Good and bad news on Oklahoma’s latest injury report ahead of Ole Miss

Well, there’s good news, and there’s bad news.

The Oklahoma Sooners have had five offensive linemen listed on the SEC Availability Report this week ahead of hosting Ole Miss at 11 a.m. CT Saturday. Of the two with a possibility of actually playing, one took a turn for the better on Thursday evening’s report, while the other went the opposite way fans want to see.

OU injury updates

Starting right tackle Derek Simmons was downgraded from questionable to doubtful on Thursday’s report, meaning the Sooners will likely be without him on Saturday after he suffered a concussion last week. However, backup right tackle Logan Howland was upgraded from questionable to probable, so the Sooners will at least have someone healthy at the position.

Simmons transferred from Western Carolina this offseason, and after missing Week 1 with an injury, has started every game since. Howland has three starts this season while filling in at both tackle spots and also started six games at left tackle last year while appearing in all 13 games.

The Sooners’ Week 9 depth chart included Simmons, Howland and Jake Taylor, respectively, at right tackle. Taylor is already listed as out and hasn’t played since Week 1. If Simmons and Howland were also both unable to go, then backup left tackle Luke Baklenko would have had to switch sides and left the Sooners with zero depth at the offensive tackle position for Saturday.

OU will also likely be without wide receiver Keontez Lewis, who has been listed as doubtful since the initial report on Wednesday. Lewis was also sidelined last week.

Running back Jovantae Barnes and defensive back Gentry Williams were listed as questionable. Barnes hasn’t played since Sept. 20 against Auburn, but Williams has missed only the Temple game so far.

An updated SEC Availability Report will be released Friday evening and again 90 minutes before kickoff on Saturday morning.