Why it was 'no brainer' for OU football's McKade Mettauer to play in Alamo Bowl vs Arizona

SAN ANTONIO — No group on the OU football team has had more departures than the offensive line in the past few weeks.

Cayden Green. Savion Byrd. Marcus Hicks. Nate Anderson. Aaryn Parks.

The Sooners have lost five offensive linemen to the transfer portal since the conclusion of their regular season. But as OU prepares for an Alamo Bowl game against Arizona at Thursday night in San Antonio, it knows it can lean on McKade Mettauer.

The redshirt senior right guard will surely hear his name get called in the 2024 NFL Draft. Still, he has no intention of opting out of his final college football game.

"I love football," Mettauer said Tuesday. "I love to represent this school any chance I can get. Obviously, it was a no brainer, one more to be with these guys. It's something that I wanted to do."

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Mettauer's decision to play in the Alamo Bowl is huge for the Sooners, who need experience on the offensive line.

Freshman quarterback Jackson Arnold is expected to make his first start for OU following the departure of Dillon Gabriel, who transferred to Oregon on Dec. 9.

Arnold is a former five-star prospect who's tasked with leading OU into the SEC next season. But when it comes to Thursday's game, the first-year quarterback will need all the help he can get from his offensive line.

"I’m not going to leave any guys out to dry," Mettauer said on Dec. 12. "I’m not gonna let Jackson go out there without some guys with experience. I want to keep him safe."

Mettauer isn't the only veteran offensive lineman in the mix.

Walter Rouse will also suit up for OU. The fifth-year left tackle boasts 51 career starts, and his experience should be invaluable for the Sooners on Thursday.

"It's really good to have another vet who's played in a ton of games," Mettauer said of Rouse. "It's going to be crucial because I can only do so much on my side of the line, especially when it goes past the center to the left side.

"I can't really reach them vocally, so having Walter over there is going to be huge."

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Rouse also figures to hear his name get called in the upcoming NFL Draft. Still, he had no intentions of opting out of the Alamo Bowl.

Thursday's contest marks the final college football game for Rouse, but it also marks the first bowl game of his career. He spent four seasons at Stanford, and the team went a combined 14-28 during that time.

"Whatever bowl, he didn't care," Mettauer said of Rouse. "And obviously he loves the team, too. He's never been to a bowl game, so this is a really big milestone to him."

Mettauer is familiar with Arizona thanks to his time at California, where he spent the first three years of his career.

Mettauer only faced Arizona once during that time. California suffered a 10-3 road loss on Nov. 6, 2021.

"That was a brutal game," Mettauer said with a laugh. "I'm pretty much dispatched from my ties in California and my rivalries that I had there. But yeah, it'd be good to beat those guys."

A previous loss to Arizona isn't what's fueling Mettauer, though.

Mettauer's time with OU is coming to an end, and he's determined to suit up with his teammates one last time.

"I don't think there was any doubt in my mind that I was going to play in this bowl game," Mettauer said. "I'm excited to see what we can do and excited to lead the guys in this game."

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Alamo Bowl

No. 12 Oklahoma vs. No. 14 Arizona

KICKOFF: 8:15 p.m. Thursday at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas (ESPN)

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Playing in OU football bowl game was 'no brainer' for McKade Mettauer