Tough Blow for Oklahoma as Brent Venables Announces Unfortunate Injury News

Trell Harris went down hard in the first half against Michigan, got up, and even made it back onto the field before the day was over. That toughness didn’t change what came next. On Tuesday, Sooners HC Brent Venables confirmed the Oklahoma wide receiver is now facing an extended absence, and nobody around the program is putting a timeline on his return just yet.

The update came during Venables’ weekly availability report, and it wasn’t the news Sooner fans were hoping for after an already rough week in Ann Arbor.

“Oklahoma wide receiver Trell Harris, who left the Michigan game following a big hit in the first half but returned, will be out for the ‘foreseeable future’ as he continues to be evaluated, coach Brent Venables said,” ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg wrote on X. “Harris is a transfer from Virginia.”

September 16, 2023:.Oklahoma Sooners head coach Brent Venables watches first quarter action during the NCAA, College League, USA Football game between the Oklahoma Sooners and the Tulsa Golden Hurricane at H.A. Chapman Stadium in Tulsa, OK. /CSM Tulsa USA – ZUMAc04_ 20230916_zma_c04_1025 Copyright: xRonxLanex

The injury, as reported in the X update, adds another problem to a week Oklahoma would rather forget. The Sooners managed just 289 yards of total offense in a 17-10 loss to Michigan, a performance that had Venables taking blame right alongside his players.

“We all have gotta do a better job. There’s no other way to put that,” Venables said.

Harris himself had four receptions (second-most for his team) for 43 yards. The only touchdown score, though, was received by Mackenzie Alleyne on his sole reception of the evening.

Quarterback John Mateer didn’t have his sharpest outing either, finishing 17 of 33 with a touchdown and an interception. Offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle pointed to missed opportunities, saying Mateer made some really good throws and decisions but also left some easy plays on the field. 

Arbuckle was quick to take some of that responsibility on himself too, saying uneven quarterback play usually points back to something the coaching staff needs to fix.

Losing Harris only makes that offensive rebuild harder. He’s now dealing with a back injury serious enough that Venables can’t say when he’ll be back, and Oklahoma will have to figure out its receiver rotation without him as the Sooners get ready for New Mexico this Saturday in Norman.

Kip Lewis Update Brings Some Good News for Oklahoma’s Defense

While Harris’ situation is murky, Oklahoma got a much brighter update on another injured piece of its roster. Linebacker Kip Lewis left the Michigan game early with a non-contact knee injury, and right after the loss, Venables sounded like it might cost Lewis multiple games. By Monday, his tone had completely shifted.

“We got some good news there,” Venables said on his weekly coaches show. “He’ll be back sooner than maybe we initially thought, so that’s awesome.”

That’s a big deal for an Oklahoma defense that clearly missed its leader against Michigan. Lewis is a fifth-year senior and team captain who led the Sooners with 76 tackles last season, adding 10.5 tackles for loss, four sacks and four pass breakups along the way. He’s also the most experienced linebacker on the roster, with 32 career starts under his belt.

Without him against Michigan, Oklahoma leaned on Owen Heinecke, who stepped up with a team-high 10 tackles, along with James Nesta and Cole Sullivan filling in reps at Lewis’ spot. Nesta is expected to get his first career start on Saturday if Lewis still isn’t ready, though Venables hasn’t given an exact date for his return.

There’s still no daily injury report for this week since New Mexico is a non-conference opponent, but Venables said those updates will start again once conference play ramps back up. 

Oklahoma’s schedule gets a lot tougher fast, with a trip to No. 2 Georgia looming in a few weeks and the Red River Rivalry against Texas not far behind. A bye week between those two games could give Lewis just enough time to be fully ready if he needs it.

Venables also gave an update on the run game Monday, saying running back Tory Blaylock is finally healthy after barely playing against Michigan. Blaylock led all Oklahoma running backs with 480 yards and four touchdowns as a true freshman last year, and Venables made it clear he expects him to be a bigger part of the offense moving forward.

“When he’s 100% healthy, which I think he is now, he’s a dynamic player,” Venables said.

Between Harris’ injury, Lewis trending in the right direction, and Blaylock getting back to full strength, Oklahoma has a lot to sort out before Saturday. The Sooners, who dropped from No. 11 to No. 24 in the AP Top 25 after the loss, will look to right the ship against New Mexico at 6:30 p.m. in Norman.

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