Oklahoma has moved on from offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle after another rough outing for a unit that has struggled to find its footing.
The firing comes on the heels of OU’s 42-25 loss to South Carolina, a game in which the Sooners mustered fewer than 80 total yards in the first half. Oklahoma is now 4-4 overall and 2-3 in SEC play.
The numbers have been ugly for a while. In 2026, the Sooners sit No. 100 or worse nationally in several offensive categories, including points per play and rushing yards per game. Even a trip to the 2025 College Football Playoff didn’t mask the issues for long; last season, OU still finished No. 94 in the country in yards per game.
That’s a steep drop from what Oklahoma used to be under Lincoln Riley. During his tenure, the Sooners were regularly inside the top 12 nationally in points per game, including offenses that ranked No. 3 in 2017 and No. 1 in 2018.
Arbuckle arrived in Norman in December 2024 after directing Washington State’s offense. Before he got to Pullman, the Cougars had been worse than No. 40 nationally on offense, and Arbuckle helped push them into the top 10 in points per game.
After Saturday’s game, Arbuckle was asked about his job security and spoke with appreciation for the program and its supporters.
“I believe in what this place is. I believe in these players,” Arbuckle said.
“I love these players. I love this university.
I love the standards and expectations that this place has. I love that they want a really good product.
I want a really good product, and I want to strive relentlessly to deliver that.”
OU will now be looking for its fifth offensive coordinator in Brent Venables’ five seasons as head coach.
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