It can't all be good, but for the most part, the Oklahoma Sooners got positive injury news on Friday, the day before they play Michigan at 11 a.m. CT Saturday in Ann Arbor for a massive non-conference clash.
ESPN's Pete Thamel reported that offensive linemen Jake Maikkula and Ryan Fodje will return to play Michigan after both missed the Sooners' season-opening 51-0 win over UTEP with knee injuries. Within that news, Thamel also reported that starting left tackle Michael Fasusi will miss the road game with a shoulder injury he re-aggravated in Week 1.
Sources: Oklahoma starting center Jake Maikkula (knee) will return and start for the Sooners at center at Michigan this week. His return means that true freshman Noah Best, who started last week at center, will kick over right guard. Starting LT Michale Fasusi (shoulder) will… pic.twitter.com/gSfdDTAwlE
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) September 11, 2026
None of this was a surprise based on Brent Venables' comments earlier in the week and other reports, but the Sooners now know for sure exactly what they have up front to take on the Wolverines in a battle of college football blue bloods.
Maikkula will immediately reclaim his job as the Sooners' center, where he started 10 games last season after transferring from Stanford. With Fasusi sidelined, Fodje will slide over to left tackle instead of his regular spot at right guard. Fodje has practiced there plenty, though, while Fasusi dealt with his shoulder injury during fall camp.
Freshman Noah Best, who started at center in Week 1, will now start his second career game at right guard, according to Thamel.
The rest of the Sooners' starting offensive line against Michigan will include Eddy Pierre-Louis at left guard and Arkansas transfer E’Marion Harris at right tackle. Those are the only two players along the offensive line starting in the same position they did last week.
Sooners' versatility is easing early injury concerns
The Sooners' offensive line is still in better shape than what was anticipated a few weeks ago. Maikkula sprained his MCL during a fall camp scrimmage, and his initial time frame to return was 4-6 weeks.
Saturday's game will be exactly four weeks since he suffered the injury, so returning that early seemed unlikely after the initial diagnosis. Maikkula returned to practice last week, though, so that ignited hope that he actually would play against Michigan.
Fodje was initially tasked with replacing Maikkula at center, but then he also injured his knee during a practice the week of the opener. There was again immediate panic, but a negative MRI settled nerves and revealed that Fodje would miss just one game out of precaution.
Best then had to step up in his collegiate debut as OU's starting center. He was the first true freshman since Ty Darlington in 2012 to start at center for the Sooners and also the first freshman center to start an OU season opener since J.R. Conrad in 1992.
Best not only held his own at center, but also lined up at both guard spots during the game. Last week's showing from Best should give OU fans even more confidence heading into Saturday, even if this will be his toughest challenge yet by far and his first road experience.
There's also Heath Ozaeta behind him. Ozaeta has 16 career starts under his belt, including at left guard last season, when the Sooners beat Michigan 24-13 in Norman. That was also Maikkula's first start as a Sooner.
Offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh's emphasis on developing versatile players is obviously paying off for the Sooners. OU might already be dealing with injuries up front, but it's really not a massive concern because of that versatility and depth that the Sooners created exactly for this situation.
Add us as a preferred source on Google