Ole Miss coach Pete Golding has had a front-row seat to the way Oklahoma’s offense has shifted since Jason Witten stepped in as interim offensive coordinator, and the biggest difference, in his view, comes down to John Mateer.
Golding, who was Ole Miss’ defensive coordinator when the Rebels beat Oklahoma 34-26 in Norman last season, said the Sooners’ approach looks different now that Witten is calling the shots. He’ll get another look at Brent Venables’ team when the Rebels visit Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium for a 3:15 p.m. kickoff Saturday.
“The difference in Oklahoma’s offense under Witten vs. what it looked like under Ben Arbuckle centers on John Mateer, Golding said.
“I think some of the post-snap RPO game has been eliminated a little bit,” Golding said during his Monday press conference. “Some of that decision-making process for the quarterback.
They still have RPOs. I think a lot of them are, you know, pre-snap box generated based on numbers and free access and things like that.
I think a lot of the run schemes are similar or the same.”
That change showed up in Mateer’s performance against Florida, when he looked far more settled in the passing game and added a bigger threat on the ground. He completed 21 of 33 passes for 207 yards and two touchdowns without an interception, while also running for a season-high 54 yards.
Golding also pointed to a stronger emphasis on getting Mateer involved as a runner.
“I think they’re trying to get the quarterback’s legs going a little more than before,” Golding said.
Oklahoma has used quarterback-designed runs before, but Golding said it felt more central in the Florida game. That lines up with Mateer’s season to this point: before last week’s win, he had only 147 rushing yards and no rushing touchdowns. His running production had been far more visible earlier in his career, including last season when he ran for more than 50 yards four times and scored eight rushing touchdowns.
Golding said the added quarterback run element makes the Sooners harder to defend.
“Being a little more specific in the run game based on formation, a little more alternative with a shift and a motion, which has kind of been the theme against us anyway,” Golding said.
Mateer’s decision-making has also changed in another notable way. He has thrown an interception in three straight games, the first time that has happened since he arrived at Oklahoma. Through the Sooners’ first six games, he had already thrown seven interceptions.
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Oklahoma Just Sent A Blunt Message About Brent Venables Future
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Rick Nagel, the chair of the Oklahoma Board of Regents, added to that picture by publicly saying Venables is not on the hot seat despite the disappointing season. For a program with championship standards and a fan base that does not like to wait, that kind of backing matters, because it suggests Oklahoma is not looking to make a snap judgment about its coach even as the pressure around the program continues to build. [Read more 🡒]