Three Oklahoma Players Who Need Strong Showings Against No. 24 Florida

The Sooners open November with a first.

Oklahoma and Florida have met twice in program history, but neither meeting came in the regular season, and neither came on a college campus.

They’ve met in the BCS National Championship Game in Miami and the Cotton Bowl in Arlington, but Saturday will mark OU’s first foray into The Swamp.

Unfortunately, it’s become a trip that few are looking forward to.

Brent Venables made his second in-season coordinator change in the last three years, removing Ben Arbuckle and promoting tight ends coach Jason Witten to lead the offense on an interim basis.

Nothing will improve without better showings from quarterback John Mateer, but here are three other Sooners who need a good night for Oklahoma to upend No. 24 Florida Saturday night.

LB Owen Heinecke

The defense has mostly been above criticism this year, and for good reason, but the performance against South Carolina was poor.

Poor tackling began on the Gamecocks’ first offensive snap of the game, well before the OU offense was unable to move the ball.

Linebacker Owen Heinecke was credited with three of the Sooners’ 25 missed tackles, per Pro Football Focus.

Heinecke and his partner, Kip Lewis, are both much better than they showed against South Carolina.

And they need to get right against Florida.

Running back Jaden Baugh leads the Gators with 801 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on 152 carries. If Heinecke struggles to tackle in The Swamp, quarterback Tramell Jones Jr. won’t have to do much to lead Jon Sumrall’s squad to victory.

TE Rocky Beers

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Oklahoma Sooners, Rocky Beers — Oklahoma tight end Rocky Beers tries to break a tackle against Mississippi State. | Carson Field / Sooners On SI

Rocky Beers has played a big role for OU all year. He’s second on the team with 34 receptions, nine catches behind receiver Isaiah Sategna, and he has 446 yards and four touchdowns already in 2026.

If you thought Beers was targeted before, just wait until his position coach has the sticks.

It would be a shock if Witten doesn’t funnel the football to his position group, whether it be to Beers or Hayden Hansen in his own return to Gainesville.

The last time the Sooners had an interim offensive coordinator, then-tight ends coach Joe Jon Finley stepped in to call plays against Mississippi in 2024. Bauer Sharp led OU in catches that day with eight for 53 yards and a touchdown.

Beers will get the football against the Gators. He needs to hold onto the football and show off his skill set in the open field again to create chunk plays on easy throws from Mateer.

LT Michael Fasusi

Oklahoma Sooners, Michael Fasusi, John Mateer — Oklahoma offensive lineman Michael Fasusi holds a South Carolina defender as John Mateer scrambles. | Carson Field / Sooners On SI

Michael Fasusi’s return to the lineup was seamless against Mississippi State.

His performance against South Carolina was his worst in an OU uniform.

Fasusi looked nothing like himself. He was often penalized and struggled to protect Mateer on the plays he wasn’t flagged for.

Much like the defense, Fasusi can be forgiven for a long day at the office if he’s able to protect the blind side of Mateer, or whoever else drops back to pass for the Sooners.

The Gator defense is tied for 16th in sacks per game and ranks 14th in team tackles for loss per game. If Oklahoma’s offensive line doesn’t bring its best, it won’t matter what plays Witten dials up — the offense won’t move.

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