Weekend Open Post | November 6th – 8th
Posted on: November 6, 2026
Sunday Brunch | Up Down Up Down, Snip Snap Snip Snap
– Charlie S – Posted on: November 1, 2026
At some point, Oklahoma football has to stop being a weekly guessing game. Which team is going to show up? The one that beats Texas and gives everyone a reason to believe, or the one that gets pushed around at home by South Carolina?
Saturday’s 42-25 loss to South Carolina was another reminder of just how inconsistent this program has become. Oklahoma is now 4-4, and the pattern is getting pretty difficult to ignore. Win one week, lose the next. Build a little momentum, then turn around and give it all back. Just when it feels like the Sooners might be finding their footing, they take another step backward.
And this isn’t something that started this season. It’s been going on for five years.
Since Brent Venables took over, Oklahoma has gone through losing seasons, winning seasons, coaching changes, quarterback changes, roster overhauls, and just about every other kind of reset imaginable. There have been some great moments along the way, including a playoff appearance in 2025, but there has been very little sustained consistency.
One winning season doesn’t erase the losing seasons on either side of it. And beating Texas doesn’t mean much if the Sooners turn around and get handled by South Carolina in their own stadium.
That’s where the frustration comes from. Oklahoma has shown it can play at a high level. We’ve seen it. The problem is that nobody knows when that version of the team is going to show up, and there is no reason this far into Venables’ tenure that the program should still be this unpredictable.
The quarterback situation is a big part of the story. Oklahoma has gone from Caleb Williams to Dillon Gabriel, Jackson Arnold, and now John Mateer. There have been transfers, recruiting misses, development questions, and plenty of changes along the way. At some point, the quarterback room has to become a position of stability rather than another annual project.
That responsibility ultimately falls on the head coach. Venables has overseen the roster construction, hired the coaches, and made the decisions that have brought the program to this point. He can’t keep treating every new quarterback or offensive coordinator as another fresh start without answering for why the previous approach didn’t work.
Meanwhile, Venables has changed offensive coordinators, brought in transfers, shuffled the staff, and tried different approaches. Yet here we are, five years into his tenure, and he still hasn’t found an offense that works for him or allows Oklahoma to play complementary football.
That’s a pretty significant problem for a head coach. Oklahoma’s defense has often been good enough to carry the team, but the offense hasn’t consistently held up its end of the bargain. There has been no sustained identity, no dependable balance, and no ability to consistently put both sides of the ball together. Five years in, Venables is still searching for answers offensively. That’s not a transition problem anymore. That’s a failure to get a fundamental part of the program figured out.
And it’s time to talk about Ben Arbuckle, because enough is enough.
At no point against South Carolina did Oklahoma look like it had a competent offense. Not in the first quarter, not in the second half, not at any point. The Sooners managed just 118 yards through three quarters AT HOME. There was no rhythm, no identity, no consistency, and absolutely no indication that anyone on the offensive side had a plan to get things moving.
The play calling has been inconsistent all season, and Saturday was another embarrassing example of just how badly things have gone off the rails.
Let’s be blunt. There is no world in which Ben Arbuckle should have a job at Oklahoma come Monday morning. None. This isn’t about giving him another week or waiting for things to click. He’s had his opportunity, and the results speak for themselves.
Oklahoma cannot continue wasting Saturdays trying to figure out what its offense is supposed to be. Venables hired Arbuckle, gave him the keys, and now it’s time to move on.
If accountability actually means something in this program, Arbuckle is gone Monday. No more excuses. No more waiting. Enough.
The defense deserves some credit. It has carried this team at times, and Venables’ background on that side of the ball is obvious. There are players on that defense who can compete with anybody in the country. But a head coach can’t simply build one good side of the football and expect that to be enough. Oklahoma gave up 521 yards to South Carolina. The defense wasn’t good enough Saturday, either, and the entire team looked unprepared for the moment.
That’s the bigger issue with Venables. He’s a good defensive coach. Nobody needs to pretend otherwise. But being a great defensive coordinator and being the head coach at Oklahoma are two very different jobs. The head coach has to build a complete program, and right now, Oklahoma doesn’t look like one.
The 2025 playoff appearance was an important step, and it showed what this program can accomplish. But that can’t become a shield against criticism. The Sooners have followed too many promising moments with performances that make it feel like they’re right back where they started.
There are still games left on the schedule. Florida, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, and Missouri are all ahead. There’s an opportunity to make November interesting, but after Saturday, it’s hard to know what to expect. That’s not where Oklahoma should be at this point in the season.
Sooner Nation has been patient. Fans understand that rebuilding a roster and getting a program back to championship contention takes time. But five years is a long time. At some point, patience has to give way to expectations, and those expectations should be higher than simply hoping the team shows up ready to play every Saturday.
Five years is enough time to establish an identity. Five years is enough time to get the quarterback situation under control. Five years is enough time to build a program that doesn’t feel like it’s starting over every other Saturday.
At some point, the excuses have to stop, and the conversation needs to get a lot bigger than Ben Arbuckle.
Venables has hired the coordinators, brought in the quarterbacks, and overseen the roster construction. Yet Oklahoma is still dealing with the same fundamental problems. How many times does he get to start over? How many offensive coordinators does he get to hire before someone questions whether he’s the right person to make that decision?
Quite honestly, I’m not sure Venables has earned the right to make yet another offensive coordinator hire. He’s had five years to get this right, and the program is still wildly inconsistent. Oklahoma shouldn’t automatically hand him another opportunity to fix a problem he’s repeatedly failed to solve.
The roller coaster needs to stop. Sooner Nation didn’t sign up for five years of this. Beating Texas and getting embarrassed by South Carolina cannot continue to be the identity of Oklahoma football.
Brent Venables’ job is to prove he’s capable of getting this program where it belongs. He hasn’t to this point after 5 seasons and I honestly wouldn’t entrust him with another offensive hire, but, I also don’t have 52 million dollars laying around…if OU can find that though, then they need to be willing to have a much bigger conversation than who the next offensive coordinator should be.
Position Group Progress Report | Week Eight ’26: South Carolina
– Charlie S – Posted on: November 2, 2026
Checking out how the position groups performed in the Sooners’ 25-42 horrific loss to the South Carolina Gamecocks at home.
This will be the eighth progress report of the season.
I will include the previous week’s ranking at the top of each position group’s report in all subsequent progress reports!
Let’s see how things shook out against South Carolina.
QB: N/A (Last week: 4*)
Horrific. Offense was a total no-show and it all comes back to this position. Yes, everybody else sucked, RB, WR, TE, and the OL – all sucked…but OU gave themselves zero chance with the QB and OC dynamic duo.
RB: See QB (Last week: 4*)
WR: See QB (Last week: 5*). Shoutout to Ivan Carreon, though…nobody remembered he was still on the team until he popped off 2 TDs.
TE: See QB (Last week: 1*)
OL: See QB (Last week: 4*)
DL: 1* (Last week: 4*)
The guys wearing 0 and 65 got bullied, which is something I never thought I would type.
EDGE: Low 2* (Last week: 3*)
Best group on the day and they struggled to get to 2*? Don’t get me wrong, they were terrible in the run game, but Kreul and Okoye may have been the best position group on the field for OU…all day…on both sides of the ball?
LB: Nebula (Last week: 3*)
What the hell was that? I mean…even with the Kip Six, this was perhaps the worst game played by linebackers in Brent Venables’ career. Missed tackles and bad fits all over the place. Horrible.
CB: 1* (Last week: 4*)
Was Trysstan Haynes the best individual player overall on the day for OU? Courtland Guillory will not enjoy film this week.
SL 1* (Last week: 5*)
For a position group to record 2 interceptions (Boganowski and Markel Ford) to receive a 1*…you know they had to be particularly bad on every other snap. Run fits were terrible and coverage was pretty much non-existent.
ST: Nebula* (Last week: 1*)
Sorry, nothing else matters when you provided the meme for opponents over the next offseason with perhaps the worst on-side kick attempt of all time. How the hell do you whiff on a kick? Like…that takes work.
Report | OU Making a Change at Offensive Coordinator
– Ryan Lewis – Posted on: November 2, 2026
Per CBS Sports, the Sooners are parting ways with Offensive Coordinator Ben Arbuckle.
What’s Next? | Sourced
– Super K – Posted on: November 2, 2026
***As Charlie mentioned in the comments section on the previous post, his source indicated that Jason Witten is likely to take over OC duties. I have heard something similar.
***This is probably smart. Let someone on the staff audition for the job. BV likely has a sense already of what Kevin Wilson brings to the table, anyway.
***If Witten looks like he can work then it makes your offseason look a lot easier. Either way, this move probably tells you that whoever the OC is, Witten is likely staying.
Why This had to be Done and More
– Super K – Posted on: November 3, 2026
It’s been clear for a while that Arbuckle wasn’t the guy. It was probably clear when he was caught on national television flipping off Auburn after he had to use some underhanded trick play to score.
Who does that? I don’t even see high school coaches do that, let alone a leader of an entire side of the ball at a blue blood program.
What became really perplexing as his time went on at OU was, as Charlie and I said time and time again, the play sequencing. Some of you noted it, as well. There seemed to be no real rhyme or reason.
Anyhow, I think we all knew Arbuckle wouldn’t be the OC next year.
So, what do you gain by keeping him? Nothing I can think of. You’re just handing away reps to someone who won’t be there in a few weeks, anyway.
What you know is Arbuckle wasn’t going to be your OC next year. What you don’t know is whether there is someone on campus who can do better. That is exactly why I prefer this move and I prefer giving the interim job to Witten.
If BV thinks the guy might have something to him, then give him a shot now. You don’t lose anything. BV has already coached with Kevin Wilson. I think this was a clear statement to KW that he won’t be the OC next year, which to me, is a clear statement that BV doesn’t believe he’s the right person. I’m fine with that.
So, you give those reps to someone who gives you knew information. Either you know you don’t have some wonder kid OC or you do. But you get to find that out. And a guy like Witten is the kind of guy who could be a hidden gem because unlike most coaches, he wasn’t forced to go into coaching. He was a great player so his coaching career was delayed. Most coaches don’t have long playing careers. For all we know, Witten would be a top head coach somewhere right now had he not been such a good player.
The point is, you allow yourself to evaluate someone knew with live reps and get new information.
I know for many of you, even entertaining the possibility of not going and getting some seasoned head coach type OC is beyond comprehension.
But here is the problem.
OU may very well end this season with yet another losing record. That would be three losing seasons in only five years. Not good, Bob.
If OU ends this season with a losing record, everyone and their dog will believe, BV will be coaching for his job next year.
How do you attract a top OC with that being the situation?
I will get it to that and the financial implications later but something to begin thinking about.
Controlled Experiment to Start Against Florida
– Charlie S – Posted on: November 3, 2026
There is a pretty solid argument for Jason Witten opening Saturday’s game against Florida with John Mateer at quarterback. And it really has less to do with Mateer being the unquestioned future or even the best option for the present, and more to do with getting a legitimate evaluation of what Witten can do with the offense he’s inheriting.
From an optics standpoint, starting Mateer gives Witten something of a controlled experiment. Same quarterback, same personnel, different offensive coordinator. It gives us a pretty clean comparison of what the previous staff was getting out of this group versus what Witten can get out of it. If the offense suddenly looks more organized, the running game becomes a priority, Mateer is put in better positions and the overall operation improves, that’s evidence of what a different offensive approach can accomplish. You don’t get that same evaluation by immediately changing quarterbacks.
Saturday probably isn’t the time to start looking toward Whitt Newbauer or Bowe Bentley just for the sake of seeing what the future might look like. That time will come over the remaining games, and there should be opportunities to evaluate the young quarterbacks as Oklahoma starts thinking about next season.
Of course, there’s a pretty big caveat. If Mateer comes out and struggles badly, Witten shouldn’t feel obligated to stick with him just to complete the experiment. At some point, performance has to dictate the decision. But if Mateer is functional, giving him the first opportunity makes sense.
Witten needs to show what he can do with the personnel already in place. That’s the evaluation that matters first. Oklahoma has already seen what this group looks like under the previous offensive leadership. Now there’s a chance to see whether a different approach can produce something better. Changing quarterbacks before giving Witten that opportunity muddies the picture.
Sourced Note | Offensive Coordinator | Start At The Beginning
– Charlie S – Posted on: November 3, 2026
Ok…we have done some initial digging on the parameters of the Sooners offensive coordinator search.
We (TFB) are going to start at the beginning.
Sources tell us that Jason Witten being named the interim offensive coordinator will serve, in fact, as a legit audition.
After being around him for the last 9 months, source says Brent Venables is very intrigued by what Jason Witten brings to the team as a whole, and one of the things he likes most about him is Wittens ability to diagnose and defeat a defensive look thrown at him. Venables also believes Witten can bring the attitude, attention to detail, and years of knowledge across the board on the offensive side of the ball to the team.
We are NOT saying Witten will be the hire at this point, I want to be clear about that, but his candidacy will be real, and he has four games to make his case, which could lead to him being considered as a viable option.
Source also added that right now, BV is focused on one thing, and that’s winning the Florida game. You would not expect him to be knocking on doors just yet, but you can bet there are some discussions being lined up in the coming days and weeks with alternative options.
So, that is starting at the beginning.
Sourced Team Notes | Heading to Florida
– Charlie S – Posted on: November 4, 2026
Just a couple of notes having to do with actual on field stuff to start the day…
***At QB, same as it ever was, same as it has been for the past couple of weeks. Each of the QBs is getting reps; Mateer still gets the lion’s share and the first reps, but both Whitt and Bowe are getting some reps with the 1’s.
***On the injury front, sounds like both EPL and Fodje are starting to do a bit more, but still remain limited. Maikkula is still also limited from what I am told. I expect all 3 to be listed as questionable at best tonight with Maikkula most likely to go.
***On Peyton Bowen, who didn’t play the second half last week, I simply cannot get a straight answer on his status. I can’t give you all a feel for how things play out this weekend with him. I will say one thing…when it comes to injuries and the Bowen brothers, there are very few leaks. Remember how long Eli went with his initial injury and nobody could pinpoint what it was? Well, here we are again. Eli is doing more this week than last, so there is a chance he will be available. We will see.
Sourced Notes | The QB Situation
– Charlie S – Posted on: November 4, 2026
***So why does Oklahoma seem to continue to stick with John Mateer despite the struggles? From what we’re hearing from sources, neither Whitt Newbauer nor Bowe Bentley has done enough in practice to make the coaching staff make the change official. The feeling around the program is that Mateer, as frustrating as he’s been, still gives OU its best chance to win. It simply is not transitioning from the practice field to the game field, apparently.
***That doesn’t mean he’s got a long leash. We’re told that leash is going to be very short. Mateer simply hasn’t been good enough. The turnovers, poor decisions and inconsistency have become a major problem, and at some point, the production has to improve. Last week in inability to trigger and actually throw the ball was even a glaring issue.
***With Jason Witten now taking over the offense, Mateer likely gets one last chance to turn things around under a new offensive voice. Witten will have a chance to see what he can get out of him, but the quarterback situation isn’t suddenly off the table.
***While neither Newbauer nor Bentley has given the staff an overwhelming reason to make the change, there is a very good chance one, if not both of them, find their way onto the field in the very near future. Mateer needs to make the most of this opportunity because the patience is wearing thin, and there’s not a whole lot of room left for more of the same.
***So right now, we expect Mateer to get the start, but I, personally, would not be surprised if this was his last start unless he looks like a totally different player than he has been for the first 8 games of the season.
Know Your Opponent | Florida – 2026
– Charlie S – Posted on: November 5, 2026
Head Coach: Jon Sumrall – 1st season
Offensive Coordinator: Buster Faulkner – 1st season
Defensive Coordinator: Brad White – 1st season
Florida enters Saturday’s game against Oklahoma at 5-3 overall and 3-3 in the SEC after a season that’s been a bit of a roller coaster. The Gators opened 4-0 with impressive wins over Auburn and Ole Miss, but followed that with losses to Missouri and South Carolina. They bounced back with a big road win over Texas before falling to Georgia 27-8 last weekend. The offense has been inconsistent, particularly at quarterback, and struggled badly against Georgia. Florida still has talent, especially with Jadan Baugh in the backfield, but the Gators need to find some answers quickly if they’re going to turn their season around.
On offense…
Florida runs a multiple, pro-style spread offense built around establishing the running game with Jadan Baugh and using play-action to create opportunities downfield. The Gators want to be physical up front, stay balanced and use quarterback mobility to keep defenses guessing. If Oklahoma can slow down Baugh and force Florida into obvious passing situations, it can put pressure on the Gators’ unsettled quarterback situation.
#9 Tramell Jones Jr. | QB – Projected starter – Jones has completed 63 of 89 passes (70.8%) for 579 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions. He also has 83 rushing yards and a touchdown. He replaced Philo against Georgia and completed 18 of 25 passes for 172 yards.
#12 Aaron Philo | QB – Philo has started seven games and thrown for 1,367 yards, nine touchdowns and five interceptions while completing 70.5% of his passes. He struggled against Georgia, completing 5 of 7 passes for 26 yards with two interceptions. He remains very much in the competition.
***Quarterback update: Sumrall has avoided naming a starter publicly. Florida’s two quarterbacks are listed as co-starters, but the latest projection favors Jones. I would prepare for Jones to get the opening assignment, with Philo potentially seeing action as well.
#13 Jadan Baugh | RB – Florida’s leading offensive weapon. Baugh has rushed for 801 yards on 152 carries, averaging 5.3 yards per carry, with 13 touchdowns. He is also a capable receiver out of the backfield. His ability to establish the run will be important against Oklahoma.
#6 Dallas Wilson | WR-X – Florida’s leading receiver with 31 receptions for 417 yards and three touchdowns. Wilson is a big-bodied target who gives the Gators a legitimate downfield threat. He is one of the more important pieces of Florida’s passing attack.
#2 Eric Singleton Jr. | WR-Z – The Auburn transfer has 13 receptions for 101 yards. He also has five rushing attempts for 10 yards. Singleton was expected to be a major part of Florida’s receiving corps, but injuries have limited his availability and production.
#3 Bailey Stockton | WR-Slot – Stockton has emerged as an important target, recording 35 receptions for 365 yards and two touchdowns. He had eight catches for 76 yards against Georgia, leading Florida in receiving. With Vernell Brown III dealing with a knee injury, Stockton is expected to handle an increased role.
#17 Lacota Dippre | TE – The transfer tight end is listed atop Florida’s tight end depth chart. He has six receptions for 49 yards and two touchdowns. Dippre brings experience and is particularly valuable as an inline blocker in Florida’s running game.
#53 Bryce Lovett | LT – The projected starting left tackle. A veteran presence responsible for protecting the quarterback’s blind side and handling Florida’s edge protection.
#77 Knijeah Harris | LG – An experienced senior guard who anchors the left side of Florida’s offensive front. A key piece of the Gators’ interior blocking.
#52 Harrison Moore | C – The projected starting center. Responsible for making the offensive line calls and coordinating protection assignments.
#67 TJ Shanahan Jr. | RG – A veteran transfer who has established himself at right guard. Provides experience and stability along the interior offensive line.
#66 Emeka Ugorji | RT – The projected starting right tackle. A transfer who has become an important part of Florida’s offensive line rotation.
The big picture for OU…
***Jadan Baugh: The biggest concern in the running game. His 801 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns make him Florida’s most productive offensive player.
***Dallas Wilson: Florida’s leading receiver. His 417 receiving yards and three touchdowns make him the primary passing-game threat.
***Tramell Jones Jr.: Assuming the latest projection holds, Jones gets the starting opportunity. His mobility and ability to provide a different look from Philo are worth watching.
***Vernell Brown III, who had 17 catches for 271 yards and two touchdowns in just four appearances, has been dealing with a knee injury. His availability remains uncertain. His absence would be significant for Florida’s passing attack.
On defense…
Florida runs a 3-4 defensive scheme under head coach Jon Sumrall, with a front built around physical defensive linemen, athletic linebackers and an experienced secondary. The Gators have several experienced players up front, but their linebackers and defensive backs will be particularly important in trying to contain Oklahoma’s offense.
#24 Kamran James | DE – At 6-foot-6, James has the length to make life difficult for opposing offensive tackles and can play both the run and pass. He’s a key part of Florida’s defensive line rotation and is projected to start at defensive end.
#90 Brendan Bett | NT – The Baylor transfer is a big-bodied interior presence at 6-foot-4, 319 pounds. Bett gives Florida a physical anchor in the middle of its defensive front and is particularly important against the run.
#91 Jeramiah McCloud | DT – A sophomore who has developed into an important piece of Florida’s defensive front. McCloud has appeared in all eight games and started five. At 6-foot-3, 300-plus pounds, he provides interior versatility and the ability to disrupt opposing blocking schemes.
#0 Jayden Woods | JACK – Woods is an athletic edge defender who can rush the passer, set the edge against the run and occasionally drop into coverage. His versatility makes him an important piece of the 3-4 scheme.
#5 Myles Graham | WLB – One of Florida’s most important defensive players. Graham is a junior who has become a consistent presence in the middle of the defense. He’s appeared in all eight games and started seven, playing approximately 85% of Florida’s defensive snaps.
#8 Aaron Chiles | MLB – Chiles is a junior who has started seven of eight games. He’s a physical presence in the middle and plays an important role in getting the defense lined up.
#7 Ty Jackson | SLB – Jackson has seen a smaller percentage of the defensive snaps than Graham and Chiles but has worked his way into a projected starting role. He’s capable of playing near the line of scrimmage and contributing in coverage.
#25 Cormani McClain | LCB – A former highly touted recruit who transferred to Florida after beginning his career at Colorado. McClain brings considerable athletic ability and length to the cornerback position. He’s appeared in all eight games and started seven.
#1 Bryce Thornton | SS – A senior safety who provides experience and physicality to Florida’s secondary. Thornton has started six games and is an important part of the Gators’ communication and run-support responsibilities.
#33 DJ Coleman | FS – The transfer safety is projected to start at free safety after appearing in all eight games and starting seven. Coleman brings experience to a secondary that has incorporated several new players.
#12 Ben Hanks III | RCB – Hanks is a sophomore with good length and athletic ability. He’s appeared in all eight games and started seven, showing that the coaching staff has considerable confidence in him.
#20 Kanye Clark | NB – He’s appeared in seven games and started six. His versatility allows Florida to match up with multiple-receiver sets without sacrificing its ability to defend the run.
The big picture for OU…
***They can get after the quarterback. Florida has been productive rushing the passer, with 23 sacks through eight games. Jayden Woods has been a key part of that pressure, and Oklahoma’s offensive line will have to account for him.
***They’re pretty stout against the run. The Gators are allowing just 4.0 yards per carry and 132.8 rushing yards per game. That doesn’t mean OU can’t run the football, but it won’t happen without winning some physical battles up front
***The secondary has been vulnerable. Florida is allowing 235.8 passing yards per game, and opposing quarterbacks have completed nearly 65% of their passes. The Gators have given up too many opportunities through the air, particularly when offenses can protect long enough to let routes develop.
***They struggle to get off the field on third down. Opponents are converting 43.2% of their third-down attempts. That’s a big opportunity for OU to stay ahead of the chains, avoid obvious passing situations and put together sustained drives.
The bottom line…
***Establish some kind of running game. This has to be at the top of the list. OU is averaging just 106.8 rushing yards per game, and that simply isn’t going to cut it against a Florida defense that has been more vulnerable through the air than on the ground. The Sooners don’t have to run for 250 yards, but they need enough production to keep Florida honest, stay out of obvious passing situations and take some pressure off whoever is playing QB.
***Protect the QB and take advantage of Florida’s secondary. Florida has struggled against the pass, allowing 235.8 yards per game. But the Gators also have a pass rush that can make things difficult. OU has to give their quarterback time to work, get the ball out on schedule and take advantage of the opportunities Florida gives it downfield.
***Win the turnover battle (protect the ball). OU has given the ball away far too often this season, and that is a recipe for trouble on the road. Florida doesn’t need a bunch of short fields to make things difficult for the Sooners. Need better decisions from the QB, protect the football and avoid trying to force plays that aren’t there. With a new offensive coordinator in Jason Witten, taking care of the ball and playing within the offense should be priorities.
***Let the defense control the game. This is where OU has to lean on its biggest strength. The Sooners have one of the better defenses in the country. OU needs to pressure the quarterback, contain Jadan Baugh and make Florida earn every yard.
What do we Need to see From Witten?
– Super K – Posted on: November 5, 2026
In talking to my sources, I’ve gotten the same impression that Charlie and James have. And what is that?
That BV and co would love if they found out that Witten is some kind of star OC but that the bar will be high. Why? Because they know/think they’re coaching for their jobs next year. I’ve been told that pretty explicitly. So, whoever BV hires as an OC will play a big role in BV’s fate.
And I can tell you that the Sooners were actually lucky that the defense didn’t play well the other day. Because I believe it exposed to BV just how alone he is in the trenches. You cannot expect your guys to not have a bad game here or there – it’s just human nature. But when it happened, he saw that ever clearer that he has no help on the other side.
No one was coming to his aid.
So the general sense I get is that yes, it would be awesome and easy and without the headache of a bunch of new contracts if the secret sauce was in the building all along. But, again, the bar is going to be high because there is too much at stake for OU and for BV.
Having said that, so what are we to look for from Witten?
I think it’s pretty simple and BV said as much, he just wants someone who can score points.
So, in the SEC Arbuckle was scoring about 16 offensive points per game (took out defensive points and ST).
13 against UGA
13 against Texas
13 against Kentucky
23 against Miss. State
18 against South Carolina
Here is the problem, some of those points were pointless. There were definitely garbage offensive points put up in the South Carolina game.
But we’ll be generous and not dock any of those points.
It still gives you only a total of 80 offensive points or 16 points per game.
So what do we need to see from Witten?
I think it will change from week to week so we can pick this up each week. But in general, I want to see an increase of about 30% in offensive point scoring per game.
So, for this Florida game, I want to see the offense put up 21 points.
Again, we can reconvene after the game and look at next week. But this week I want 21 points.
If a first time play caller can take the exact same team with a bunch of players who have very little to play for in terms of team goals and immediately exceed the offensive output of your golden boy offensive coordinator, I’d say that’s pretty daggum impressive.
What is more, I’d be happy to see Witten outscore Faulkner.
Sourced Notes | The Offensive Coordinator Search and What It May Take
– Charlie S – Posted on: November 5, 2026
***Talking to a source not connected to OU itself, there doesn’t appear to be much buzz around the OU offensive coordinator opening early on, in respect to candidates letting it be known they are interested, and it’s not hard to see why. Venables is 36-24 in five seasons, his team is 4-4 currently, the program has endured two 6-7 seasons, the offense has struggled to find an identity, and the coordinator position has become a revolving door. Let’s face it, in two weeks, the broader talking points may be a debate about OU potentially needing to look for a head coach before an offensive coordinator if they don’t post a couple wins here.
***The optics could improve if OU shows some life over the final four games, but right now, candidates will have to consider the uncertainty surrounding Venables’ future, how much control they’ll have, and whether they’ll be given time to build something. The Oklahoma name still carries weight, but OU is going to have to make some hard pitches to land the guys it wants.
***Source is of the opinion that OU may have to get creative to land a coveted, established offensive mind. As expected, it’ll likely take a strong financial package and a pretty compelling sales pitch, but source added that there may be some structural changes needed as well in order to land the type of candidate OU would be seeking, which would give the next coordinator more control over offensive staffing and personnel decisions. Simply offering the job and a paycheck may not be enough this time around.
