Oklahoma · SECWitten steadies Oklahoma offense in debut against Florida
Jason Witten’s first game calling plays produced 351 yards, 10 third-down conversions and a 23-7 win five days after Ben Arbuckle’s firing.
NOV 9, 2026
total offensive yards
third-down conversions
Mateer rushing yards, season high
01 · The NewsWitten steadies Oklahoma offense in debut
Five days after Ben Arbuckle was fired, Jason Witten called an offense in college football for the first time and Oklahoma beat Florida 23-7 at The Swamp on Saturday, Nov. 7.
John Mateer had followed Arbuckle from Washington State and had never started a college game with anyone else calling plays. He answered the change with 207 passing yards, two touchdowns, a season-high 56 rushing yards and no turnovers. Oklahoma gained 351 yards, including 201 in the first half, and converted 10 of 18 third downs. A 20-play drive became the Sooners’ longest in 54 years.
Mateer said Arbuckle’s firing made the transition personal.
“And then he just walked in, gave me a hug and said he's got to go. He said he loved me, and he said he appreciated me,” Mateer said. “Obviously, a wild moment … I didn't really understand it until that night, but it was hard.”
02 · The StakesWhy This One Matters
Mateer had spent four years with Arbuckle, who had shaped his college career. Witten knew the handoff carried more than a new voice in the quarterback’s helmet. “He's had four years with coach Arbuckle. And that's not lost on me. The relationship piece of it,” Witten said. The new play caller built around Mateer’s strengths instead of asking him to simply survive the change. Mateer completed 63% of his passes, threw for 207 yards and two touchdowns, and ran for a season-high 56 yards. His first touchdown pass went to Hayden Hansen, a tight end who transferred to Oklahoma from Florida. Oklahoma had beaten Mississippi State 23-15 on Oct. 24, then lost at home to South Carolina the following Saturday. Against Florida, the Sooners kept the ball, stayed clean and converted 10 of 18 third downs. That gives Witten a credible case to keep calling plays, but Oklahoma has not said whether he will do so beyond the Florida game or receive a permanent coaching role.
03 · The Detail Beneath the HeadlineWhat Most People Are Missing
The point total barely changed: Oklahoma scored 25 against South Carolina and 23 against Florida. The way it got there did.
The Sooners did not turn the ball over. They converted 10 of 18 third downs, gained 201 yards before halftime. The 20-play possession showed how the offense could sustain a drive without handing Florida a short field.
That was a cleaner fit for Mateer after a difficult separation from Arbuckle. Oklahoma coach Brent Venables described the relationship in terms that went beyond football.
“It's not just a coach. That's a friend. That's a brother. That's genuine love and a deep relationship that doesn't have to be damaged through all of this. But still, that's a lot of weight to carry, and it says a lot about John and his fortitude, his toughness, his belief and his opportunity,” Venables said.
“He's had four years with coach Arbuckle. And that's not lost on me. The relationship piece of it.”
Jason Witten04 · The PersonnelWhat Changes Now
The larger decision is Witten’s. Oklahoma has not said whether he will continue calling plays, move into a permanent coaching position or leave the job after one game. The program also has not said whether Arbuckle will remain at Oklahoma in another role. Witten’s first game earned another look. It did not settle the staff’s structure.
05 · The ChessboardWhat the Coaches Can Actually Change
Oklahoma can keep using Mateer as a runner and keep the offense committed to winning third down. Florida showed what that version looks like: 351 yards, 10 conversions and no giveaways.
06 · The ThesisThe Pate State Read
Mateer’s rushing total is the simplest tell. If it remains a meaningful part of the plan, Witten’s debut was more than a one-game adjustment. Third down and turnovers are the other checks. Oklahoma converted 10 of 18 against Florida and gave the ball away zero times. Those numbers stabilized the offense as much as the yardage did. Mateer understood what his response required after losing the coach who had guided his college career. “As a quarterback, you have to. If I flinch, everybody else will flinch. That's just kind of the way it is, the position I'm in,” Mateer said.
07 · The Watch ListWhat We're Watching
Does Mateer keep running?
Mateer’s rushing total is the simplest tell. If it remains a meaningful part of the plan, Witten’s debut was more than a one-game adjustment.
Can Oklahoma win third down without giving the ball away?
Third down and turnovers are the other checks. Oklahoma converted 10 of 18 against Florida and gave the ball away zero times.