Oklahoma football: Five reasons to be excited about a 2020 season

NORMAN, OK - OCTOBER 07: A general view of the stadium during the Iowa State game at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on October 7, 2017 in Norman, Oklahoma. Iowa State defeated Oklahoma 38-31. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images)
NORMAN, OK - OCTOBER 07: A general view of the stadium during the Iowa State game at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on October 7, 2017 in Norman, Oklahoma. Iowa State defeated Oklahoma 38-31. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images)
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ATLANTA, GEORGIA – DECEMBER 28: Creed Humphrey #56 of the Oklahoma Sooners prepares to snap the ball at the line of scrimmage against the LSU Tigers during the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 28, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – DECEMBER 28: Creed Humphrey #56 of the Oklahoma Sooners prepares to snap the ball at the line of scrimmage against the LSU Tigers during the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 28, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Offensive line returns in full

A year ago, Oklahoma returned one starter from a veteran offensive line that was awarded the 2018 Joe Moore Award as the best O-line in college football. The Sooners started the 2019 season with only one player on the offensive line who had started a college game. Center Creed Humprhrey was the lone returning starter from the 2018 offensive line that was voted the best in the country. He remains the anchor of the OU O-line for 2020.

All five starters started virtually every game a year ago on a Sooner team that ranked third in the country in total offense. In addition to Humphrey, the OU offensive line consists of guards Marquis Hayes and Tyrese Robinson and tackles Adrian Ealy and Erik Swenson.

A major reason Oklahoma has had such a prolific offensive performance the past five seasons is the unsung performance of the big boys in the trenches. And the Sooners have been blessed with outstanding offensive line play. Expect more of the same in the upcoming season.