--- title: "Oklahoma Coach Faces Crucial Decisions as Season Draws to a Close" url: https://newscentral.site/oklahoma-coach-faces-crucial-decisions-as-season-draws-to-a-close/ language: en publisher: "News Central Site" section: "Sports" published: 2026-11-01T00:28:36.000Z updated: 2026-11-01T09:48:13.173Z id: 884f8d70-4eb4-45d2-ab44-4211034c5dd6 source: "CBS Sports \n https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/oklahoma-offense-south-carolina-loss-brent-venables-ben-arbuckle/" attribution: "Link to https://newscentral.site/oklahoma-coach-faces-crucial-decisions-as-season-draws-to-a-close/ and name News Central Site when you quote or summarize this story." --- # Oklahoma Coach Faces Crucial Decisions as Season Draws to a Close Oklahoma's offense has struggled all fall under coordinator Ben Arbuckle, leading to inconsistent performances and a 4-4 overall record. Oklahoma coach Brent Venables faces crucial decisions as the season draws to a close regarding his team's offense, particularly its need for an identity under coordinator Ben Arbuckle. The unit has been struggling all fall, and Saturday's 42-25 loss to South Carolina highlighted these ongoing issues. The Sooners' campaign has been marked by inconsistent performances on offense, including a lackluster showing at home against Kentucky, a significant defeat at Georgia, and a near-disaster against New Mexico in Week 3. These setbacks have exposed lingering problems from last fall that still need to be addressed. Oklahoma's record now stands at 4-4 overall and 2-3 in the SEC, with only one game above .500 in conference play under Venables' leadership. The team is at risk of its third losing season in five years unless it can put together a strong finish. In Saturday's loss to South Carolina, Oklahoma's offense struggled from the outset, failing to establish a consistent rushing attack and relying heavily on short passes to the perimeter. Quarterback John Mateer completed just 7 of 12 first-half throws for 25 yards, with none of those attempts reaching the second level. The Sooners' penalty yardage actually exceeded their total offensive output by halftime, as they trailed 28-10 at that point in the game. Oklahoma's only score came on an interception return touchdown from Kip Lewis in the second quarter. The Oklahoma offense struggled to find its rhythm in Saturday's loss to South Carolina, a problem that has plagued the team all season. Venables emphasized the importance of executing plays and creating explosive opportunities, but so far this year, the Sooners have failed to deliver on both fronts. The hiring of Arbuckle and Mateer was supposed to revitalize the offense, but their partnership has yielded disappointing results. Last season's College Football Playoff appearance was largely due to the team's stingy defense, which masked the inconsistencies in the offense. Down the stretch, Oklahoma had 47 possessions over four games, with a staggering 25 ending in punts and five resulting in turnovers. The statistics paint a bleak picture: the Sooners entered Saturday's game at the bottom of the SEC in total offense, rushing offense, and 15th in scoring offense, all worse than last season's performance. This trend is not new; Oklahoma has struggled to find consistency on offense throughout the fall. According to TruMedia data, the team's three-and-out rate this season stands at a concerning 34.1%, ranking 120th nationally. Analyst Dari Nowkah pointed out that John Mateer's tendency to trot back onto the field for another series is a recurring theme in his career, opportunities are being missed, but not capitalized on. The Oklahoma offense continues to struggle, failing to capitalize on scoring opportunities in crucial situations. In their loss to Kentucky two weeks ago, the Sooners managed just 13 points, and a similar pattern emerged against Mississippi State in Week 8, where they stalled inside the red zone, ultimately settling for field goals. Against South Carolina, Oklahoma's offense only found its rhythm late in the game, with Mateer connecting on a pair of touchdown passes to Ivan Carreon in the fourth quarter. However, this surge came too little, too late, and against second-team defenders at that. Mateer's performance was respectable, completing 26 of 43 passes for 244 yards, but much of that yardage came after the game was already out of reach. The Sooners' quarterback situation is a major concern heading into the offseason. With two true freshmen expected to enter next season, it will be difficult for Brent Venables to sell the fanbase on another year of patience from the offense. Whitt Newbauer and Bowe Bentley have combined for just two passing attempts this season. The play-calling duties fall under the responsibility of Arbuckle, who is in his second season of a three-year deal. While his scheme has provided opportunities for success, execution has been lacking. The Sooners must now determine what kind of offense they want to be and implement that identity as part of their program's fabric. The stakes are high as Oklahoma navigates this crucial period, with key decisions ahead regarding the future of their offense. With a transfer portal cycle underway, the Sooners will need to make strategic moves to address their quarterback needs for next season. The Oklahoma offense is facing significant challenges in creating scoring opportunities for their quarterback, Mateer. A key factor in this struggle is the lack of production from the running back position, which has failed to provide a consistent threat on the ground. Venables, an experienced coach who has overseen championship defenses at Clemson and Oklahoma last season, must now focus on revitalizing the offense with his new coordinator. This will require finding a way to balance the team's reliance on its defense, which has been forced to carry the load in many games this year. --- Source: [CBS Sports]( https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/oklahoma-offense-south-carolina-loss-brent-venables-ben-arbuckle/ ) Published by News Central Site: https://newscentral.site/oklahoma-coach-faces-crucial-decisions-as-season-draws-to-a-close/