Oklahoma football notebook: Ben Habern speaks about injury

The Sooners also lost senior guard Tyler Evans to an ACL tear, leaving OU's offensive line much less experienced than it was expected to be.

During the radio interview, Habern said he tweaked his back in OU's final summer workout, and that the pain, combined with the previous neck and back issues, led to his decision.

He had high praise for junior Gabe Ikard, who will again replace him at center, as he did last season.

“He's probably the most technically sound offensive lineman that I've ever been around,” Habern said.

Habern, who is still helping the team at practices, added that he thinks the offensive line can still be championship-caliber because of talented, but relatively inexperienced, linemen.

JACKSON JOINS LOUISIANA-MONROE

Kameel Jackson has again announced his intent to transfer on Twitter.

This time, though, it seems his new school was expecting him.

Jackson, who was dismissed from Oklahoma's football team, is on scholarship at Louisiana-Monroe, enrolled in classes and practicing with the team, ULM director of media relations Alex Edwards confirmed.

Earlier in the day, Jackson tweeted that he's “officially” a student-athlete there.

Last year as a true freshman at OU, Jackson had 12 catches for 165 yards. He started two games for the Sooners.

Jackson was suspended indefinitely in May along with three teammates for unspecified team violations. But before the news became public, he announced on Twitter that he would transfer to Texas A&M. Reports out of College Station indicated, though, that the Aggies didn't know he was coming.