Oklahoma Faces Gauntlet of Returning SEC Quarterbacks in 2026

Column

Typically when you return a starter at the quarterback position from the year prior, your program is set up for success. The continuity — especially in today's transitive landscape — is a precious commodity.

Oklahoma has their own in John Mateer. While the Sooners will still be led by its defense under Brent Venables, OU may very well go as far as Mateer takes them.

They will need his improvements. Oklahoma's schedule is, again, one of the toughest in the country — but also one of the toughest in school history. On top of the slate of opponents is the fact that OU is far from being alone in boasting a returning quarterback.

Of the 16 SEC teams, seven teams (including the Sooners) are returning quarterbacks from a year ago. Oklahoma is playing all of them.

Ole Miss Rebels, Trinidad Chambliss — Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss scrambles against Oklahoma. | Carson Field / Sooners On SI

These aren't just signal callers who found a comfortable spot to coast in — the Sooners are facing potential Heisman Trophy candidates, future NFL first round picks and dynamic athletes.

Of OU's nine conference opponents, all but Florida, Kentucky and Missouri are enjoying the comfort of having continuity at quarterback heading into 2026. Even the Tigers, who OU will face in the regular season finale, will have Austin Simmons, who's appeared in 17 games and started in two at Ole Miss.

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On top of the difficulty, Oklahoma's marquee non-conference game will match them against returning starter Bryce Underwood.

For all the improvements OU is hoping Mateer makes, the success of the year will come down to how Venables navigates the experienced quarterbacks his defense will face.

There's little hope for alarm. In four seasons as head coach, Venables has faced a number of returning starters among his conference and Power Four opponents. His teams are 8-7 in those games — with 2022's 1-3 record against starters weighing down the overall performance.

In 2023, OU faced four returning quarterbacks and beat three of them, including eventual NFL Draft pick Quinn Ewers. The following year when Oklahoma fell to 6-7, they went .500 against the six returning quarterbacks they faced.

R Mason Thomas, Oklahoma Sooner — Oklahoma Sooners defensive lineman R Mason Thomas (32) hits Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe (4) during a college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Alabama Crimson Tide at Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. Oklahoma won 24-3. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Last year, LaNorris Sellers was the only returning quarterback the Sooners faced. Venables' defense harassed and handled Sellers about as well as could be asked. OU will face Sellers for the third consecutive year when South Carolina comes to Norman on Halloween.

With Trinidad Chambliss, Arch Manning and Marcel Reed on the schedule, many may see that gauntlet as another reason to be pessimistic on Oklahoma's 2026 outlook. But that is why Venables was tasked with building the defense to its current state.

Often times, Venables' is credited with simply overwhelming quarterbacks with hostile attacks from different areas of the field every play. So, it would be easy to assume that if you've seen Venables' schemes before, you'd be better prepared for it.

An 8-7 record against returning quarterbacks won't win many arguments against that thought. Perhaps its too generous to toss out 2022's 1-3 (6-7 overall) record against experienced signal callers — but when an arguably worse team in 2024 went 3-3 against returners, it's easy to see that Venables' defenses have succeeded even against those better prepared for his schemes.

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