Oklahoma expected to fire Ben Arbuckle: Sooners to part with OC as offense continues to sputter in 2026 season

The Sooners are moving on from their second-year offensive coordinator after an embarrassing loss to South Carolina left Oklahoma at No. 15 in the SEC in total offense

Nov 2, 2026 at 12:38 pm ET • 1 min read

Oklahoma is expected to fire offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle in his second season, sources confirmed to CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz. The Sooners suffered a brutal 42-25 loss to South Carolina on Saturday at home, where Oklahoma was held to three first-half points on offense. 

Arbuckle, 31, was an innovative hire coming from Washington State, where he helped lead one of the most explosive offenses in college football. He was hired by Oklahoma in 2024 and brought along starting quarterback John Mateer, the No. 3 quarterback in the transfer portal that year. 

After an inconsistent first season marred by a hand injury to Mateer, Oklahoma's offense has tanked in Year 2. The Sooners rank No. 15 in the SEC in both total and scoring offense, despite getting multiple scores on defense and special teams. 

Arbuckle's firing continues a revolving door of offensive staff changes under coach Brent Venables, whose production has fallen off dramatically since Jeff Lebby left for Mississippi State. Venables fired Seth Littrell after seven games into his first season in 2024, and also fired multiple assistant coaches after the 2025 season. 

The Sooners are careening towards their third losing season in five years under Venables, and are at serious risk of missing their first bowl game since John Blake's final season in 1998. Oklahoma sits at 4-4 with No. 12 Ole Miss, No. 19 Missouri and No. 25 Florida coming in the weeks ahead.