Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables just dumped water on any fires that had been started because of injury news that had come out of the Sooners’ fall camp.
Venables met with local media after the Sooners’ eighth practice on Friday and was immediately asked for an injury update. A lengthy list of OU players didn’t participate the last time the media was able to attend practice on Tuesday, which obviously had many fans rightfully feeling uneasy when reports leaked. But there’s no need for Sooner Nation to panic, at least not at the moment.
"It's great. It's good. Right on schedule," Venables said of the injury situation. "... Had a couple of guys with, you know, guys getting hit in the thigh board or straining their shoulder, but no tears and that kind of stuff and no surgeries."
Sooners still dealing with abnormal amount of non-participants during fall camp
The key name that caught attention earlier this week was starting left tackle Michael Fasusi. Neither he nor guard Heath Ozaeta participated on Tuesday but were suited up.
OU fans are scarred by the offensive line getting plagued with injuries so had every right to be alarmed at least a little bit about there already being linemen banged up that early. Yes, fall camp means players will be held out in abundance of caution, but still, it’s unsettling when that was already happening Day 6.
There was at least the benefit of freshman Noah Best proving himself as a valuable depth piece up front after getting an opportunity with the starting unit because of those injuries.
Read more: Noah Best is turning Oklahoma’s early injury problem into an advantage
The running backs also haven’t been 100%. Xavier Robinson and Tory Blaylock both missed spring camp with injuries, then also sat out of early practices this fall. Blaylock and freshman Jonathan Hatton Jr. did not participate on Tuesday.
Those who also didn’t participate early in the week, according to Sooners on SI, included linebacker Kristan Moore, defensive end CJ Nickson, defensive back Preston Mickens and cornerbacks Derrick Johnson II, Trystan Haynes, LeBron Bauer and Dakoda Fields.
The Sooners are trying to figure out who will provide depth at corner behind Eli Bowen and Courtland Guillory, so it’d be naïve to think having that many at the same position sidelined at once isn’t a strain on preparation.
Venables confirmed the Sooners haven’t suffered any major injuries so far during fall camp, so apparently none of the players mentioned are worth losing sleep over. Fans should knock on wood it stays that way with the season opener against UTEP on Friday, Sept. 4, still three weeks ago.
So, yes, the sky isn’t already falling in Oklahoma. Players being held out of practice is normal during fall camp and getting banged up is part of football.
But those fans who have been worried have every right to be. The Sooners have had the worst luck with injuries recently, including during the preseason, and those who keep up with OU football are tired of seeing crowded injury reports on a weekly basis. And football or not, that many players shouldn’t already be dealing with something barely a week into practice.
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