NORMAN, Okla. -- For years, Oklahoma offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh’s exceptional track record allowed him to largely escape blame, even when the Sooners struggled to score.
He earned that pass with a lengthy run of success. He has coached 14 NFL draft picks since joining the staff in 2013, including NFL stars Orlando Brown and Creed Humphrey. He was a finalist for the Broyles Award as the nation’s top assistant coach in 2017 and a semifinalist in 2018. His lines have blocked for Heisman-winning quarterbacks Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray.
Times have changed. Bedenbaugh is getting plenty of heat heading into Saturday's game against Texas in Dallas amidst a stretch of three games during which the Sooners have scored a combined 37 points, failed to break 300 yards and lost twice.
Even the media is acting differently. Generally, when there have been questions about the offense, reporters have focused on skill players. Now, Bedenbaugh’s offensive line is a primary target, along with offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle.
Venables didn’t protect Bedenbaugh or the unit when asked about the offensive line on Tuesday.
“It's been incredibly inconsistent, very disappointing,” Venables said.
Here's Brent Venables today being brutally honest about the state of Oklahoma's offensive line: "It's been incredibly inconsistent and very disappointing. As you build your football team, that's a critical place. That is a place that probably requires the most development of any position that you have on your roster." "Very uneven job when it comes to choosing the guys that we've brought in here. Way too many guys are coming and going at that position group...It's been very unstable and certainly not the kind of development that you want from top to bottom." #Sooners:
— Josh Callaway (@JoshMCallaway) October 6, 2026Venables said one factor in the offensive line’s struggles is that players switch schools so often that it is hard to develop players, which negates one of Bedenbaugh’s greatest strengths. He also said because so many players bounce around, building continuity is difficult.
“That is a place that probably requires the most development at any position that you have on your roster and we haven't allowed, for lots of different reasons … the portal's the No. 1 reason,” Venables said.
Venables said it’s not all on Bedenbaugh. He hinted that some of the offensive linemen missing games are “injured players” who should be on the field.
“Some guys -- that guy’s always hurt,” Venables said. “And so if you look at, just peel it back on our roster, you can figure out who maybe that's been.”
Peeling it back, left tackle Michael Fasusi has missed three games and most of the other with a shoulder injury, center Jake Maikkula has missed one game (knee) and right guard Ryan Fodje (knee) has missed one game. Fasusi was listed as doubtful for the Texas game on Wednesday's SEC injury report and left guard Eddy Pierre-Louis is listed as questionable with an undisclosed injury.
Venables, perhaps realizing what he implied, tried to be a bit more understanding as he continued.
“Some of it's dumb luck,” he said. “Everybody goes to the same practice, they're in through the same drills. Some guys get hurt, some guys don't. It's football. It's a physical, violent game, and we've had some bad luck there."
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Venables said the future looks bright if the Sooners can keep their young talent. Fasusi and Fodje are sophomores. Fasusi started 10 games as a freshman and Fodje started six games as a freshman.
“It’s going to be incredibly important to bring back a good majority of the guys that are already here, that are young guys, that are developing as we speak, but it's been very unstable and certainly not the kind of development that you want from top to bottom,” he said.
