Ep. 432 - OU-UTEP Preview: What The Sooners Must Show in Week 1

Ep. 432 – OU-UTEP Preview: What The Sooners Must Show in Week 1

The show begins with the latest injury news on Oklahoma’s offensive line. Just when Jake Maikkula appeared to be the main injury concern at center, Ryan Fodje — listed as the top center on OU’s Week 1 depth chart — suffered a lower-body injury. The good news: reports indicate Fodje’s MRI was negative, and Jake Maikkula is progressing well.

Lee and Grant also break down Oklahoma’s Week 1 depth chart, revisit their pre-fall camp “unanswerable questions” and ask which ones actually got answered.

Then Lee and Grant preview Oklahoma vs. UTEP. They discuss UTEP quarterback EJ Colson, the Miners’ new-look offensive line, UTEP’s defensive strengths, and what OU’s defense should do against an overmatched opponent. For Oklahoma, the big questions are mostly on offense: can the Sooners run the ball consistently, can the tight ends help in the run game, will Ben Arbuckle show more 12 personnel and 13 personnel, and can John Mateer push the ball downfield while staying healthy?

The episode ends with the return of the weekly picks segment. Lee and Grant pick five Week 1 games against the spread: Coastal Carolina at West Virginia, Baylor vs. Auburn, Clemson at LSU, Louisville vs. Ole Miss, and SMU at Florida State.

Chapters/Timecodes

00:00 — Opening Take: Football is finally here
02:58 — Kickoff weather at Owen Field and a hot Friday night vs. UTEP
03:19 — OU, UTEP and the 2000 season opener comparison
05:07 — Lee’s OU hat falls, and Grant has thoughts on the old OU logo
06:22 — Ryan Fodje and Jake Maikkula injury updates
09:32 — Is OU telling us Caleb Nitta just isn’t very good?
12:40 — Maikkula’s MCL timeline and possible Michigan return
15:16 — Week 1 depth chart nuggets begin
15:38 — Parker Livingstone or Elijah Thomas at X receiver
19:44 — Running back depth chart: Lloyd Avant or Xavier Robinson
20:33 — Tory Blaylock injury status and Jonathan Hatton’s opportunity
24:14 — Defensive depth chart lists 12 positions
25:09 — Wyatt Gilmore backing up Taylor Wein
26:47 — Tank Carrington fourth on the depth chart despite strong buzz
27:10 — Bishop Thomas, Nigel Smith and interior defensive line depth
28:21 — LeBron Bauer shows up at cheetah
28:56 — Tristan Haynes vs. Dakota Fields as the fourth corner battle
29:49 — Omarion Robinson’s flexibility at both safety spots
31:15 — Revisiting the pre-fall camp unanswerable questions
31:53 — Trell Harris makes it through Fall Camp healthy
35:42 — Is the running back room healthy going into Week 1?
37:02 — Did Bo Bentley win the backup quarterback job?
40:09 — Elijah Thomas becomes the obvious fall camp riser
40:49 — Did OU’s offense ever have its way with the defense?
44:02 — OU vs. UTEP preview begins
44:36 — Line update: Oklahoma favored by 40.5
45:38 — UTEP’s move to the Mountain West and EJ Colson’s path
47:05 — Colson’s 2025 production at Incarnate Word
47:31 — UTEP’s new offensive line and veteran defense
48:21 — UTEP’s sack production and healthy receiver additions
50:28 — Grant’s No. 1 defensive goal: no explosives
51:38 — OU’s run defense opener history under Brent Venables
52:37 — EJ Colson’s mobility and potential broken-play threat
53:20 — Can OU completely strangle UTEP’s offense?
54:24 — Can OU pitch a shutout or hold UTEP to one score?
54:49 — Defensive players to watch: Tank Carrington, PJ Adebawore and Cole Sullivan
55:47 — Wyatt Gilmore, Jake Kreul, Danny Okoye and Michael Boganowski
56:49 — What Oklahoma’s offense needs to show
57:29 — Hayden Hansen says OU is not one-dimensional anymore
58:03 — How much 12 personnel and 13 personnel will OU actually use?
58:26 — Grant wants to see whether the run scheme has really changed
59:20 — OU needs to impose its will in the run game
59:57 — Grant wants John Mateer to push the ball downfield
01:01:09 — Lee wants OU to average at least six yards per carry
01:01:55 — Why last year’s opener showed OU could not run consistently
01:03:42 — Grant’s No. 1 offensive goal: stay healthy
01:04:06 — OU-UTEP predictions
01:08:10 — Other Week 1 games worth monitoring
01:12:01 — Coastal Carolina at West Virginia pick
01:14:53 — Baylor vs. Auburn in Atlanta
01:16:58 — Clemson at LSU preview and pick
01:21:40 — Louisville vs. Ole Miss in Nashville
01:23:21 — SMU at Florida State on Monday night
01:25:10 — Last year’s picks records and Week 1 context
01:27:08 — Football is back and Grant is going to Minnesota’s opener

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