What’s at Stake as Whitt Newbauer, Bowe Bentley Battle for Oklahoma’s Backup QB Job?

With fall camp just a few days away, there won’t be any drama surrounding OU’s starting quarterback job.

In spite of the ups and downs of his first season in Norman, John Mateer will be the Sooners’ No. 1 guy behind center in 2026.

Mateer, a redshirt junior, threw for 2,885 yards, 14 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 2025. Though his production significantly dipped after he suffered an injury to his right thumb, Mateer still performed well enough to lead his team to a 10-3 record and a trip to the College Football Playoff.

Mateer’s job isn’t in question. But the battle for the No. 2 spot behind him sets up to be intriguing.

OU retained Whitt Newbauer — who will be a redshirt sophomore — during the offseason and signed blue-chip quarterback Bowe Bentley as part of its 2026 recruiting class.

Here’s what each of them would gain from winning the backup quarterback battle:

Whitt Newbauer

Newbauer transferred to OU from Mercer ahead of the 2025 season.

He played a significant role for the Bears in 2024, starting seven games behind center. Newbauer appeared three times for the Sooners in 2025 and completed two passes in Oklahoma’s 44-0 win over Kent State.

Newbauer played efficiently in Oklahoma’s 2026 spring game on April 18. He completed seven of his nine pass attempts for 69 yards and also rushed for six yards. He avoided major mistakes while playing against the “Red” team, which consisted of most of the Sooners’ first-team defensive players.

Of the four quarterbacks on OU’s roster (redshirt freshman Jett Niu is the other), Newbauer has the most impressive frame. He stands 6-6 and weighs 237 pounds.

During spring ball, OU coach Brent Venables said that Newbauer was taking second-team reps. He described Newbauer’s spring-game performance as “great” and believes that the young quarterback has potential to be a standout on the Sooners’ offense.

“He’s done a nice job,” Venables said in March. “Learned our offense a year ago in a backup role and has progressed.”

Newbauer’s transfer to OU went under the radar, as the Sooners signed Mateer in the same transfer class.

The 2026 season — barring any unforeseen NCAA legislation that grants him an extra year — will be Mateer’s last at the collegiate level.

If Newbauer can be the second-string quarterback in 2026, it could signal that the Sooners have plans for him to possibly start in the future.

OU’s early-season games against UTEP and New Mexico should be lopsided, and if they are, the Sooners will almost certainly rest Mateer to preserve his health and lean on their backups. This would be a prime opportunity for Newbauer to prove that he belongs.

Bowe Bentley

Bentley was one of OU’s top-ranked signees from the Class of 2026.

A consensus 4-star recruit, Bentley was ranked as the No. 109 overall prospect and the No. 8 quarterback from the class. He led Celina (TX) High School to a state championship in 2024 and took his team to the state semifinals again as a senior in 2025.

There’s no doubt that OU signed Bentley with hopes that he’ll one day be a star — but it could take time for him to reach his potential.

The 6-1, 208-pound signal caller struggled mightily during the Sooners’ spring game, as he completed just five of his 13 pass attempts for 35 yards and two interceptions. Granted, these struggles came against OU’s first-team defense, but it showed that there is plenty of room for the young quarterback to grow before he becomes a starter.

After the spring game, Mateer reflected on Bentley’s performance and detailed how it could actually benefit him further down the line.

“You're going against the one defense the whole time, it's not easy,” Mateer said. “I think that's the first thing. In the long run, it's good that it happened.”

If Bentley wins the job as the second-string quarterback, it could mean that the Sooners see him as someone who could start in 2027.

Regardless of whether he’s second or third on the depth chart, Bentley will almost certainly get the chance to play in the UTEP and New Mexico games. Those contests will be an opportunity for him to showcase how he’s developed in the months since the spring game.

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