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3 hours ago, Sawbonz said:

What happened to the track guy WR who transferred from Texas?

 

3 hours ago, SydneyCarton said:

Brennan Thompson sucks. And his mom is a cunt

He’s now at Mississippi State where he is yet again about to have a big year. 

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Posted

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Intriguing New Coordinators: 29-year-old Ben Arbuckle has the weight of Oklahoma on his shoulders

By Zach Barnett          Jul 30, 2025 • 12:48 pm

They say history doesn't repeat, it rhymes. In Norman, Okla., it rhymes with a Panhandle twang.

In 2015, Bob Stoops was coming off his worst season as Oklahoma's head coach. The Sooners, who'd won five Big 12 titles in the previous eight seasons, tied for fourth in the conference and were hammered by Clemson in the Russell Athletic Bowl. Needing a reboot, Stoops fired a member of the 2000 national title team, Josh Heupel, and brought in 31-year-old Lincoln Riley, a Muleshoe, Texas, native, to reinvigorate the offense. Riley's offense was a perfect fit for Baker Mayfield, a fellow Texan who was overlooked in the recruiting process due to his 6-foot-flat-on-a-good-day stature, but who played like he was 6-foot-5. Together, they reinvigorated not only the Sooner offense but the entire program; OU ripped off six consecutive Big 12 titles and made the College Football Playoff four in the next five years.

A decade later, Brent Venables is now coming off his worst season as Oklahoma's head coach. The Sooners, who have not won their conference in four years, tied for 13th in their maiden voyage in the SEC and lost to Navy in the Armed Forces Bowl. Needing a reboot, Venables fired a member of the 2000 national title team, Seth Littrell, and brought in 30-year-old Ben Arbuckle, a Canadian, Texas, native, to reinvigorate the offense. Arbuckle's offense is a perfect fit for John Mateer, a fellow Texan who was overlooked in the recruiting process due to his 6-foot-flat-on-a-good-day stature, but who plays like he is 6-foot-5. 

We've now arrived at the point where Venables, Arbuckle and Mateer stop striding step for step in Stoops, Riley and Mayfield's Nike tracks and break off to their own path. The SEC of 2025 is not the Big 12 of 2015. No one expects OU to rip off six consecutive championships in the It Just Means More Conference. 

But though the path is steeper and the bar lower, the consequences of not achieving the objective are going to be far greater for Venables, and in turn for his new offensive coordinator.

Venables is 22-17 in three seasons, and 12-14 in conference play. OU has finished under .500 twice in three years for the first time since the late 1990s, which was so long ago it might as well be the 1890s. Meanwhile, Oklahoma has hired Randall Stephenson to oversee the football program and Jim Nagy to oversee the roster. AD Joe Castiglione is retiring, and Stephenson is running the search for his replacement. In short, there's a new sheriff in town, and another sub-.500 season will see Venables and his staff out of jobs. 

The good news is, Arbuckle doesn't have to be a miracle worker to keep everyone employed. The 2024 Sooner offense was a special kind of dysfunctional: historic injuries at the wide receiver position, constant shuffling on the O-line, the wrong quarterback for the scheme, the wrong scheme for the quarterback, and just a whole lot of wrong place, wrong time. Average, replacement-level improvement is probably enough. What does that look like? 

Let's start here: in 2024, Oklahoma finished 124th nationally in yards per play (4.81), 97th in scoring (24.0 ppg), and its starting quarterback Jackson Arnold ranked 95th in quarterback rating (124.78). Meanwhile, at Washington State, Arbuckle's offense recorded 6.62 yards per play (10th nationally) and 36.6 points a game (sixth), and Mateer's 164.09 rating places him behind only Duke's Darian Mensah for the highest-rated returning quarterback in college football. 

If 2025 OU simply splits the difference between 2024 OU and 2024 Wazzu, we're talking about an offense that averages around 5.6 yards per play and 30 points a game. Combine that with a defense that should comfortably rank within the top 15 nationally, you're easily within the 8-win threshold that Venables needs to return in 2026. 

But what if Arbuckle's new offense is better than average? Mateer put up 3,965 total yards and 44 touchdowns in 12 games last season. Transfer running back Jaydn Ott ran for 1,315 yards and 12 touchdowns at Cal in 2023, his last healthy season. At receiver... it almost doesn't even matter. Oklahoma played chunks of last season with its top five wideouts unable to dress; that simply isn't happening again. Average would be an upgrade. At media day on Wednesday, Arbuckle praised a different position group. “The offensive line watched more film this summer than probably any other position group. I’m excited about that group heading into fall camp.”

If the new ingredients in crimson and cream mix decently well, Oklahoma will be a top 25 team at minimum. If they mix perfectly? It really might be 2015 all over again. 

Posted
47 minutes ago, LTtxfan said:

 

 

If 2025 OU simply splits the difference between 2024 OU and 2024 Wazzu, we're talking about an offense that averages around 5.6 yards per play and 30 points a game. Combine that with a defense that should comfortably rank within the top 15 nationally, you're easily within the 8-win threshold that Venables needs to return in 2026. 

But what if Arbuckle's new offense is better than average? Mateer put up 3,965 total yards and 44 touchdowns in 12 games last season. Transfer running back Jaydn Ott ran for 1,315 yards and 12 touchdowns at Cal in 2023, his last healthy season. At receiver... it almost doesn't even matter. Oklahoma played chunks of last season with its top five wideouts unable to dress; that simply isn't happening again. Average would be an upgrade. At media day on Wednesday, Arbuckle praised a different position group. “The offensive line watched more film this summer than probably any other position group. I’m excited about that group heading into fall camp.”

If the new ingredients in crimson and cream mix decently well, Oklahoma will be a top 25 team at minimum. If they mix perfectly? It really might be 2015 all over again. 

This guy could very well be right that Arbuckle is the second coming of Lincoln Riley, but the article really hand waves away the talent advantage of that 2015 team and who exactly they lined up against versus who Oklahoma lines up against this year.

For receivers, 2015 OU had Sterling Sheppard, Dede Westbrook and Mark Andrew’s catching passes from Baker Mayfield. I can’t even name an Oklahoma pass catcher beyond Deion Burks. Does that mean none of the others won’t step up and become all-SEC performers? No. Is that likely? Probably not.

But surely, Jaydn Ott—the top* transfer portal RB—will help make up the difference? Well that 2015 OU team had Semaje Perine and Joe Mixon splitting carriers…

As painful as it is to chant “SEC SEC SEC”, Oklahoma has an absolutely brutal schedule this year that you can’t compare to what 2015 Oklahoma faced. Starting next month, Oklahoma has to face Michigan, Auburn, Texas, Alabama, South Carolina, and LSU; all of these teams project to have top-30 defenses. 2015 Oklahoma did actually have to face some successful teams: #6 Baylor, #11 Oklahoma St, #18 TCU, and #23 Tenn. And the fact that they beat all of those teams makes Riley’s and Baker’s performances that much more impressive. But none of those teams likely have the defensive talent of their 2025 schedule.

 

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Posted

Day 4 practice notes spoilered below.

Highlights:

-Quelle surprise! Deion Burks has found his way off of the field via undisclosed injury. 

-Injuries are piling up across the board for the okies already. They're being quiet about whatever the injury is to the starting RT, Simmons. He wasn't even at practice today. 

-A starting CB is in a boot, the potential starting NB/Cheetah is having problems with his previously broken lower leg, 4 WRs are on the sideliness, a key DT rotation guy, 3 TBs and 2 TEs. Seems fine. 

-Kanak apparently ran the wrong route call during a drill, which made me laugh. 

-Jay Valai coaching for them also made me laugh. 

 

Spoiler

Observations from Day 4 of Oklahoma fall camp: 1-on-1 standouts and injury notes at receiver, O-line

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  • Tom Green avatar
     Tom GreenStaff
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    NORMAN — Oklahoma took things from the practice fields on the south side of Oklahoma Memorial Stadium to the rugby fields adjacent to the Lloyd Noble Center to kick off the second week of the preseason.

    After three consecutive days of practice, followed by the team's first off day of fall camp, the Sooners were back at it for Day 4 of preseason practices Monday morning in Norman. For the second time this preseason, local media were afforded a viewing window at the start of practice to catch a glimpse of Team 131, now with less than four weeks to go until the season opener against Illinois State on Aug. 30.

    While we were given a 70-minute viewing period during Friday's practice, Monday's window wasn't as extensive. Reporters were allowed to watch about 40 minutes of the Sooners' fourth preseason practice, which included team stretch, individual periods, special teams work and a brief period of one-on-one in the red zone.

    Below is a comprehensive rundown of everything Sooners Illustrated observed during Monday's viewing window, including some injury notes, personnel groupings and individual players who caught our attention on the rugby  fields.

     

     

    -- Let's start on the injury front and get this out of the way. Wide receiver Deion Burks was not in pads and was being held out of practice Monday morning, as was cornerback/Cheetah Kendel Dolby. Right tackle Derek Simmons was not present at practice and is believed to be dealing with an injury he sustained over the weekend. Cornerback Eli Bowen remained in a walking boot and not participating in practice.

    -- Along with those three notable injuries, it was many of the same players being held back and going through rehab with the training staff: defensive tackle Gracen Halton, wide receivers Jayden Gibson and Javonnie Gibson, running backs Taylor Tatum and Xavier Robinson, wide receivers KJ Daniels and Eli Merck. Offensive lineman Darius Afalava, running back Andy Bass, tight end Kade McIntyre, tight end Trynae Washington were also working with the trainers.

    -- Jovantae Barnes got to lead the team with the breakdown at the end of stretch today. Barnes, who teammates have been calling "Deuce," has been a veteran presence in the running back room and the offense as a whole.

    -- After stretch, the team convened in one corner of the field for a period of one-on-one work in the red zone. Receivers went against corners. Tight ends and running backs went one-on-one with safeties and linebackers. Here's how every rep we saw went down:

    -- Peyton Bowen had a pass breakup in the end zone on a ball intended for Isaiah Sategna, who couldn't quite reel in the pass in the back corner.

    -- Keontez Lewis made a nice grab over Jacobe Johnson but was ruled just out of bounds.

    -- Jacob Jordan had a reception on an out route against Courtland Guillory. He was short of the end zone on the rep but made the play.

    -- Jeremiah Newcombe had a pass breakup on a pass intended for Jer'Michael Carter.

    -- Jaydn Ott couldn't reel in a pass in a rep against Kip Lewis.

    -- Jaren Kanak either ran the wrong route or the quarterback misfired on a rep against Kendal Daniels.

    -- Robert Spears-Jennings had one of the most dominant reps of the period, bullying tight end Will Huggins from the jump. Huggins was unable to get open for a pass on the play.

    -- Carson Kent caught a ball on a slant against Michael Boganowski.

    -- Another solid rep came from Kaden Helms, who shook Omarion Robinson to create some space for a touchdown to the inside of the field.

    -- A pass intended for Zion Kearney in a rep against Sammy Omosigho was incomplete.

    -- Freshman Elijah Thomas had a nifty toe-tap touchdown in the back of the end zone against fellow freshman Maliek Hawkins.

    -- Keontez Lewis closed out the period with a contested catch on the sideline, short of the end zone, against Courtland Guillory. Lewis then jawed at safeties coach Brandon Hall, while both the offense and defense celebrated the competitive rep.

    -- The one-on-one period was followed by some special teams work, which began with a couple of fake PAT attempts. On the first rep, Tate Sandell lined up for the PAT while Jacob Ulrich worked as the holder. Ulrich then rolled out to his right and threw it to Kaden Helms for the 2-point conversion in the corner of the end zone. On the second rep, with Austin Welch at kicker, Grayson Miller (working as the holder) overthrew Jaren Kanak on the same play design.

    -- Tate Sandell connected on field goals of 30 and 44 yards during the special teams period. Austin Welch was just wide left on a 50-yard attempt before connecting on a 36-yarder at the end of the period.

    -- During sled drills, the first-team offensive line featured Jacob Sexton at left tackle, Eddy Pierre-Louis at left guard and Troy Everett at center. Febechi Nwaiwu, who was absent from Friday's practice, was back in the mix and repping with the first-team line at right guard. Jake Taylor got the first reps at right tackle with Derek Simmons out Monday. Heath Ozaeta worked behind Pierre-Louis at left guard. Jake Maikkula was the second-team center. Luke Baklenko was working at right tackle, with Ryan Fodje at right guard. Michael Fasusi was with the second unit at left tackle. The group also appeared to do some mixing and matching as they went up and down the field with the sled reps.

    -- A fun moment during indy work: Eminem's "Lose Yourself" was playing over the speakers at practice, and offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle could clearly be heard rapping along to the opening verse.

    -- With Gracen Halton still nursing an injury, the rotations along the defensive line featured a first-team pairing of Damonic Williams and Jayden Jackson. Nigel Smith II backed up Williams, while David Stone worked behind Jackson.

    -- The pairings at defensive end during indy work had R Mason Thomas and Adepoju Adebawore working with the first rotation, while Marvin Jones Jr. and Taylor Wein were second up. Danny Okoye and freshman C.J. Nickson rounded out the rotation.

    -- With Kendel Dolby and Eli Bowen both sidelined, the cornerback rotations with Jay Valai's group during indy work had Gentry Williams and Jacobe Johnson up first, followed by Courtland Guillory and Devon Jordan, then Maliek Hawkins and Jeremiah Newcombe, then Trystan Haynes rounding out the group.

    -- Kendal Daniels worked with the linebackers during individual periods before splitting off to spend time with the safeties.

    -- The rotation with the safeties featured Robert Spears-Jennings and Peyton Bowen up first, with Omarion Robinson, Michael Boganowski, Jaydan Hardy and Reggie Powers III rotating behind them.

    -- There was some mixing and matching at linebacker, with Kip Lewis paired with James Nesta for some coverage reps. Kendal Daniels and Kobie McKinzie paired up, followed by Taylor Heim and Sammy Omosigho, then Nesta and freshman Marcus James (who, it should be noted, is a large man up close and listed at 6-foot-4 and 235 pounds).

    -- The running backs worked on some footwork and contact drills toward the end of the viewing period, with Jaydn Ott up first, followed by Jovantae Barnes, then freshman Tory Blaylock and Gabe Sawchuk. DeMarco Murray joked with the group at one point that "you got to overcome coaching sometimes."

    -- Barnes had a good recovery during one of the reps after getting tripped up through some contact made by Murray.

    -- Blaylock stumbled with his footwork over the obstacles at the start of a rep, with Murray telling him he needed to get lower to the ground.

    -- Not a surprise, but once again, Ott moves so smoothly when he's running with the ball. Great footwork and agility from the Sooners' newest running back.

 

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