Oklahoma Sooners news: Injury updates and Baker Mayfield getting respect

Offensive lineman injury update

Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables announced during Tuesday's weekly press conference that center Troy Everett will miss the rest of the season because of a knee injury.

Everett was named a team captain as a redshirt senior at the start of the season. He has 18 starts under his belt, including 12 for the Sooners, after transferring from Appalachian State in 2023.

"I hate that for him," Venables said. "It's just devastating. Same injury, other knee, that he had a little over a year and a half ago. He was having a really great year and just a great leader. He'll have to lead in a different type of way."

Stanford transfer Jake Maikkula, who started at center the last two weeks, will take over the position ahead of freshman Owen Hollenbeck.

Keontez Lewis injury update

Venables hasn't given much information, but wide receiver Keontez Lewis is also hurt and questionable for the Sooners' game against Auburn on Saturday. Lewis took a hard hit against Temple last week and never returned to the game afterward.

“We expect for him to hopefully be back,” Venables said on Monday’s coach’s show. “So, we’ll see.”

With the SEC opener on Saturday, that means a daily availability report starting Wednesday evening, so Lewis' status will be updated then. The Sooners have also been without receivers Javonnie Gibson and Jayden Gibson all season, but Javonnie Gibson is closer to returning for his OU debut after transferring from Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

Injuries piling up at receiver is concerning for OU fans because of last season's issues, but that situation could now benefit the Sooners with more depth at the position.

"I trust our receiver room," offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle said during Tuesday’s weekly press conference. "Zion Kearney has shown that he can go in the game and make an impact. Ivan Carreon, just like throughout all fall camp, was maybe the most consistent guy out there. So, with or without Keontez, I feel great about our receiver room as a whole."

Baker Mayfield getting respect

After back-to-back seasons of leading the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to an NFC South divisional title and making the Pro Bowl, then starting his third season in Tampa with back-to-back game-winning drives, the NFL world is finally starting to realize what Sooner Nation already knew about quarterback Baker Mayfield.

NFL fans were buzzing after Mayfield marched the Bucs down the field to beat the Houston Texans on Monday Night Football. Mayfield's heroics also had the guys on The Pat McAfee Show raving about him, including former Bucs head coach Bruce Arians.

"He owns the town right now," Arians said. "When people talk about reviving a career, he got an opportunity, he has taken advantage of it and he is the franchise. (Bucs owner) Mr. (Joel) Glazer has said he's the face of the franchise, will be for a long time. Tampa loves him, because he's that type of guy."

Top stories you can't miss