Oklahoma Sooners Football heads into Friday night’s opener against UTEP with another offensive line change after Ryan Fodje was ruled out with a knee injury sustained early this week. It is a significant setback because Fodje had only just been announced as the starting center on Monday, adding fresh uncertainty to a unit that has already been reshaped by injuries.
The timing matters. Oklahoma’s offensive line was already altered by Jake Maikkula’s injury, and now the Sooners must adjust again before playing their first game of 2026. Fodje’s absence does not just remove a starter; it forces Oklahoma to lean immediately on depth that was already being asked to step into bigger roles.
Why Fodje’s absence matters
Fodje’s path to center was already unusual. In 2025, he made starts at right guard before moving out to right tackle when Derek Simmons went down with concussions. On Monday, after Maikkula was injured, Oklahoma announced Fodje as the starting center, his third position since signing with the Sooners last year.
By Sunday evening, Fodje had spoken to the media and expressed confidence in making the start. Instead, he now misses the opener after the knee issue suffered early this week. For Oklahoma, the concern is less about one player and more about how quickly the line can settle into any kind of rhythm when the lineup keeps changing.
Who steps in at center?
The Monday depth chart gave Oklahoma a clear list of options if it needed to keep moving pieces around. Caleb Nitta was listed as the backup center, with Gunnar Allen as the third option. Those names now become the obvious candidates to absorb the pressure created by Fodje’s injury.
That is where the opener becomes more than just a season starter. Oklahoma does not have the luxury of easing into the year if the middle of the line is still being sorted out. With Fodje unavailable, the Sooners must find a combination that can handle UTEP and give the rest of the offense a stable base.
Another availability issue to watch
Fodje is not the only offensive availability concern. Parker Livingstone entered concussion protocol last week, and he was listed on Monday as a co-starter with Elijah Thomas. That adds another layer of uncertainty to a group that is already under pressure before the season has properly begun.
For Oklahoma, the immediate task is simple: get through Friday night with enough stability to avoid letting the line issues dictate the game. The bigger question is whether these early injuries are just opening-week setbacks or the first signs that the Sooners will need to keep adjusting their offensive structure as 2026 unfolds.
