Why Oklahoma Transfer WR Isaiah Sategna Believes He Will Fit into Sooner Offense

Isaiah Sategna joins the Sooners after playing three seasons at Arkansas as a wideout and return man.

Oklahoma wide receiver Isaiah Sategna | DOUG HOKE/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

NORMAN — When Isaiah Sategna entered the transfer portal, he was looking for a high-flying offense.

Sategna — a transfer wideout from Arkansas — hasn’t yet played a snap for the Sooners, but he believes he will get that at Oklahoma based on what he has seen throughout the offseason.

“Every day we put in a new play, and it works,” Sategna said. “We bring it to the field and then we’ll execute it the right way, and you’ll see the results.”

OU reloaded its offense in the offseason, hiring offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle from Washington State. 

The Sooners also landed quarterback John Mateer (Washington State), running back Jaydn Ott (Cal) and five wide receivers — Javonnie Gibson (Arkansas-Pine Bluff), Keontez Lewis (Southern Illinois), Josiah Martin (Cal) and Jer’Michael Carter (McNeese State) from the portal.

Sategna played three seasons at Arkansas, producing for the Razorbacks in multiple ways.

As a redshirt freshman in 2023, Sategna logged 129 receiving yards and two touchdowns and was stellar in the return game, compiling 180 punt return yards, 500 kick return yards and a punt return touchdown. His role in the return game diminished in 2024, but Sategna had his best season as a wideout, finishing with 491 receiving yards and a touchdown.

As Sategna considered various programs in the transfer portal, Mateer caught his eye. The wideout saw Mateer as someone who could lead an explosive offense at a major program like Oklahoma.

And since Sategna arrived in Norman, that belief hasn’t changed.

“He’s the best quarterback in the country, so every day he just reminds me I got to up my game,” Sategna said. “He’s one of those people that makes everyone around him better. He’s a great guy.” 

Oklahoma is in desperate need of wide receiver production.

Last year, tight end Bauer Sharp — who transferred to LSU in December — led OU with 324 receiving yards. Oklahoma finished No. 121 out of 134 FBS teams in passing offense, averaging 175.8 yards per game.

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Not only can Mateer help with that, so can Arbuckle.

Washington State finished 12th nationally in scoring offense (36.8 points per game) under Arbuckle in 2024. Before his two year stint in Pullman, Arbuckle was the co-offensive coordinator at Western Kentucky in 2022 as Hilltoppers quarterback Bailey Zappe broke the FBS single-season records for passing yards (5,967) and passing touchdowns (62).

“I’ve been in a lot of offenses since I’ve been in college, but this one… you can go back and look,” Sategna said. “Look at Western Kentucky; that’ll tell you just all you need to know.”

While Sategna is confident that the offense will thrive in 2025, Mateer and OU coach Brent Venables believe the wideout’s consistency throughout the offseason has allowed the unit to improve.

“He’s super reliable,” Mateer said. “He’s always going to be in the right spot. He works super hard, doesn’t complain, and he’s just a guy I like to be around, everybody likes to be around.”

Venables said, "Every day he's all out in everything that he does. Special teams, offense, every drill, he's at the same speed, the same focus, the same intensity, the same passion. He plays big, plays tough and just doesn't say a whole lot, but he knows how to compete at a really high level, make plays.”

Sategna is just over three weeks until his OU debut when the Sooners host Illinois State on Saturday, Aug. 30.

Though he has already proven to be a quality receiver in the SEC, Sategna believes that he’ll take a step forward in 2025, thanks to a diligent offseason and the personnel around him.

“I want to get out of my comfort zone and be my best version of myself come gametime,” Sategna said. “Whenever we’re on the bus ride to practice, I just think I got to be consistent, got to be there for John, because he’s the best quarterback in the nation.”