas are in their second year with the program and have put together good offseasons. Jahsiear Rogers is a true freshman but was one of the standouts of the spring game. Jayden Petit was a four-star signing in the 2026 recruiting class. There's talent on the depth chart but can they find their way into the rotation in 2026?
Offensive Line: Who starts at right guard? Ryan Fodje or Heath Ozaeta?
Heath Ozaeta started seven games for the Sooners last season before suffering an injury against Ole Miss that kept him out for the rest of the season. That brought Eddy Pierre-Louis into the lineup at left guard. On the right side, Ryan Fodje bounced between right tackle and right guard, making six starts as a true freshman last year. Ozaeta is a more natural guard while Fodje projects to be a better fit at tackle but with Arkansas transfer E'Marion Harris likely manning the right tackle spot, the Sooners will have to make a decision between Ozaeta and Fodje at right guard.
Defensive Line: Who steps up, Adepoju Adebawore or Danny Okoye, or both?
The Oklahoma Sooners have a big role to fill on the defense after the departure of R Mason Thomas. Former five-star Adepoju Adebawore and former four-star Danny Okoye look like the prime candidates to step into a starter's role on the Oklahoma Sooners defensive line. Opposite All-SEC defensive end Taylor Wein and with David Stone and Jayden Jackson manning the middle, Adebawore and Okoye should make a huge impact in 2026.
Linebacker: How will Venables deploy his backers?
At linebacker, the Sooners bring back Kip Lewis, Owen Heinecke, and cheetah linebacker Reggie Powers, who is expected to take over as the starter with Kendal Daniels in the NFL. Last year, Lewis led the way at the position with 546 snaps, followed by Daniels at 541, Heinecke at 486, and Powers had 333 in a rotational role.
The Sooners brought in Michigan transfer linebacker Cole Sullivan this offseason to add to the linebacker talent in the room. Sullivan will get on the field for Oklahoma in 2026. It's just a matter of where and how much.
Oklahoma's base alignment will likely feature Lewis and Heinecke at inside linebacker with Powers at cheetah. However, with the talent that Venables has at his disposal, he could opt to run alignments that feature all three traditional linebackers Lewis, Heinecke, and Sullivan, in addition to playing Powers at cheetah as a nickel defensive back with a three-man front.
The Sooners have options at the second level of the defense, which will allow Venables and his staff to deploy the 11 best each week regardless of the matchup.
Secondary: Is Michael Boganowski ready for the spotlight?
In short, I'm going to say yes. The hard-hitting safety from Kansas, Michael Boganowski, has been patiently waiting for his time to shine, and he's about to be a highlight reel. From announcing himself to Sooner Nation with a deafening hit on Austin Stogner in the 2024 spring game to working his way into the rotation in 2025, Boganowski is going to regularly make his presence felt for what will be one of the best secondaries in college football.
Special Teams: Can it be special again?
Tate Sandell won the Lou Groza Award for the nation's best kicker. Grayson Miller was really good for a lot of the season, flipping field position and pinning opponents deep in their own end. Isaiah Sategna was a weapon in the punt return game.
The Sooners had one of the best special teams units in the nation throughout the season, only unraveling in the College Football Playoff loss to Alabama. The elements are there for it to be a strength once again. And if it is, it makes managing the game much easier for Venables.
Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X (formerly known as Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions.You can also follow John on X @john9williams.
This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: One question for each position group for the Oklahoma Sooners
More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos