Linebacker Owen Heinecke is all of a sudden back on Oklahoma's 2026 roster, giving the Sooners an unplanned defensive starter overnight.
On Thursday, after a nearly seven-hour long hearing at the Cleveland County Courthouse, Judge Thad Balkman granted the injunction to give Heinecke another year of eligibility and made him immediately eligible as the Sooners are winding down spring camp with the spring game on Saturday. It was a massive offseason win for the Sooners that instantly gifted them a returning starter at middle linebacker and gave them one of the deepest linebacker groups in college football.
Heinecke was a breakout star last season in what will now go down as his redshirt-junior year. He was named Second-Team All-SEC after recording 74 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, three sacks and a forced fumble. After playing primarily on special teams the previous two seasons, Heinecke impressed enough to start the final five games of the season at middle linebacker over Kobie McKinzie, who transferred to Northwestern over the offseason.
With Heinecke's eligibility in jeopardy after the NCAA twice denied him of another season and forced him to take things to court, the Sooners had a gaping hole at linebacker. It could had easily been filled by McKinzie, who started the first eight games last season, but he headed to the portal. Sammy Omosigho, primed for a starting role finally, also left for UCLA. There was even more panic as fans waited for a decision from Kip Lewis, who could had entered the 2026 NFL Draft.
It was looking bleak in January for what's usually the heartbeat of Brent Venables' system, but by April, there are no longer any concerns at linebacker for the Sooners. Heinecke and Lewis are both back to start. The Sooners added Michigan transfer Cole Sullivan, who was projected to start before the Heinecke decision. Redshirt sophomore James Nesta has also impressed during spring camp while getting more opportunity.
For a position with depth concerns this same offseason, it could now be the deepest on the roster. At least those four mentioned above will rotate consistently in 2026, and all that linebacker talent could also flood into the cheetah spot to get those guys on the field more.
With Heinecke back on the defensive depth chart, here's what it could look like when the season kicks off.
What the Sooners' defensive depth chart could look like with Owen Heinecke back
Defensive line
DE-Â Taylor Wein (R-JR), Kenny Ozowalu (R-SO)
DT-Â David Stone (JR), Bishop Thomas (R-SR)
DT-Â Jayden Jackson (JR), Nigel Smith II (R-SO)
DE- Danny Okoye (R-SO), Adepoju Adebawore (SR), Jake Kreul (FR)
MIKE linebacker
Owen Heinecke (R-SR)
Cole Sullivan (JR)
SAM linebacker
Kip Lewis (R-SR)
James Nesta (R-SO)
Cheetah
Reggie Powers III (JR)
Jeremiah Newcombe (R-SO)
Strong safety
Peyton Bowen (SR)
Reggie Powers III (JR)
Free safety
Michael Boganowski (JR)
Omarion Robinson (R-FR)
Left corner
Courtland Guillory (SO)
Jacobe Johnson (SR)
Right corner
Eli Bowen (JR)
Trystan Haynes (R-FR)
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