Oklahoma’s offense has spent the first three games searching for something steadier than flashes.
That search only gets more urgent with No. 2 Georgia coming to town, and offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle is banking on one clear answer: keep taking shots.
“(We need to) continue pushing the ball down the field," Arbuckle said on Tuesday. "I feel like we’ve called a lot of things to throw the ball down the field. I don’t know our exact number, but at least four or five touchdowns over 30 yards, 40 yards, pushing the ball vertical down the field.”
The Sooners have shown they can hit big plays when the chances are there. Against UTEP, John Mateer threw touchdown passes of 40, 34 and 48 yards.
In the loss at Michigan, Oklahoma’s only touchdown came on a 22-yard catch by Mackenzie Alleyne. The 14-6 win over New Mexico included touchdown grabs of 29 and 53 yards.
That’s the part Arbuckle is leaning on. The problem is everything around those explosive moments has been uneven. Oklahoma has not been able to build a reliable run game after spending the offseason trying to create one, and Mateer has already had his confidence tested by the inconsistency.
Still, Arbuckle sees a path forward if the Sooners keep attacking vertically and clean up the pieces around it.
"It hasn’t been a throw-short, run-long situation. But we have to continue doing that. Putting our protection in a good spot to hold up, those guys running fast downfield and John delivering the ball downfield," Arbuckle said.
There may be help on the way up front. Oklahoma could get Michael Fasusi back at left tackle, which would not only restore one of its key linemen but also allow Ryan Fodje to slide back to his preferred spot at right guard. That kind of shuffle could give the Sooners better blocking and more stable protection, the kind of setup Arbuckle believes can start to snowball.
“We have to continue doing (attacking downfield), and so that’s what needs to be done," Arbuckle said.
In Other News...
OUs Season May Hinge On One Choice Brent Venables Made
Oklahomas offense has been the programs biggest unresolved issue through the recent coaching changes, with the Sooners cycling from Seth Littrell to Ben Arbuckle in search of steadier production. Brent Venables has spent the better part of two seasons trying to fix that side of the ball while the defense has generally kept the team respectable, but the overall picture has still felt familiar to anyone who watched the turbulence of the past few years.
The larger question is whether the latest coordinator choice finally gives the Sooners a workable identity or just extends the same problem in a new direction. Venables also had other offensive candidates to weigh in 2024, which only adds to the sense that this decision may end up defining how the season is judged, especially if the offense does not take the leap Oklahoma has been waiting for. [Read more 🡒]
Georgias First SEC Clash With Oklahoma Carries One Intriguing Twist
No. 2 Georgias first regular-season meeting with Oklahoma brings the Sooners into one of the sports toughest road environments, and it arrives with both teams still trying to sort out early-season identity. Georgia is 3-0 and has the kind of balance Kirby Smart has come to expect, while Oklahoma sits at 2-1 and has yet to find full rhythm on offense, with quarterback John Mateer needing to take a step forward if the Sooners want to keep pace.
Brent Venables knows the assignment only gets harder against Gunner Stockton and a Georgia defense Smart has openly respected on the other side of the matchup. The more immediate Oklahoma concern may be up front, where defensive tackle David Stones status remains uncertain because of a knee injury, leaving another layer of instability before a trip that already demands near-perfect execution. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahomas 2028 Class Just Added Another Intriguing Athlete
Oklahomas 2028 recruiting class picked up another interesting piece with the verbal commitment of Colton Fitzgibbon, a dual-sport athlete whose speed and ability to play both football and baseball have made him stand out early. The 3-star recruit becomes the fourth pledge in a Sooners class that has started to build momentum well ahead of signing day.
Fitzgibbons addition also gives Oklahoma another reason to feel good about the direction of that group, with the Sooners 2028 class moving up to No. 4 nationally after his commitment. For a program that has long valued versatile athletes, Fitzgibbon fits the profile of a player who could bring options on campus, even if the next step in that path is still to be determined. [Read more 🡒]