Oklahoma's Brent Venables gives Jake Maikkula injury update

One of the biggest storylines of the offseason for the Oklahoma Sooners is centered around the health of starting center Jake Maikkula. The fifth-year senior has the most experience on the offensive line, having started 26 games in his career at Oklahoma and Stanford.

Maikkula reportedly went down with an injury in a scrimmage this past weekend. The fear was he could be out for the season, leaving the Sooners scrambling to figure out who his replacement would be. However, reports since then have been promising.

While no official date has been set, head coach Brent Venables said they expect he'll be back sooner rather than later.

"Jake, I feel like his injury is a short-term injury," Venables said via SoonerScoop's YouTube page. "He's doing well, and we've got three guys working there with Fodje, Caleb Nitta and Noah Best. They've all three looked really good at times and done some really good things... (I) expect to have Jake back sooner rather than later. I'm not a doctor. Everybody heals differently. That'll be the last time I talk about it until the availability reports (come out)."

Oklahoma enters the 2026 season with legitimate expectations after going 10-3 and reaching the College Football Playoff last season. The Sooners return significant talent on both sides of the ball, but the offensive line remains an important area to watch.

Maikkula's experience could be particularly valuable as Oklahoma prepares for another brutal SEC schedule. If Venables' positive assessment proves accurate, getting the veteran center back on the field could provide the Sooners with a major boost as they pursue their first national championship since 2000.

This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Oklahoma's Brent Venables gives Jake Maikkula injury update