Oklahoma is firing offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle, and it’s happening right in the middle of his second season. The Sooners just got absolutely dismantled 42-25 by South Carolina at home this past Saturday, a game where their offense could only manage a pathetic three points in the entire first half.
Arbuckle’s “Innovative” Offense Tanks in Year Two
Arbuckle, just 31 years old, was brought in by Oklahoma in 2024 as an “innovative” hire straight out of Washington State. At Wazzu, he was supposedly leading one of college football’s most explosive offenses. He even brought along starting quarterback John Mateer, who was the No. 3 quarterback in the transfer portal that year. But man, talk about a fall from grace! After an inconsistent first season, partially derailed by Mateer’s hand injury, the entire Oklahoma offense has totally tanked in Year 2. They’re ranked No. 15 in the SEC in both total and scoring offense, which is just brutal. And get this: those numbers are even with the defense and special teams chipping in multiple scores!
Venables’ Revolving Door of Chaos
This Arbuckle firing isn’t some isolated incident, folks. It’s the latest twist in a wild “revolving door of offensive staff changes” under Coach Brent Venables. You remember Jeff Lebby, right? Well, Venables’ production has absolutely fallen off a cliff since Lebby split for Mississippi State. Venables already canned Seth Littrell seven games into his first season back in 2024. And guess what? He fired multiple assistant coaches after the 2025 season too. This team is careening toward their third losing season in just five years under Venables. Seriously, they’re at serious risk of missing their first bowl game since John Blake’s last season way back in 1998. Talk about rock bottom!
The Road Ahead: A Gauntlet of Ranked Foes
Sitting at a dismal 4-4 record, things are not looking up for the Sooners. They’ve got a brutal stretch coming up against No. 12 Ole Miss, No. 19 Missouri, and No. 25 Florida in the weeks ahead. If they don’t turn it around fast, that bowl game drought is going to become a very harsh reality. This isn’t just about one coach getting fired; it’s about the entire direction of this program, and right now, it looks like it’s going off the rails.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
Leave a Reply