Jason Witten didn’t need much time to make his case as Oklahoma’s new play-caller.
Brent Venables made the switch earlier this week, firing offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle and handing the offense to Witten, who had been coaching tight ends and, as of this time last year, was coaching high school football. Venables passed over Kevin Wilson, the assistant head coach for offense and a longtime coordinator and former head coach, in a move that raised eyebrows. On Saturday night in Florida, Witten gave the answer.
Oklahoma’s 23-7 upset of No. 24 Florida opened with a jolt.
The Sooners scored on their first two possessions, starting with a 41-yard field goal and following it with a touchdown to grab a 10-0 lead. It was the first time since OU joined the conference in 2024 that it scored on the opening two possessions against an SEC opponent, and the first time that had happened in 22 games.
That early burst was more than just a strong start. It was a sign of an offense that looked organized, confident and, for once, in sync.
The Sooners’ second drive was the best example. They went 84 yards in 15 plays, took 7:11 off the clock and finished with the longest drive of the season by both yardage and time of possession, at least until later.
Witten’s fingerprints showed up in the finish. From under center, John Mateer faked to Tory Blaylock, then again to a motioning Isaiah Sategna III, while tight end Rocky Beers crossed as if he were sealing for Sategna. Mateer then flipped it to tight end Hayden Hansen for a touchdown against his old team in the place he once called home.
OU’s next possession ended with its only punt of the first half, but the Sooners still added a field goal and went to the locker room up 13-7. Their 201 first-half yards were the most ever against an SEC opponent in a half.
The biggest statement came when the game demanded patience. Oklahoma put together an 89-yard, 20-play march that burned 12:45 off the clock and ended with Mateer’s six-yard touchdown pass to Sategna. That left Florida with just 4:56 to try to erase a 13-point hole.
That’s the kind of football Venables wants: the offense doing enough to let the defense take over. After that long drive, the Sooners’ defense forced Florida backward for eight yards on a four-and-out.
The offense wasn’t explosive, and it didn’t need to be. But under Witten, it looked functional in a way it hadn’t before.
There were no head-scratching decisions, no wasted possessions and no moments that felt like the game was getting away from the Sooners. Even during a scoreless third quarter, the plan held together.
Mateer was a big part of that. He ran for a team-high 56 yards on 14 carries and looked comfortable throwing the ball, too, finishing with two touchdown passes.
No one is handing out a trophy for 30 points. But Witten wasn’t the reason Oklahoma lost, and right now that may be the most important standard of all. On Saturday night, he looked like exactly what the Sooners needed.
In Other News...
Oklahomas Offensive Shakeup Suddenly Looks A Lot More Serious
Oklahomas 23-7 win at Florida did more than steady the Sooners after a rocky stretch. It also gave Brent Venables offensive shakeup some immediate credibility, with Jason Witten stepping in as interim offensive coordinator and helping guide a unit that looked noticeably sharper in the first half. Oklahoma scored on three of its four opening drives, a welcome change for a team that had been searching for rhythm as it worked to get back above water in the Big 12 race.
The timing matters because this was not just a clean win, but a road win in a place where Oklahoma needed to show some poise. The defense did its part by keeping Floridas ground game under control, limiting Jaden Baugh to 35 yards on eight carries, and the Sooners left Gainesville at 5-4 overall and 3-3 in conference play. What comes next for the offense will say a lot about whether this was a one-game spark or the start of something more lasting. [Read more 🡒]
John Mateer Turned Oklahomas Toughest Week Into A Statement Win
The week around Oklahomas win over Florida carried more than the usual pressure of a conference game. Ben Arbuckle, who had built a close relationship with quarterback John Mateer, was fired after a disappointing 2026 season, and the news landed hard in a locker room that had already been dealing with the usual strain of trying to steady itself in November. Mateer spoke emotionally about the move after the victory, a reminder that football decisions can ripple well beyond the depth chart.
Brent Venables tried to make one thing clear in the aftermath: Arbuckles firing was not tied to Mateers performance. Even so, the timing gave the Sooners statement win a different feel, with the quarterback asked to process a personal loss while helping deliver a result the program badly needed. For Oklahoma, the on-field response mattered, but so did the way the moment exposed how much the seasons biggest decisions are still being felt inside the building. [Read more 🡒]
John Mateer Just Gave Oklahoma Fans A Real Reason To Reconsider This Offense
John Mateers latest outing gave Oklahoma a much better look at what this offense can be when it is built around his strengths. In the Sooners upset win over Florida, he accounted for 263 of the teams 351 total yards, completing 64% of his passes for 207 yards and two touchdowns without an interception while adding 56 rushing yards. The change at offensive coordinator, with Jason Witten stepping in for Ben Arbuckle, seemed to open things up in a way that fit Mateer more naturally.
For Oklahoma, the encouraging part was not just the production but the shape of it. Mateers running ability was used more effectively, and the passing game looked less cramped, giving the Sooners a more balanced attack than they had shown before. It was one game, but it was the kind of performance that forces a second look at what this offense can be if the new structure keeps working. [Read more 🡒]