Weekend Open Post | October 2nd – 4th
Posted on: October 2, 2026
Sunday Brunch | The Quarterback Problem Is Really an Oklahoma Problem
– Charlie S – Posted on: September 27, 2026
At some point, you have to stop calling it bad luck.
Oklahoma’s quarterback problem didn’t begin with John Mateer. Saturday in Athens was simply the latest and most embarrassing chapter in a problem that has followed Brent Venables since he took over the program.
And here’s what makes it worse:
The quarterbacks haven’t just been changing. The people coaching them and calling their plays haven’t either.
Jeff Lebby was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2022 and 2023.
When Lebby left for Mississippi State, Venables promoted Seth Littrell to offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach and elevated Joe Jon Finley to co-offensive coordinator for 2024.
Littrell started the season as the primary play-caller.
Seven games later, he was gone.
Finley took over the primary play-calling duties for the remainder of the season.
Then came Ben Arbuckle.
Four names. Lebby, Littrell, Finley and Arbuckle. Four different offensive leaders during Venables’ tenure.
Now look at the quarterback room.
Dillon Gabriel.
Jackson Arnold.
Michael Hawkins Jr.
John Mateer.
Different quarterbacks. Different systems. Different expectations. And repeatedly, Oklahoma has found itself back at square one.
In 2022, Gabriel was the veteran answer, but there was virtually no dependable option behind him.
In 2023, Gabriel remained the starter while Arnold was supposed to be the future.
In 2024, Gabriel was gone and Arnold inherited the job. When Arnold struggled, Hawkins got his opportunity. Arnold eventually returned, but neither quarterback established himself as the unquestioned answer.
Arnold transferred.
Hawkins eventually followed.
Enter Mateer.
This was supposed to be different.
Oklahoma hired Arbuckle, Mateer’s offensive coordinator at Washington State, and brought the quarterback with him. Finally, there was supposed to be continuity between the quarterback and the system.
And for a while, it worked.
Then 2026 happened.
Michigan.
New Mexico.
Georgia.
Mateer’s decision-making has become a major problem, and Saturday was the breaking point.
Three first-half turnovers helped put Oklahoma in a 28-0 hole against Georgia. Mateer lost two fumbles and threw an interception as the Sooners repeatedly handed opportunities to the Bulldogs. Georgia ultimately won 41-13.
And Mateer remained the quarterback.
That’s where this stops being simply a bad game by a quarterback.
Because Oklahoma has created a situation in which there is very little proven depth behind him.
And this level of quarterback play isn’t just something Oklahoma fans aren’t accustomed to.
It isn’t something any blueblood program should accept for this long.
Oklahoma went from Baker Mayfield to Kyler Murray to Jalen Hurts to Caleb Williams. Those quarterbacks set an extraordinarily high standard for what the position looked like in Norman, with Mayfield and Murray winning Heisman Trophies and Hurts finishing as the 2019 Heisman runner-up.
Nobody is suggesting Oklahoma has to produce a Heisman finalist every season.
But there is a massive difference between falling short of that standard and what we’ve watched at quarterback over the last three seasons.
The issue isn’t one bad game.
It’s the lack of sustained quality, development and certainty at the position.
And that brings us back to Venables.
Because there is no question he changed Oklahoma’s defensive culture for the better when he arrived.
The Sooners became tougher, more physical and more fundamentally sound. That identity is now obvious. Kirby Smart called Venables’ defense fundamentally sound, aggressive and attacking, and OU’s defense has consistently been one of the strongest parts of the team.
But the uncomfortable question is whether Venables has inadvertently done the opposite on offense.
The defensive culture has become a strength.
The offensive culture increasingly looks like a revolving door.
New coordinator. New quarterback. New system. Repeat.
And right now, there is no obvious end in sight.
That is the part that should concern Oklahoma fans more than any individual bad performance.
Venables proved he could establish a clear identity on one side of the football.
Why has Oklahoma been unable to establish the same kind of identity on offense?
Saturday only magnified the problem.
The Sooners shouldn’t be comfortable entering October wondering whether their starting quarterback can consistently make basic decisions, protect the football and give them a chance against elite competition.
If that’s where the program is, somebody needs to answer how it got there.
And the answer isn’t simply John Mateer.
It’s the process that produced this quarterback room.
NIL makes the situation even more complicated.
We don’t know the exact terms of Mateer’s deal, so nobody should pretend that Oklahoma literally cannot bench him because of his NIL compensation.
But if the size of the investment makes a coaching staff reluctant to make a football decision, that’s a serious problem.
The price tag cannot determine the depth chart.
If Mateer is the best quarterback, play him.
If he isn’t, find out.
What Oklahoma cannot afford is allowing the financial investment in one player to become an obstacle to evaluating the rest of the room.
Because that’s how programs get trapped.
And Oklahoma looks trapped right now.
The defense is good enough to keep the Sooners competitive. There are legitimate playmakers on the roster.
But the quarterback room once again looks like the weakest link.
This isn’t just about John Mateer.
It’s about the decisions that preceded him.
Lebby.
Littrell.
Finley.
Arbuckle.
Gabriel.
Arnold.
Hawkins.
Mateer.
A revolving door of quarterbacks and offensive leadership has brought Oklahoma to the same uncomfortable question it has faced repeatedly:
What happens when the starting quarterback isn’t getting the job done?
Right now, Oklahoma doesn’t appear to have a good answer. They haven’t had one in four-plus seasons now.
And that is the real indictment of the program.
Two Simple Questions
– Charlie S – Posted on: September 27, 2026
Two simple questions:
1* In your opinion, would OU be 3-1 at worst right now if they had any other P2 (SEC/B1G) starting quarterback leading the offense?
2* Would you start Whitt Newbauer vs. Texas in the Cotton Bowl?
Wanna read your thoughts.
Position Group Progress Report | Week Four ’26: Georgia
– Charlie S – Posted on: September 28, 2026
Checking out how the position groups performed in the Sooners’ 41-13 loss to Georgia. OU was a big road dog against UGA, and they didn’t cover the +13.5 point spread.
This will be the fourth 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 Georgia.
QB: Black Hole (Last week Nebula)
I got nothing to add here, I’ve made my thoughts clear over the previous weeks that I believe OU has a QB problem and Georgia was just the culmination.
Can’t listen to anyone who says “He played well without the turnovers” cause he didn’t and you cannot minimize the turnovers. Cannot make this grade low enough.
RB: 2* (Last week: 1*)
The backs averaged around 3 ypc, the QB averaged less than half a yard per carry yet the QB had the most carries.
WR: 3* (Last week: 1*)
Felt like this room was probably the best on the offensive side of the ball against Georgia. They tried to help Mateer, he just could not help himself.
Good to see Manny Choice get on the board with the first touchdown of his career. Need more ET and Manny in order to keep ET and Manny in the coming years.
TE: 2* (Last week: 2*)
Would have been a 4* effort if not for the Beers turnover. Can’t have that when your QB is giving the ball away every other possession on the day.
Feel like Hayden Hansen’s role is shrinking as he still looks a bit lost in the blocking game.
OL: Low 3* (Last week: Nebula)
Finally saw life from this group in pass pro and there were holes there in the run game that just were not taken advantage of (in large part due to the QBs’ decision-making). To do it against Georgia, that was a positive sign.
DT: 5* (Last week: 4*)
They get the 5* on David Stone’s back. Probably didn’t earn a 5* on the field, production-wise, but they did a damn good job for the majority of the game and the fact that Stone played the entire game says a lot about the defensive culture and that young man himself. Trent Wilson had a nice game as well on the big stage.
EDGE: Low 3* (Last week: 3*)
Liked what I saw from PJ early, but that faded over time. Really didn’t see much of anything from Taylor Wein.
Thought Danny Okoye had some moments and Jake Kreul made some noise in his snaps.
LB: 4* (Last week: 4*)
Kip Lewis returned and played his best game of the season and probably was the most effective defender for OU on the day.
They are running out of bodies in the room with Heinecke picking up a hammy strain, but Nesta filled in well. Need Cole Sullivan back for Texas and hope Heinecke can return as well.
CB: 3* (Last week: 3*)
Ended up better than it looked at times. Guillory has a target on his back with the Zebras, he gets called for a lot of ticky-tack PI calls.
Georgia looked to pick on Eli, and they had some success, but Bowen largely did a solid job.
S: 2* (Last week: 3*)
OU has a safety issue opposite of Peyton Bowen, it really is feast or famine with that spot. I thought Bowen was solid on the day, wasn’t his best outing though.
Omarion Robinson had a great interception, but he also had a few costly busts due to some overeagerness. Have to get that straightened out here in short order.
ST: 2* (Last week: Nebula)
Sandell has not been the same since the playoff game against Alabama. There will be no defending of his Groza award from last year.
Ulrich punted well and Sategna was fine on punt return.
Why Even Field an Offense?
– Super K – Posted on: September 29, 2026
The general point of putting an offense on the field is to score points for your own team. If an offense is an unable to do that on a particular drive then the hope is they will at least move the ball a bit to better the team’s field position and give the defense a rest.
To be fair, what is happening at OU right now isn’t about the offense, per se. It’s about one element of the offense. Maybe the other elements of the offense are bad as well but it’s hard to know how bad or good given the state of one particular position.
The quarterback play at Oklahoma is beyond unacceptable. It is truly unbelievable.
I want you to consider something very simple.
The Sooners have played two power four schools – Michigan and Georgia.
In those games, for their part, the defense held the opposing offenses to 10 and 21, respectively.
In the Michigan game the offense scored, 10 points…10. But this is the part that makes what happening truly unbelievable and for the sake of the fans, the businesses, the coaches and the other players, infuriating.
A single position, the quarterback spot and the quarterback spot alone, essentially gave up seven points.
That is a net of three points scored in the Michigan game.
When I say that points are given away or given up by the quarterback, I’m not talking about a situation where he throws a ball that’s tipped and then picked off. Or where he’s on his own 30 yard line, and throws a ball 20 yards that is picked and the offense has to go half the field to score.
I am talking about points that are essentially given up to the other team as inarguably a direct and sole result of the quarterback and no one else.
That pick thrown in the Michigan game that set them up to punch it in was on the quarterback…period.
Three net points against Michigan.
Against Georgia, the offense scored six points.
The quarterback alone – by himself with no assistance from any other part of the offense – gave UGA 17 points. On one occasion, he literally dropped the ball. Essentially did the same on another occasion. Both times, the defense either scored immediately or was positioned to score immediately. And of course there was an interception that led to three points.
So, the quarterback play accounted for a net negative 11 points ( that’s -11).
Which means, the quarterback in power four matchups is currently giving the Sooners’ offense -8 points.
So, I ask, again, why even field an offense?
Obviously, you should field an offense but the more precise question here is why field this quarterback? At this point the other quarterbacks could be horrible – and may very well be – and still be better in that perhaps they can raise OU’s offensive output to a net zero.
This isn’t old college football. Some of these players are making more money than the coaches.
There are coaches get trashed and maybe they are the problem but how are we supposed to know when one position through which the ball goes on every play, is single handedly giving the other team more points than are being scored?
There are potentially talented players – and I suspect there are multiple – who aren’t having the luxury of cashing in the big checks because of the atrocious play at one position.
In that Georgia game, there were times when the defense made the UGA offense look outright pedestrian. There were moments when the offense seemed to be toying with the UGA defense.
But no matter how good anyone plays at any point in the game, you aren’t going to overcome a single player on your team giving the other team so many points that you end up with negative points.
I am absolutely certain that BV sees this. I don’t know what they will do but if something doesn’t change, and fast, I’ll personally be a bit surprised if the current QB is still the QB by the end of the Texas game.
Again, the back ups may be horrible but you can’t allow what is happening right now to go on much – if any – longer. You might as well just put in a running back who can hold on to the ball to take direct snaps. If he literally scores zero net points, you might be better off.
Tracking the Walking Wounded | Sourced
– Charlie S – Posted on: September 29, 2026
With the Sooners having a bye week, just wanted to consolidate/update the list of walking wounded that we have mentioned who could benefit from the week off.
Here is what we have noted and what sources have to say:
***OT Mike Fasusi – Shoulder – Still a guessing game as to when he will return. I do expect him to return at some point, sources hope it is for Texas, but I’m not making any promises here.
***LB Cole Sullivan – Hammy – What once seemed like a minor injury turned into a situation where he needed more time. Sullivan has missed the New Mexico game and the Georgia game. Source indicates OU is hoping he is able to go in the Cotton Bowl, but as always, with hammy injuries, you never know.
***LB Owen Heiencke – Hammy – Same thing…he played 17 snaps against Georgia before hanging it up. You know how tough Heinecke is; source believes he will at least give it a go against Texas, but who knows how the hamstring will hold up. Expect him to rest for the next couple weeks leading up to the RRS.
***DB Jacobe Johnson – Hammy – Source indicates that this one will keep Jacobe out for some time after suffering the injury against Georgia. I do not expect him to be available for Texas.
***S Mike Boganowski – Upper body – Boganowski had been in concussion protocol since the Michigan game. He has not played since. Sources are optimistic that he will be available for Texas.
***WR Trell Harris – Internal – Harris is out indefinitely at this point.
***As for the rest of the team, as I noted previously, any players with any sort of injury/wear and tear will likely have a very light week this week and start to ramp things up next week ahead of the Texas game. (Think guys like Stone/Kip etc).
This Is Brent Venables’ Staff and He Is the Shot Caller
– Charlie S – Posted on: September 30, 2026
I wanted to reiterate something that has once again become the stuff of fan fiction and twitter lore…
Brent Venables controls his staff. Both additions and subtractions. Period.
If he wants to move on from a coach, he has complete discretion to do so.
There is no “Deep State OU Branch” that meets in a dimly lit room down several flights of stairs and long, dark corridors under the Switzer Center that is out there ‘protecting certain coaches’.
Brent has complete control over football staffing personnel.
Two things to remember: Brent has a coaching budget…that plays into the equation at times, particularly when it comes to new hires, but nobody is standing in his way when it comes to firing people.
Brent has already moved on from some guys who had way more ties to Oklahoma (Think Joe Jon Finley and Seth Littrell as examples) than any current coaches on staff.
He has let go of coaches previously, and if/when he wants to move on others, he can and will.
Please do yourself a favor and don’t buy into the fan fiction that has been crafted to paint a picture of what some fans want to hear as an explanation of why things are the way that they are.
Brent Venables has hired and fired every member of his staff since he has been in Norman. From coordinators to grad assistants. From big names to guys we weren’t even aware of.
Brent is the guy who made the decisions to let go of Seth, JJF, Ted Roof, L’Damian Washington, and others.
Brent is the guy who hired each of his current staff members and the guy who recommends them all for contract extensions and increases when the time comes.
Could that change in the future if the Sooners need to hire another new offensive coordinator? Perhaps, if there are structural changes made to the OU football program, such as hiring an ‘offensive head coach’ type who could request/demand autonomy over his own staff on that side of the ball. But we are not there, and currently, the lone shot caller when it comes to staffing decisions is Brent Venables.
Brent Venables Says Mateer Is the QB
– Charlie S – Posted on: September 30, 2026
Tonight after practice, TFB’s very own James Hale asked Brent Venables about the quarterbacks this week and going forward and Brent told him that John Mateer is their starting QB.
Venables also confirmed our previous reporting that Whitt Newbauer and Bowe Bentley were going to be getting the majority of the reps this week.
James also asked about the OL and Venables noted the improved pass pro last week against Georgia, but he would like to too be more physical at the point of attack in the run game, as we all would.
Maybe Let A Little Air Out, Take Some Pressure Off
– Charlie S – Posted on: October 1, 2026
Woke up this morning and decided I would share an opinion rather than anything statistical or performance-based.
That opinion…
Start Whitt Newbauer against Texas because John Mateer needs a mental break and a new outlook.
I am not saying don’t play him if you feel he gives you the best shot overall, but hot dang…what you’re doing right now is not working and sometimes you need to find that spark to ignite something positive.
To me, it feels like Brent and Arbuckle are making simple decisions too difficult, and Brent has a history with this. This decision to publicly plan to start John against Texas reminds me a lot of the indecision/decision to start Mike Hawkins against Auburn following the 2024 Tennessee meltdown, when BV stated on Saturday that there was going to be an open competition between Jackson Arnold and Mike Hawkins and then by Sunday morning, he told the world Mike Hawkins would start without an ounce of the open competition he spoke of. Back in 2024, I felt Brent should have started Arnold, again, if it was only for the first series or two, because at the time, you had to consider redshirting and whatnot and it turned out that three games later, BV had to promise Arnold that he would start every remaining game if he would go into the game against South Carolina because Hawkins was so bad. Absolutely painted into a corner.
In this case…once again, it feels like he is saying too much…because once again, you have painted yourself, and your team, into a corner in a way. Because now, if John fails…you have nothing to fall back on. At least if Whitt failed, you had Mateer to come in and play the role of the white knight.
Why say anything? Like, seriously, talk about the room as you need to get it on track and you will play whichever guy gives you the best chance…in both instances.
Personally…I have come to the conclusion that I would actually start Whitt against Texas, if for no other reason than to try something new to take some pressure and focus off John. Even if I thought John’s overall ceiling may give me the better chance against Texas…because he is that screwed up mentally. Mateer has been absolutely horrific in the first half of the last two games with five turnovers.
Being a former high school baseball coach has absolutely zero legit comparison to being the head coach at the University of Oklahoma, but the one thing it has in common is dealing with athletes and their egos and psyche. As a coach, if my ace was struggling or my 3-hole hitter was in a wicked slump, I would make some off-the-beaten-path moves. I would start a bullpen guy in place of my ace and let the game get underway for a few batters and then bring in my ace. I would ask my stuggling 3 hole batter to stay in the cage, take some extra BP, and watch the first couple of innings before he gets put into the game.
Doing both of those things kind of took the edge off the player who was struggling mentally…kind of a pressure release valve, if you will. It gave them an opportunity to feel good about themsleves and have the team feel good about them returning to the field.
Something is not working with John, and now, it feels like you just added more air to the pressure on him with the vote of confidence and the decision to very publicly paint him as the best option at this time, even if he himself does not believe that right now. Just take the edge off and try something new to jump-start John if you really have no faith in Whitt.
Kinda just wish BV had said nothing and went ahead and started Whitt, even if it was just a plan to put him out there for the first couple series. Let John Mateer come off the bench and have a chance to be the hero. Let him have a chance to feel his teammates’ belief in him. Chances are very high that as long as Whitt didn’t turn the ball over in a series or two, you would already be ahead of the game, regardless of whether you score any points. Heck, even if he did turn the ball over…you’re still probably playing with house money as we know what John has been doing over the last 6 games he has played.
Sometimes you gotta look outside the box. Mateer has been terrible in the first halves recently…he has looked his best in the third quarters when there was less pressure.
I know some will agree and some will disagree…but man, sometimes you have to change things up to get things going.
That’s just what has been on my mind. It’s not something I will dig my heels in on, but I would just like to see some effort and creative thought here.
How I Suspect This Plays out | Sourced
– Super K – Posted on: October 1, 2026
I was a bit surprised to hear BV come right out and say John is still the starter. Why? Really simple, there is very little about his performance this season that would warrant entrenching him as a starter.
I understand he may have the tenure and the history but based on performance on the field, it’s hard to argue that literally no one even has an opportunity to take a crack at it.
If the reason is they are absolutely certain the back ups would be worse, I’d say that is a devastating indictment on the staff.
However, I was also a bit surprised just because of what I’ve heard from folks. As Charlie said, no one is falling apart. But while people in the building know they all have to be better, they know it doesn’t matter how much better they are if the QB plays this way. There simply isn’t enough anyone can do to make up for the kinds of mistakes happening.
It’s possible those things will stop. But my guess, is they will not.
I just don’t think any of this is about talent.
There are generally three possibilities I see happening with John and Texas…
He comes out playing well.
He comes out playing not so well but not horribly so you aren’t necessarily turning it over but you aren’t moving the ball, either.
He comes out and has some issues early on that give Texas a lead.
I think everyone is hoping that the first is what happens.
But I’d be a bit surprised if it does. I’d surmise the second two options are more likely even if they aren’t certain.
Again, the reason isn’t because Mateer isn’t talented. To me it’s something in his head and the problem with those situations is your fear of losing something is too high. And I think the best solution there is to do what Charlie suggested – take away the thing the person fears losing. They’ll look up and realize the world hasn’t ended. The fear can abate. The pressure is gone and the player can go back to just playing but doing some with a renewed sense of gratitude, purpose and without the voice in their head saying, “don’t screw up! Don’t screw up!”
If I had to guess, I’d guess BV may end up being forced to make a quarterback change perhaps even in the Texas game itself. We will see. But I am sort of preparing myself for a QB change to come at some point this season unless John can turn this thing around in the first half of the Texas game.
Again, my reason is partly just a sense that sometimes a person can’t get out of their head until they do sit. But I also think there is more frustration in the building that might not be obvious to the outside world.
There are a lot of people who want and need this season to go well. You can live with a pick trying to win the game. You can’t live with someone running around and dropping the ball on the ground.
