Can Oklahoma's broken offense be fixed? Brent Venables, John Mateer confident in turnaround after slow start

Dating back to last season against Power Four competition, the Sooners have failed to produce offensively

Sep 14, 2026 at 2:09 pm ET • 3 min read

Oklahoma's offense was supposed to improve this season, taking another step under coordinator Ben Arbuckle with a healthy John Mateer at quarterback.

However, while the sample size is small after two games and an ugly loss at Michigan, the Sooners' offense continues to fall short.

The 17-10 loss in Ann Arbor exposed every lingering concern — inconsistent quarterback play, very little rhythm and no running game to speak, all critical factors in last season's struggles. A year after reaching the College Football Playoff thanks to its defense, Oklahoma again lacks explosion offensively and may have a difficult time staying in the national conversation with games vs. Georgia and Texas to open the SEC slate.

The Sooners, who tumbled 11 spots to No. 21 in the new AP Top 25 poll, had 11 offensive possessions at Michigan last week and only two drives produced points.

"We didn't make the layups, there's lots of layups there an easy access throws that help the offense stay on schedule so you can have good balance in what you're doing," Oklahoma coach Brent Venables said this week on his coach's show. "We can't miss those layups, playing against anybody, let alone good teams on the road. Offensive football is very rhythmic and we didn't take what was there. That's frustrating.

"It's one thing if they've got you covered up and our play designs aren't there and they're just better than you, but that certainly wasn't the case."

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Brandon Marcello

Mateer's progress slowing

Mateer is noticeably struggling to deliver the ball on time and execute Arbuckle's scheme, leaving the Sooners searching for an identity before these issues become season-defining.

Across the program's last 11 games Power Four competition dating back to last season, Arbuckle's first as Oklahoma's OC, the Sooners have scored touchdowns on just 24 of 124 total possessions. That does not include end-of-half situations or kneel downs.

Moreover, 58 of those drives have ended with punts — including numerous three-and-outs — and 14 via turnovers.

Mateer battled through a hand injury last season, part of the reason many of his throws were consistently high and off-target upon his return. That was a negative to his game that showed up in 2025 that he has worked to correct during the offseason, but last week's performance drew cause for concern.

Mateer finished 17-of-33 for 189 yards with a touchdown and interception, a mistake in the fourth quarter that resulted in Michigan's go-ahead touchdown with 7:53 to play. The Sooners got the ball back three times over the final eight minutes of play, mustering 40 yards on 13 plays. 

Near the end of the game, he missed on a deep shot to tight end Rocky Beers in double coverage when Elijah Thomas had come open across the middle of the field.

Mateer never saw the other read.

"I'll make it happen," Mateer said. "I don't have a choice. This team needs me. This university needs me. I have to do it. I believe I will"

Oklahoma's work-in-progress offense

The Sooners had scoring drives of 83 and 90-yards to start the second half against the Wolverines, but those have been a rarity over the last year and change. Oklahoma went 3-for-13 on third down, picked up 289 yards of total offense and only managed 44 yards rushing on 14 carries from its running backs.

"We've got to be much more efficient, stay ahead of the chains," Venables said. "Our personnel, our execution, our fundamentals ... striking blocks, being more violent. Those are all things that we have to be very thoughtful of offensively. Those are things that help you win in all three phases of the game, but on offense in particular, we're very inconsistent in doing those things."

Mateer must play with more confidence as a passer following a 51.5 completion rate last time out, his second-worst showing with the Sooners.

Venables is not giving up on his quarterback.

"He's got to focus on the things that he can control, and we got to focus on the things that we can control and find the ways — use them with the magnifying glass the right way to find out how we can get better," Venables said. "And I know he'll do that, and we'll do that."