Updated Friday, September 4, 2026, the night of the UTEP opener. This is Oklahoma’s official Week 1 depth chart, released Monday, August 31. Oklahoma issues a new chart each game week; this page is updated with every release and after every game, including next week’s trip to Michigan.
No. 10 Oklahoma returns John Mateer, its top receiver Isaiah Sategna and seven starters from one of the nation’s best defenses, and enters the year seventh in the country in returning production. The chart mostly confirmed what everyone expected. The one real change: center Jake Maikkula was hurt in camp, so Ryan Fodje slides over from right guard, which opens a competition at guard between Heath Ozaeta and freshman Noah Best. On defense the only unsettled spot is the end opposite Taylor Wein.
Offense
| Position | Starter | Backup | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| QB | John Mateer | Whitt Newbauer OR Bowe Bentley | — |
| RB | Lloyd Avant OR Xavier Robinson | Tory Blaylock OR Jonathan Hatton Jr. | — |
| WR (X) | Parker Livingstone OR Elijah Thomas | Jer’Michael Carter | — |
| WR (H) | Isaiah Sategna III | Mackenzie Alleyne OR Jacob Jordan | — |
| WR (Z) | Trell Harris | Manny Choice | — |
| TE | Hayden Hansen OR Rocky Beers | Jack Van Dorselaer | Trynae Washington |
| LT | Michael Fasusi | Peyton Joseph | Fred Hinton |
| LG | Eddy Pierre-Louis | Heath Ozaeta | Sean Hutton |
| C | Ryan Fodje | Caleb Nitta | Gunnar Allen; Jake Maikkula (injured) |
| RG | Heath Ozaeta OR Noah Best (Fr.) | Owen Hollenbeck | — |
| RT | E’Marion Harris | Deacon Schmitt (Fr.) | Fred Hinton |
Defense
| Position | Starter | Backup | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| DE (left) | Taylor Wein | Wyatt Gilmore | Kenny Ozowalu |
| DT | David Stone | Bishop Thomas OR Nigel Smith II | James Carrington (Fr.) |
| DT | Jayden Jackson | Trent Wilson OR Nigel Smith II | — |
| DE (right) | Adepoju Adebawore OR Danny Okoye | Jake Kreul (Fr.) | — |
| WILL | Kip Lewis | James Nesta | — |
| MIKE | Owen Heinecke | Cole Sullivan | Dane Bathurst (Fr.) |
| SAM | Cole Sullivan | James Nesta | — |
| Cheetah | Reggie Powers III | Jeremiah Newcombe OR Lebron Bauer (Fr.) | — |
| CB (left) | Courtland Guillory | Trystan Haynes OR Dakoda Fields | — |
| CB (right) | Eli Bowen | Jacobe Johnson OR Dakoda Fields | — |
| SS | Peyton Bowen | Omarion Robinson OR Markel Ford (Fr.) | — |
| FS | Michael Boganowski | Omarion Robinson OR Niko Jandreau (Fr.) | Reed DeQuasie |
Special Teams
| K / KO | Tate Sandell; Liam Evans OR Trace Rudd |
| P | Grayson Miller; Jacob Ulrich |
| H | Jacob Ulrich; Grayson Miller |
| LS | Ben Anderson; Seth Freeman |
| KR | Lloyd Avant; Jonathan Hatton Jr. |
| PR | Isaiah Sategna III |
Position Breakdown
Quarterback. Mateer is the starter. Whitt Newbauer has reportedly had the better camp and is expected to be the true No. 2, though he is listed as a co-backup with Bowe Bentley.
Running back. Colorado State transfer Lloyd Avant and Xavier Robinson are co-starters. Tory Blaylock has been banged up, which pushes Jonathan Hatton Jr. into a bigger early role. Avant also leads kick returns.
Receiver. Isaiah Sategna is the No. 1 from the slot and returns punts. Transfer Trell Harris won the Z spot despite missing spring and early camp. The X is a co-start between transfer Parker Livingstone and Elijah Thomas, the biggest surprise on the chart after a second straight camp of hype for Thomas.
Tight end. Transfers Hayden Hansen (blocker) and Rocky Beers (receiver) share the top line.
Offensive line. Michael Fasusi at left tackle, Eddy Pierre-Louis at left guard and transfer E’Marion Harris at right tackle are set. With Maikkula out after a lower body injury, Fodje moves from right guard to center, where he started six games as a freshman; Heath Ozaeta and freshman Noah Best compete for the vacated guard spot. Bill Bedenbaugh will use UTEP as a final audition before Michigan.
Defensive line. David Stone and Jayden Jackson (third year starter) inside, Taylor Wein at one end after his breakout year. The other end is Adepoju Adebawore OR Danny Okoye, the only starting job on the defense that remains open. Freshman Jake Kreul is behind them.
Linebacker. Kip Lewis, the longest tenured Sooner, and Owen Heinecke, whose court win on eligibility gave OU its field general back, are the two. Transfer Cole Sullivan is the Sam when Venables goes to three true linebackers instead of the Cheetah.
Secondary. Courtland Guillory and a healthy Eli Bowen at corner, Peyton Bowen and Michael Boganowski at safety, Reggie Powers III at the Cheetah hybrid spot. Omarion Robinson is the clear No. 3 safety.
The Bottom Line
Oklahoma’s only true questions are right guard until Maikkula returns and which end starts opposite Wein. Everything else is a returning starter or a settled transfer, which is why this team is a playoff favorite again. The opener is recapped at UTEP vs. Oklahoma and the full slate is on our Oklahoma schedule. This page is updated with each weekly chart.