Oklahoma coach Brent Venables updates OU's injury report

Another week, another injury that means the end of the Oklahoma Sooners' season in 2024.

OU Coach Brent Venables announced on Monday evening on his coach's show that the offensive lineman Geirian Hatchett will miss the rest of the season due to injury. Hatchett has been dealing with a left arm injury and has been wearing a brace since the start of the season. Hatchett warmed up without a brace on Saturday night before the Sooners' win over Houston, but then returned from the locker room in civilian clothes shortly before kickoff and never saw the field.

“Geirean Hatchett is out for the year,” said Venables. “He had bicep surgery.”

In other good news, Venables said wide receiver Nic Anderson, who scored nine touchdowns last season but missed the first two games of 2024, could be back for this week's game against Tulane.

“Very soon,” Venables said of Anderson, “if not this week, then next week.”

Hatchett, who came over from Washington, took on a key role in OU's offense in Week 1 against Temple after being injured at center. Branson Hickmanwho has not yet returned. Hickman left the game in the first quarter of the Sooners' season opener. According to Pro Football Focus, he has played just 10 snaps since transferring from SMU to presumably take the center job at OU.

When Hickman was ruled out in Week 1, Hatchett, who was listed as the backup right guard in the original rankings, moved to center for the game. The right-handed Hatchett was already battling a left arm injury while taking over snapping duties.

“I practice snapping every day, so I'm pretty used to the snapping aspect of center,” Hatchett said on the Monday after Week 1. “It definitely caught me off guard. Nobody expects anyone to go down as early as it did. But I was able to adjust and the only thing I think I needed to get under control was my snaps — I had a couple bad snaps — but after that, it felt good, it was a natural feeling to be back at center.”

When Hatchett met with the media on Monday night after OU's win over Temple, he mentioned that he himself was dealing with an injury, but did not mention that it was a serious injury.

“I have to deal with it,” Hatchett said. “It's just the way it is.”

Hatchett transferred to Norman from Washington last season, where he started four games as a redshirt junior last season but also sat out three games with an ankle injury. He played in every game in 2022 as a substitute.

The injuries to Hickman and then Hatchett forced Josh Bates to play against Houston Center. Bates was listed on the depth chart as a possible starter at that position, with an “OR” between him and Hickman. The depth chart looks the same there before Week 3, with Freshman Josh Aisosa also included as backup.

Bates took over the center position and played 62 snaps, according to PFF, which is equal to quarterback Jackson Arnold and his linemen colleagues. Jacob Küster And Febechi Nwaiwu for most on the team. PFF gave Bates, a redshirt freshman, a 55.3 grade in his first collegiate start, the worst grade on the offensive line. PFF gave Hatchett a 43.3 grade in Week 1, which was also good on the O-line.

“We have our third center, and that's a real thing,” Venables said. “That's the guy who touches the ball on every snap. (Bates) started his first college game last week and he did pretty well. Can he be better? Yeah, who couldn't? Billy Bowman could have been better. Danny Stutsman could have been better. And they played really well.”