Oklahoma Looking to Build 'Chemistry' Despite Offensive Line Battles

“They are going to rotate a little bit,” said Arbuckle, “just getting guys in different moments, different situations, because ultimately we have to get to a point where we’re like, ‘This is the guy.’ All those guys have done an incredible job, coming along really nicely, but we just want to see a little bit more.”

That moment will come next week. 

No. 14 Michigan will travel to Norman to take on the No. 18-ranked Sooners, and offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh will need to have a unit ready to match the physicality of the Wolverines’ front seven. 

Bedenbaugh is known to tinker with his lineup early in the season to find the best five up front, leaving Arbuckle little doubt that the offensive line will be ready for the Week 2 challenge. 

“Coach Bedenbaugh’s done a great job throughout camp of mix and matching and putting people, and ultimately pushing toward where we think the best chemistry is,” Arbuckle said. “… It starts early. We’ve got to make sure we’re on the same page and we’re lock-step, especially in those front five going into the season.”

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Last year, injuries forced the Sooners into different starting lineups virtually every week. 

And while everyone on the offense has tried to turn the page on 2024, those experiences can help Oklahoma’s offensive line gel early in 2025.

“I think you learned from last year, it’s next man up,” Everett said. “That's how it's got to be…  The next guy comes in, you gotta trust. And you should know that he's going to come in and do it the exact same way, if not better.”

Quarterback John Mateer has been impressed by the work off the field that the offensive line has logged to try and make great improvements in 2025. 

“They’re just putting it in,” Mateer said. “The depth is real. We’ve got some dudes that can go do it. I didn’t look at the depth chart, but like, no matter where they are, we’ve got some guys that can do it.”

Despite the battles across the board, Everett believes the unit as a whole is close and that the chemistry will be strong no matter what starting five Bedenbaugh eventually settles on. 

“Last year, we were a close group,” Everett said. “This year we really focused on just getting together, really finding out, like, what works for us. So we got more film, more time away, just joking around, just relaxing. So it's been great… It's just a very fun group.”