Ben Arbuckle is Still Evolving, Which is Great News for Oklahoma

NORMAN — Every part of Oklahoma’s offense is looking to evolve in 2026, and that includes offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle.

Arbuckle is entering his fifth season as a collegiate play caller. He spent his first year in Norman teaching his system, but this offseason, he’s leaned on the offensive minds around him on the OU coaching staff.

“From last year to this year, one of the biggest things I feel like I have more confidence in is finding the absolute best way to do something and lean on the guys around me,” Arbuckle said on Tuesday.

Arbuckle’s high-flying offensive system turned into more of a ball control operation down the stretch in 2025.

John Mateer’s hand injury limited what Arbuckle asked from his quarterback, and the Sooners struggled to run the ball consistently with a young offensive line.

As Arbuckle’s unit worked to take a step forward throughout the spring and the summer, he sought out answers from all of his colleagues, including OU’s new assistants in tight ends coach Jason Witten and running backs coach Deland McCullough.

“Coming into Year 1, you’re really trying to build trust and confidence with not only the players but everybody in the building and everybody in your offensive staff room,” Arbuckle said. “ I think with the guys that we have – the unreal humans, unbelievable ball coaches — (there’s) more great discussion, great collaboration.”

OU coach Brent Venables, who led elite units himself once upon a time as a young defensive coordinator, believes that’s a natural progression in Arbuckle’s career.

“You don't know what you don't know until you go through it,” Venables said. “… You feel like you have to carry this heavy weight of, 'I'm supposed to know everything, because I have that title.' But in reality, how would you ever know everything? You have no capacity at that time from an experience standpoint to certainly know everything.

“But he's been great. He's very hungry, super bright, really smart. Incredibly hard worker and just high standards for himself. But I've really tried to give him some guidance along the way to try to take some of that weight off. That, man, when you have people around you that have been good at what they do, it's a very healthy thing.”

Arbuckle has familiar pieces to grow with as well.

The Sooners not only returned Mateer, but last year’s leading receiver, Isaiah Sategna, is back as well as running backs Xavier Robinson and Tory Blaylock and key offensive linemen Michael Fasusi, Eddy Pierre-Louis, Jake Maikkula and Ryan Fodje.

“We were able to keep so many guys so you just feel better about the guys that you have, the players that you have,” Arbuckle said. “Feel better about what they can do, maybe know what they can't do that you've got to go out and develop, but you just feel so much better about that over the whole realm of the offense and kind of the ecosystem that you live in.”

As fall camp gets underway on Wednesday, everyone’s sights are on continually improving between now and when the Sooners kick off against UTEP on Sept. 4.

But the progress through the spring and summer has been positive, as OU looks to get back to the College Football Playoff to improve on last year’s first-round exit.

“I got great faith and confidence in where we're at offensively right now,” Venables said. “… All of them on offense — players and coaches alike — have locked arms and put their heads down and (put in) a tremendous amount of work over the last several months.”

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