The Oklahoma Sooners will open the season with a sudden shuffle at center after a practice injury to Ryan Fodje left the Week 1 depth chart unsettled.
According to a report from Oklahoma Sooners On SI, Fodje was listed as the Week 1 starter before the practice injury and Caleb Nitta, listed as the No. 2 center, is poised to step in for Friday’s 7 p.m. opener against UTEP.
Key Takeaways
- Caleb Nitta, listed at 6-foot-2 and 302 pounds, is expected to fill in at center for Friday’s opener after Ryan Fodje reportedly sustained a practice injury.
- Ryan Fodje had been listed as the starting center on Oklahoma’s Week 1 depth chart before his reported injury and is expected to miss the UTEP game.
- Nitta started nine games in 2025 and finished the season with a 68.9 Pro Football Focus offensive grade, including a 78.7 pass-blocking grade in the LSU game.
- Brent Venables publicly voiced confidence in Nitta’s toughness, intelligence and locker-room relationships as key reasons he can step into the role.
Why Oklahoma is turning to Caleb Nitta at center
The Sooners are leaning on Nitta’s combination of recent game experience and positional familiarity after the sudden shift at center.
Nitta began his college career at Virginia Tech, transferred to Western Kentucky for the 2025 season and appeared in 11 games, starting nine.
Venables highlighted Nitta’s traits when discussing the move, calling him “a mature guy, really smart guy, got great toughness, got a great edge to him, really competitive,” and noting the trust he’s built with staff and teammates.
Nitta’s tape and traits
Nitta’s 2025 Pro Football Focus profile gives the staff a concrete baseline to trust as they prepare him for league play at a new program.
He finished the year with a 68.9 PFF offensive grade and produced a 78.7 pass-blocking mark in Western Kentucky’s start against LSU where he logged 69 snaps at center.
Center comparison and Week 1 status
| Player | 2025 role and context | Verified PFF context | Week 1 status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caleb Nitta | Transfer from Western Kentucky who started nine games in 2025 and logged Power Five snaps against LSU | 68.9 PFF offensive grade in 2025; 78.7 pass-blocking grade vs LSU on 69 snaps | Listed No. 2 on Week 1 depth chart and expected to start after Fodje’s reported injury |
| Ryan Fodje | Versatile sophomore who had been slotted to start at center on the Week 1 depth chart before his practice injury | No individual PFF numbers provided in reporting; described as comfortable at center before the injury | Reportedly injured in practice and expected to miss Friday’s game |
| Jake Maikkula | Returned to Oklahoma and was listed among the Sooners’ better pass blockers in 2025 | No specific PFF number provided in reporting, but noted for pass-blocking quality in 2025 | Availability is undetermined; initial reports indicate injuries to Maikkula and Fodje are not expected to be long-term |
Roster construction and College Football Playoff implications
The immediate roster effect is that Nitta is expected to open the game at center, which alters rotation and backup plans for the offensive interior.
How quickly Oklahoma restores cohesion up front will carry tangible College Football Playoff implications, since early offensive consistency matters for signature wins and committee perception.
