OU football: Breaking down the Sooners' offensive line heading into 2023-24

Over the past two seasons, no team in the Big 12 Conference has given up more sacks than Oklahoma. The Sooners ranked 81st nationally and ninth in the conference allowing 31 sacks for 160 yards last year. It was a slight improvement from the season before, but not by much. In 2021, the front five allowed 33 sacks for 183 yards, which also ranked second-to-last in the Big 12. Texas Tech trails the Sooners by just one sack over the last two seasons, but was actually in the middle of the pack in sacks allowed in 2021 with 24 (fifth). The Sooners’ struggles to protect in the passing game can at least partly be attributed to the team’s lack of continuity at quarterback, a new offensive coordinator and several untimely injuries. Still, the Sooners can’t be hanging around the bottom of the conference in that category if they’re going to compete for a conference championship. Oklahoma offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh has proven he can recruit and develop talent at an elite level with 10 linemen taken in the NFL Draft in nine seasons. Two starters moved on to the next level after last season, leaving two spots up for grabs as the Sooners begin fall practice in August. Here’s a preview of Oklahoma’s offensive line heading into the 2023-24 season: Key Stat: 219 Oklahoma’s sack numbers have been trending in the wrong direction over the past two seasons, but the running game took a big step forward last season. Running back Eric Gray was spectacular for the Sooners last season, but wouldn’t have been able to lead the conference in yards per carry (6.4) without the help of his offensive line. The Sooners rushed for 219.8 yards per game last season, which led the conference and OU running backs averaged 4.9 yards per carry. Gray moving on to the NFL will be a big loss for the Sooners’ rushing attack and will put even more pressure on the offensive line to create space for the team’s young backs. Major loss: Anton Harrison The 6-5, 315-pound left tackle jumped to the NFL after coming away with All-Big 12 First Team honors as a junior last season. Harrison won’t be the only player with starting experience that the Sooners lost during the offseason. Wanya Morris graduated after becoming a second-team All-Big 12 selection by the Associated Press last season as did fifth-year senior guard Chris Murray. Those three players had 53 career combined starts at the program. Player to WATCH: Tyler Guyton Guyton was a starter to open last season after transferring to Oklahoma from TCU. He finished the year with just five starts, but played in 10 games and started the Cheez-It Bowl against Florida State. Now the redshirt sophomore is expected to fill the void left behind by the departure of Harrison and Morris. Guyton played left tackle against UTEP, but ended up moving to the right side of the line by the end of the year. Senior center Andrew Raym and fifth-year senior guard McKade Mettauer give the Sooners some additional returning experience up front. Raym missed three games last season due to injury, but Mettauer started all 13 games at left guard. Oklahoma offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh brought in several players through the transfer portal that could help the Sooners fill out their starting offensive line like Caleb Shaffer (Miami OH), Walter Rouse (Stanford).