Rocky Beers has become one of the few reliable sparks for an Oklahoma offense still searching for its footing.
Through three games, the production has been uneven at best. The Sooners haven’t been able to run the ball with any consistency, and the passing game has had its own stretches of frustration. What has shown up, though, is the occasional big play, and Beers has been right in the middle of it with 10 catches for 171 yards and a touchdown.
That boom-or-bust profile has left the offense without a clear identity, even after an offseason spent talking about a stronger ground game to help John Mateer. Beers said Monday that Oklahoma still hasn’t put together the kind of complete performance it expected from itself.
"I think we have yet to see us play four quarters of OU football, both offense, defense and special teams. So I don't think we've really realized what we can play up to yet," he said on Monday.
The defense, which ranks No. 2 in ESPN’s SP+ metric, has largely held up to standard. The offense, sitting at No. 48 in SP+, has not. And while the numbers tell one story, the injuries up front tell another.
Oklahoma has been without Michael Fasusi since the season opener, and that absence has forced shuffling along the offensive line. Ryan Fodje moved over to left tackle against Michigan after returning from his own injury, while Jake Maikkula also came back from injury at the same time. The result has been an offensive front that has spent the early part of the season dealing with missed time, rust and players working in spots that are not their natural fit.
That kind of instability has affected everything behind it.
"It's going to take all of us just simply doing our jobs," Beers said. "Us just getting out of our own way and everybody executing their job and no more or no less."
Mateer has taken plenty of heat over the past two weeks, but Beers made it clear the burden was never supposed to land on the quarterback alone. If Oklahoma is going to straighten things out, the fix has to start with the line and, potentially, with Fasusi’s return.
A healthy Fasusi could send Fodje back to right guard, where he is more comfortable, and that would give the line a better chance to settle in. From there, the run game could get some traction, and that would ease the pressure on Mateer.
The timing, though, is rough. Oklahoma is about to face the No. 2 and No. 1-ranked teams over the next three weeks. Even so, Beers said the formula doesn’t change: do the job, create space and make life easier on the quarterback.
"Our job is to get as much separation as we can and just make our presence known and just be easily available for (Mateer)," he said. "Whenever he can throw us the ball we'll be there and try to do our jobs for him. Make it easy on him."
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 🡒]