Why are 'experts' sleeping on the Oklahoma Sooners offensive line?

So why are college football's most respected analysts doubting the potential production of the Sooners 2024 offensive line?

Many of the biggest names in college football media are expecting the Sooners 24' offensive line to be the biggest unknown and potential downfall entering the 2024 campaign. It's understandable to think that starting five new guys will be a challenging process; however, it isn't quite the concern some people think it is.

Chemistry plays a significant role in college football. Quarterbacks use body language, experience, and reps to communicate with receivers. Linebacker units understand each other and know when to fill in during different situations. Players will use keywords and hand gestures that they came up with on their own. Linemen are cerebral players, so it's no surprise that chemistry, communication, and experience play a significant role in a line's success.

Players spend hours away from coaches, but in film rooms, developing ideas and tactics to use on the field because they know each other better than anyone. There is no place on the field where chemistry has a more considerable influence than on the offensive line. Linemen are cerebral players, so it's no surprise that chemistry, communication, and expeience, play a significant role in a line's success. However, the one factor that may be bigger than chemistry to an offensive line... is experience, and the Sooner's offensive line has plenty of that.

The depth chart is not set but there is some writing on the wall. Injuries, spring performance, and reports coming out of Norman have left us with a pretty decent estimation of who will make up the Sooners offensive line at the begenning of Fall camp. So, lets run the numbers and have a look at the experience of the expected starters.

Center - Branson Hickman (6'3'', 298 lbs - Sr.)

Hickman has started 33 games in his career, and he's been a stalwart center throughout all of them. For all returning P4 offensive linemen in college football in 2024, Hickman ranks as the 4th-highest graded returner (79.8) according to PFF. Nowhere is experience as crucial on the offensive line as at the center position, and Hickman is primed with tons of it. I have zero doubt that Hickman will make his second consecutive Pre-Season Rimington Award watchlist and potentially take the hardware home.

Guard - Febechi Nwaiwu (6'4'', 326 lbs - Jr.)

Nwaiwu has 26 games under his belt. During his career at North Texas, where he played for now OU Offensive Coordinator Seth Littrell, Nwaiwu earned 2nd-team Freshman All American honors, made the CUSA All Freshman Team by the conference's coaches, and 3rd team All CUSA honors by sportswriters. Its also important to remember that Nwaiwu is backed up by incoming freshman phenom offensive lineman Eddy Pierre-Louis, one of the Sooners most potential-filled players on the roster.

Guard - Jacob Sexton (6'6'', 317 lbs - Jr.)

Sexton is one of the two returning Sooners expected to be on the starting line entering 2024. Sexton has played in 17 games for the Sooners but only had a total of 5 starts due primarliy to being behind NFL-talent tackles in front of him, but also due to some injury issues. Sexton is familiar with Bedenbaugh's expectations and hard-nosed coaching style, making him a potential leader on the unit. Sexton reportedly had a great Spring and is, by all reports, having an excellent Summer as well. i'd look for him to finally cash in on his 4-star potential this season.

Tackle - Jake Taylor (6'6'', 303 lbs - Soph.)

Taylor is the least experienced of the bunch but perhaps the most athletic. Taylor was Nevada's top high school prospect in 2021 out of the prestigious Bishop Gorman high school. In Norman, Taylor has seen action in a total of 12 games at guard. He is a beast of an offensive lineman and had a great Spring according to reports from Norman.

Tackle - Michael Tarquin (6'6'', 309 lbs - Sr.)

Tarquin is the oldest of the Sooners expected starters and one of the most experienced. Tarquin has a total of 28 starts under his belt from his time at the University of Florida and Southern Cal. Tarquin also finished with a 62.2 PFF grade following this last season at USC. He is a big and athletic tackle that will most likely see time at left tackle.

There are over 114 career starts between the guys in the Sooner's offensive line room and that speaks volumes. Fall practice will be a critical time in their chemistry development but the experience, which you can't practice into a guy, is there. Combine this experience, with the talent, size, and scheme of Seth Littrell's offense and things don't look as bad for the Oklahoma offensive line. The offensive line depth is also decent with guys like Eddy Pierre-Louis, Eugene Brooks, Spencer Brown, Ben Anderson, and Josh Bates being the primary backups. Lastly, remember who is coaching these guys. If there was one position group who you could rely on the position coach to have them ready, it's Bill Bedenbaugh.

I'm not saying i'm an expert and i'm not saying there needs to be space cleared out for a new Joe Moore award just yet. I am saying that this unit doesn't look too bad and I wouldn't count them out just yet. If this is the supposed weak link in the Oklahoma Sooners team, i'd say the chain is pretty strong.