The Oklahoma Sooners’ offensive line is in a state of transition, with all five starters from last season needing to be replaced. While the coaching staff has turned to the transfer portal to add depth, the long-term prospects for the O-line are still being shaped by younger talent.
In the interior, the Sooners have plenty of exciting young players like Eddy Pierre-Louis, Eugene Brooks, Heath Ozaeta, and Daniel Akinkunmi. However, when it comes to the offensive tackle position, the Sooners don’t have as many highly-touted recruits from the 2023 and 2024 classes to fall back on.
That said, they may have found a rising star in redshirt freshman Logan Howland, who could play a pivotal role for the remainder of 2024—and perhaps even 2025.
During Oklahoma’s Week 2 matchup against the Houston Cougars, starting right tackle Jake Taylor went down with an injury after just 23 snaps. With Taylor already battling injuries heading into the game, the Sooners were forced to shuffle their O-line. Left tackle Michael Tarquin shifted to the right side, and Howland was inserted at left tackle.
After reviewing film and statistics, it’s clear that Howland made a strong case for staying in the starting lineup, even when Taylor returns. His performance against Houston was particularly impressive in pass protection, where he showed sound fundamentals, good pad level, and accurate hand placement. In 22 pass-blocking snaps, Howland had only one negative play, according to both Pro Football Focus and personal analysis—an encouraging debut in a high-pressure situation.
Areas for Growth
Despite his promising outing, there are areas where Howland can improve. In pass protection, he needs to stay square longer and do a better job of protecting his inside shoulder. Houston capitalized on this weakness to land a QB hit on Jackson Arnold last week.
Additionally, like many of his teammates, Howland is stronger in pass protection than in run-blocking. Most of his struggles came during run plays, where he missed assignments or failed to drive defenders off the line. However, as he gains experience and strength, these issues should resolve, given the solid foundation of his technique.
The Road Ahead
Oklahoma is still experimenting with its best starting five on the offensive line. Tarquin and Febechi Nwaiwu have cemented themselves as top starters, delivering strong performances in the first two games. But beyond that, left tackle, center, and left guard remain weak points.
The question now is how to use Howland moving forward, particularly with Taylor’s return looming. If Taylor isn’t ready to go this week, it makes sense to keep Howland at left tackle and let Tarquin continue at right tackle. However, if Taylor is back, the coaching staff will have to make a tough decision.
In that case, Tarquin would likely move back to left tackle, which could leave Howland without a spot. One potential solution would be to move Howland inside to left guard, a position where his inside shoulder protection and athleticism might be better utilized. This shift could also address Oklahoma’s struggles at left guard, where Jacob Sexton has been one of the weaker performers so far.
While Howland’s athleticism may not be suited for the tackle position in the SEC, where he’ll face elite speed on the edges, a move to guard could be an ideal fit. His fundamentals are solid, and with more development, Howland could become a key contributor to the Sooners’ offensive line—whether at tackle or guard—offering stability and upside for the team’s future.
