Oklahoma’s slide out of the AP Top 25 only sharpened the pressure on Ben Arbuckle, because this isn’t just about a ranking next to the Sooners’ name. It’s about an offense that has looked stuck in place while the season has already started to tilt the wrong way.
The Sooners beat New Mexico in Week 3, but it came with plenty of baggage. Even in victory, the offense and Arbuckle drew heavy criticism, and the AP Poll dropped Oklahoma after the performance. That’s a brutal turn for a team that opened the year at No. 10 and had its eyes on a return to the College Football Playoff.
Through three games, Oklahoma is 2-1 and has managed just 24 points combined against Michigan and New Mexico. That is nowhere near good enough for a program with this kind of expectation, and while the blame ultimately sits with Brent Venables, the offensive coordinator is the one under the brightest spotlight.
The problem has been obvious: the offense has been painfully vanilla, and the ground game has offered almost nothing. Arbuckle has put too much on John Mateer, who, as the source puts it, “quite frankly isn't that good of a passer.” That leaves Oklahoma leaning on a passing game that hasn’t carried its weight and a run game that has gone missing.
Against New Mexico, Lloyd Avant led the Sooners with 27 yards on eight carries. Mateer added 17 yards on 10 runs, and Xavier Robinson was next with nine yards on two carries. That kind of production is not going to get it done, especially against a Mountain West opponent Oklahoma was expected to handle.
Venables made it clear after the close win that the offense left him unimpressed. That matters, because the head coach’s patience only goes so far, and the defense has been the side keeping Oklahoma afloat. The issue now is that defensive toughness alone won’t be enough once SEC play fully settles in.
Arbuckle was asked recently whether he felt like he was coaching for his job, and he said he wasn’t. But after the Sooners’ drop out of the Top 25 and with No. 2 Georgia next on the schedule, the pressure has only intensified.
If the last two weeks are any sign, Georgia could have its way with Oklahoma unless Arbuckle changes course and makes better use of the running backs already on the roster. With Kevin Wilson already on staff, the idea of a replacement is not exactly complicated. The decision still belongs to Venables, but with the Sooners now unranked, that call looks a whole lot easier to make.
In Other News...
Brent Venables Just Turned Oklahoma's Offense Into A Bigger Problem
Oklahomas win over New Mexico did little to quiet the noise around the Sooners offense, and Brent Venables made sure of that afterward. The head coach was blunt in his assessment of offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle, saying the unit has to improve significantly after a sluggish showing that left plenty of frustration behind even in victory.
The tension has been building beyond the sideline, too, with fans chanting for Arbuckles firing during the game as the offense struggled to find a rhythm. Venables stopped short of offering any real backing for his coordinators current work, which only sharpened the focus on what Oklahoma expects to change next and how quickly it has to happen. [Read more 🡒]
John Mateer Didn't Hide Oklahoma's Biggest Offensive Concern
John Mateer didnt try to dodge the rough edges after Oklahomas win over New Mexico. The quarterback owned both interceptions, said his mistakes affected the teams performance and pointed back to the previous trip to Michigan as part of the emotional reset he had to make before moving forward. His faith, he said, helped him clear his head and get back to work, which fit the tone of a player who knows the standard in Norman leaves little room for self-protection.
Mateer also put his finger on a broader issue the Sooners still need to clean up: the running game. He said Oklahoma has to be better there and admitted he missed some run checks, a detail that matters because the offense cannot afford wasted chances if it wants to keep growing. For a team trying to stack cleaner performances, the candid part is easy enough to appreciate - the harder part is turning that self-scouting into a more consistent Saturday product. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma's Win Over New Mexico Raised A Bigger Concern Before Georgia
Oklahoma got the result it needed against New Mexico, but the performance did little to calm nerves around the Sooners. A 14-6 win sounds tidy enough on paper, yet the way it unfolded told a different story, with John Mateer throwing two touchdown passes and two interceptions while the offense struggled to sustain drives.
David Stones late stop helped keep New Mexico from turning the afternoon into something worse, but the bigger issue is what the Sooners showed on offense heading into Georgia. Even a missed field goal attempt late in the game drew boos from the crowd, a clear sign that the margin for error is shrinking fast as Oklahoma tries to sort out its rhythm. [Read more 🡒]