Oklahoma may not be moving on from Ben Arbuckle just yet, but the conversation around his future is already loud enough that Sooners fans are looking past this season. With Brent Venables potentially hunting for his fifth offensive coordinator in six years, the next hire could end up shaping whether 2027 looks like a reset or a revival.
That’s why the list of possible replacements matters now. If Venables does make another change, Oklahoma will need someone who can do more than patch together a respectable offense for a year. The Sooners need a real swing - and there are a few names already sitting in that lane.
Shane Beamer is one of them. He spent three seasons at Oklahoma from 2018-20 as assistant head coach for the offense under Lincoln Riley, and the results were obvious: the Sooners finished with a top-5 offense in college football each year he was on staff.
Beamer eventually took the South Carolina job, but with his seat described as one of the hottest in the country, a return to an OC role could be on the table before long. That kind of reunion carries real appeal because it connects directly to one of OU’s most productive offensive stretches.
Another name to watch is Mitch Dahlen, who is set up to be one of the biggest coordinator candidates in the sport this season. Oregon State has the No. 3 offense in the FBS with him calling the shots, and he’s got two stars in quarterback Braden Atkinson and wide receiver Jesse Legree, both leading their positions in yards.
That’s the catch with Dahlen, though: he may not come alone. Oklahoma was just burned by a coordinator who arrived with a productive Pac-12 offense and a quarterback in tow, but Dahlen also brings a résumé that includes two seasons at Alabama as assistant OC and assistant quarterbacks coach under Kalen DeBoer.
He’s worked with Jake Haener, Michael Penix Jr., Jalen Milroe, and Ty Simpson, which makes him a strong fit on paper - if OU is willing to pay to beat out the competition for both the coach and the talent around him.
G.J. Kinne has been on these kinds of lists for years, and the production keeps backing up the buzz.
Texas State’s offense has been elite, even with the move to the Pac-12 this season. The Bobcats are No. 1 in total offense, No. 9 in scoring offense, and No. 3 in rushing offense.
Kinne, a former Tulsa quarterback, also has Oklahoma ties that make the fit easy to imagine. He’s making about $2 million a year now, compared with Arbuckle’s $1.5 million salary, so the Sooners would need to be ready to pay up.
But if they want a proven home-run hire, another $500k could be a reasonable price.
There’s also the possibility that a strong offensive hire could do more than just fix the offense. If Venables still doesn’t look like the long-term answer, OU could wind up with a head coach-in-waiting sitting in the same building. That’s part of what makes this next decision so important.
Andy Kotelnicki belongs in the mix too, even if he’s not as flashy a name. He just returned to Kansas as Associate Head Coach to work under Lance Leipold again after serving as the Jayhawks’ OC from 2021-23.
In 2022, he guided one of the most efficient offenses in the country and the best in Kansas history. He also won 247Sports Offensive Coordinator of the Year in 2023.
Then came Penn State, where he led FBS in first downs with 367 and explosive plays of over 10 yards with 253 in 2024 while directing one of the Big Ten’s best offenses.
And then there’s Garrett Riley, the brother of Lincoln Riley, whose name will always come with Oklahoma interest attached. He has been an offensive coordinator at Clemson, TCU, and SMU.
Clemson was not a smooth stop, but even there the Tigers still posted a top-25 passing offense, which is more than can be said for what OU has gotten lately. At SMU and TCU, when he had full control, his offenses ranked among the best in the country.
Riley is now on Missouri’s staff as quarterbacks coach and has helped fix Austin Simmons’ turnover issue, but another OC opening could pull him away as soon as this offseason.
In Other News...
Oklahoma Heads Into A True Gut Check With Key Spots Under Pressure
Oklahoma heads into Week 8 with the kind of injury uncertainty that can quickly reshape a game plan, especially on offense. The Sooners are getting ready for Mississippi State while trying to navigate a battered front and keep enough stability around key pieces like Jake Maikkula, Noah Best and E'Marion Harris, a group whose availability could matter just as much as production this week.
There are still a few names worth tracking beyond the offensive line, starting with Manny Choice after his strong showing last week and Jonathan Hatton Jr. in the backfield, while Trystan Haynes remains part of the defensive equation. For Oklahoma, the challenge is less about the matchup on paper than whether the roster can hold together long enough to turn recent frustration into a needed response. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma Has A Few Players Who Must Deliver In Starkville
Oklahoma heads to Starkville dealing with some familiar early-season uncertainty up front, and that makes the margin for error a little thinner than usual. With injuries on the offensive line complicating the Sooners preparation, the emphasis shifts quickly from comfort to survival, especially against a Mississippi State defense that will be looking to make the visitors work for everything.
On the other side, the Bulldogs bring their own question mark in the status of starting quarterback Kamario Taylor, which adds another layer to a game already full of moving parts. For Oklahoma, the bigger issue may be whether the right players can steady the offense while the defense does its part against a Mississippi State attack that has its own tendencies to sort through before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
OU Faces A Huge Defensive Question Heading Into Mississippi State
Brent Venables is planning for the kind of week that keeps defensive staffs up late. As Oklahoma gets ready for Mississippi State, the Sooners are preparing as if quarterback Kamario Taylor will be available, even though his recent injuries have left his status in question. Taylor has been central to the Bulldogs' offense and entered the matchup leading the SEC in passing yards and touchdowns, which makes his availability a major issue for an Oklahoma defense trying to sort out its game plan.
Mississippi State coach Jeff Lebby has called Taylor day-to-day, and backup Billy Puckett stepped in to start last week when Taylor was out. For the Sooners, the challenge is less about who gets the first snap and more about being ready for both versions of the offense on short notice. With an SEC matchup looming, Oklahoma has to account for Taylor's explosiveness without losing sight of the possibility that Puckett could again be the one under center. [Read more 🡒]