Norman, Oklahoma: Sooners Fire Offensive Coordinator Ben Arbuckle and Hand the Offense to Jason Witten

Norman, Oklahoma: Oklahoma fired offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle on Monday, two days after a 42-25 home loss to South Carolina, and handed the offense to tight ends coach Jason Witten for the rest of the season.

Head coach Brent Venables announced the move with four games left in the regular season. "I have decided to make a change at offensive coordinator," Venables said in a team statement. "My responsibility is to the whole team and what I believe is best for us right now. We need a change."

Why the change came now

The Sooners are 4-4 overall and 2-3 in SEC play. The offense is averaging 22 points per game, ranks 111th nationally in total offense at 336.9 yards per game and 128th in rushing at 106.8 yards per game, according to the stat lines published by The Oklahoman. Against South Carolina on Saturday, the offense managed 118 yards and three points through three quarters. Quarterback John Mateer finished 26 of 43 for 244 yards and two touchdowns, and Arbuckle called Mateer's performance "tentative" after the game.

Arbuckle, 31, was in his second season in Norman. He took the job after the 2024 season, following the firing of Seth Littrell, on a contract that paid $1.5 million per year and was set to run through the end of the 2027 season. His first Oklahoma team went 10-3 and reached the College Football Playoff, averaging 26.2 points per game. He had come from Washington State, where the Cougars averaged 36.6 points per game in his final season in 2024, and Mateer transferred to Oklahoma in 2025 to follow him. "I want to thank Ben and all he contributed to us over the last two years," Venables said. "It didn't work like we all wanted it to, but I deeply appreciate the investment, love and passion he poured into our program."

Witten steps up

Witten, 44, joined the Oklahoma staff in January as tight ends coach, in his first season coaching at the college level. As a player he spent 17 seasons in the NFL, almost all of them with the Dallas Cowboys, made 11 Pro Bowls and finished with 1,228 receptions, the fourth highest total in league history, along with 13,046 receiving yards and 74 touchdowns. Before Norman, he spent five seasons as head coach at Liberty Christian School in Argyle, Texas, winning state championships in 2023 and 2024.

His position group has been one of the bright spots of the season. Oklahoma tight ends combined for one touchdown catch in the whole 2025 season. They have five through eight games this fall, four of them by Rocky Beers. "Coach Witten will serve as offensive coordinator and play-caller for the remainder of the season," Venables said. "Beginning today, he will lead our offensive staff in preparing a clear and focused plan that gives our players the best opportunity to execute with confidence."

Witten's first game as play-caller is Saturday at No. 25 Florida (5-3, 3-3 SEC), with kickoff at 6:45 p.m. CT on SEC Network in Gainesville. The interim job is also an audition. Venables is now set to hire his fourth offensive coordinator in six seasons.