Fasusi Out, Stone Questionable: OU’s First SEC Report Brings Mixed News Before Georgia

By Brandon Drumm | OUInsider

Oklahoma’s first SEC availability report puts some clarity behind the injury questions surrounding the Sooners heading into Athens. It also reinforces just how much they are asking of the players still available.

Left tackle Michael Fasusi is listed as out for Saturday’s SEC opener at No. 2 Georgia. Defensive lineman David Stone is questionable after injuring his knee in practice Monday. Linebacker Kip Lewis is probable, giving OU some encouraging news at a position where the injuries have piled up.

Five Sooners are listed as out, two are questionable and one is probable. Here is the full Oklahoma report:

For OU, the biggest takeaway is that the offense cannot build its answer around getting Fasusi back this week. Meanwhile, the defense is still waiting to learn whether Stone can follow his best performance with another one against a much more demanding opponent.

Lewis’ designation offers hope. But probable is not the same as knowing how many snaps a player can handle, and questionable does not mean Stone has been ruled out.

Fasusi’s absence leaves the offense searching for answers

Fasusi already missed the Michigan and New Mexico games. His out designation keeps a major piece of Oklahoma’s offensive line unavailable at a time when the Sooners badly need more consistency up front.

OU produced 299 total yards and just 61 rushing yards in its 14-6 win over New Mexico. That was enough to survive because the defense kept answering. It does not give the offense much reason to feel comfortable entering Athens.

Earlier this week, offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle acknowledged what getting Fasusi back would mean.

“Michael Fasusi is an incredible talent, an incredible player, an incredible leader for us,” Arbuckle said. “I mean, that would be huge.”

But Arbuckle also made clear that the players on the field have to execute regardless of who is missing.

“We have to be violent. We have to have great pad level. We have to come off the ball with velocity. Our runners have to run the ball violently.”

That is where this stands. Fasusi could help the offensive line. He could help the players around him. But Oklahoma still needs better blocking, more decisive running and an offense that can stay ahead of the chains with the personnel it has.

Now, the Sooners have to find those answers without him against Georgia. Waiting on one player to return cannot be the plan.

Stone remains the biggest defensive question

The timing of Stone’s injury is what makes this particularly frustrating for OU.

He was coming off a career-high eight tackles against New Mexico and delivered the fourth-down stop that helped keep the Lobos out of the end zone late. Oklahoma needed somebody to finish that possession. Stone did it.

Then came Monday’s practice injury.

Brent Venables said Stone banged his knee into a scout-team player during a jog-through. The head coach also clarified that Stone was not playing offense when he was injured.

“He said his pain was about a two out of 10 right now,” Venables said Tuesday. “So we’ll kind of go from there.”

The questionable designation leaves his availability unresolved, but sources are starting to feel a little better about the chances of Stone playing the longer the week drags along.

Stone being listed as ‘questionable’ also keeps the spotlight on the defensive tackles behind and alongside him.

Venables expressed more confidence in that group this week than he had coming out of camp, but he knows confidence has to become production if Stone cannot go.

“You’re going to need some guys to step up and play big and play with heavy hands and great pad level and striking people,” Venables said of that possibility.

Trent Wilson, Bishop Thomas and Nigel Smith II were among the players Venables discussed when assessing that depth. This does not have to become a search for one player to duplicate everything Stone does. It does require the rotation to hold up collectively.

Against Georgia, that means winning enough early-down snaps to keep the Bulldogs from controlling the game on their terms, and that is something UGA has done under Smart far more often than not. Losing an interior defender, as talented as Stone, coming off his best outing would make that task harder.

Lewis’ probable designation matters for a depleted linebacker room

With Heim and Sullivan listed as out, Lewis being probable is meaningful news.

OU leaned on Owen Heinecke and James Nesta against New Mexico without Lewis. They helped the defense keep the game under control, but getting Lewis back would give the Sooners another experienced option and more flexibility in how they distribute the work.

Heinecke explained after the New Mexico game what playing without Lewis meant.

“Obviously, not having Kip is a huge loss. Kip is a great player, and he earned all the respect that he has on this team,” Heinecke said. “But the expectation is that there’s no drop-off. The standard doesn’t change, and Nesta did a great job tonight.”

That standard will be tested again in Athens. A probable designation is encouraging, but OU still needs to see what Lewis can provide as the week progresses.

The missing pieces extend beyond the front seven

Harris being out and Carter being questionable leave the offense with additional uncertainty at receiver. With the line already trying to find consistency, fewer available receiving options would put more pressure on the players who do suit up to create separation and finish plays.

Boganowski’s absence also takes another option out of the secondary. The Sooners starting safety was playing very well before he was “ear holed” by a Michigan wide out.

There is no need to dress this up. Oklahoma is preparing for a difficult road game with several important pieces unavailable and another major defensive contributor still in question.

The defense has done the heavy lifting. Lewis potentially returning would help it continue doing that. Stone’s status could have a significant say in how much OU asks of its defensive-line depth.

But the offense cannot wait for a healthier roster to start playing better. Fasusi is out on this report. The Georgia game is still coming. The Sooners have to find a way to make the group they put on the field good enough.