Why Oklahoma HC Brent Venables Believes Sooners Built Offensive ‘Foundation’ in 2025

NORMAN — Oklahoma made it back to the College Football Playoff in 2025, but consistent offense wasn’t the reason why.

The Sooners finished 12th in the SEC in both scoring offense (26.2 points per game) and total offense (354.3 yards per game). OU exceeded 30 points in only one of its eight conference games.

In the unit’s defense, it went through significant changes prior to the 2025 season. OU hired Ben Arbuckle as its offensive coordinator while also adding quarterback John Mateer, four wide receivers and three tight ends from the transfer portal.

The offensive product wasn’t always pretty last year — at times, it was downright bad.

But OU coach Brent Venables believes that some of the growing pains from 2025 will allow the Sooners to be much more efficient while moving the ball down the field in 2026.

“There was a transition that had to take place to some degree,” Venables said. “It's good to build on that foundation from a year ago and focus on the areas where we have to improve and get better.”

In the passing game, Mateer had a wide range of ups and downs during his first season at OU.

He led the Sooners to a 4-0 start, completing 67.4 percent of his passes for 1,215 yards and recording 11 total touchdowns during that span. But after Mateer suffered a hand surgery and underwent surgery in late September, he was far less efficient, completing only 59.4 percent of his passes for 1,670 yards, eight touchdowns and eight interceptions over Oklahoma’s last eight contests.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook and X for the latest news.

OU’s run game also never got going.

The Sooners placed 13th in the SEC in rushing offense, averaging 118.5 yards per game. Running backs Tory Blaylock and Xavier Robinson certainly showed flashes of brilliance, but both of them dealt with injuries in the back half of the season.

Now a few weeks into spring ball, Venables believes the Sooners are on a path to become more productive in both of those areas.

“I think that we've been able to really lock in from a scheme standpoint in areas where we weren't as strong as we needed to and get better,” Venables said. “Just overall how to play all the positions on offense fundamentally within the schemes and how to get better.”

Oklahoma added several pieces to the offense after the 2025 season ended to ensure that the unit improves. The Sooners grabbed three wideouts — Trell Harris, Parker Livingstone and Mackenzie Alleyne — from the transfer portal. They also signed tight ends Rocky Beers, Hayden Hansen and Jack Van Dorselaer and offensive linemen Caleb Nitta, E’Marion Harris and Peyton Joseph, and all six of those players are expected to help OU improve in both the passing and the run game.

But much of OU’s offensive core is the same.

Arbuckle and Mateer are both heading into their second season. Isaiah Sategna is, as well, after he logged 965 yards and eight touchdowns during his first campaign in Norman.

Between the returners and the new faces, Venables believes that the offensive personnel — players and coaches — have steadily grown throughout the offseason, which will help the unit improve in 2026.

“I don't think this year is any different for any of the coaches when you go back and look at yourself and evaluate what's the next step,” Venables said. “I think every position group on the team is looking at that way.”