Tight ends coach Jason Witten is now in charge of Oklahoma's offense after offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle was fired, and he has some weapons at his disposal that Arbuckle failed to get firing on all cylinders. Three players in particular will benefit the most from Witten running the show now, with the potential to break out during the final month of the season.
Sooners with breakout potential in Jason Witten's OU offense
Tight end Rocky Beers should already be considered a breakout player since transferring from Colorado State, but he could reach another level with his position coach now calling the shots.
Beers leads the Sooners with four touchdown catches and is second on the team with 34 receptions and 446 receiving yards. He's had at least four catches in the last five straight games. An already busy man is about to get even busier, though.
Witten will likely rely more on the run game and utilize the monstrous tight ends that he brought in to block. Beers will be vital in that, while also still being an asset in the passing attack. Even if quarterback John Mateer is benched, Beers will still be a safety blanket for an inexperienced player like Whitt Newbauer or Bowe Bentley.
Hayden Hansen and Jack Van Dorselaer will also become a more central part of the offense over the next four weeks, but Beers is the one who could be a star during November.
Either Newbauer or Bentley could have made this list with Mateer's job in jeopardy, but Bentley has the higher ceiling if he just gets a chance.
Bentley was supposed to be the Sooners' quarterback of the future after signing as a top-10 QB prospect from the 2026 class. Now, that future in Norman could be in question after the guy who recruited him was fired. It's worth noting, though, that Bentley grew up an OU fan, so there's even more of a reason to get him experience now so he's ready for 2027 instead of taking a risk on a portal addition.
Newbauer will likely get the next chance after Mateer eventually gets benched, but Bentley is better equipped if Witten's system is anything close to what he did at Liberty Christian School. Arbuckle liked to run the QB, and Witten also did at the high school level, so a QB run game will still likely be a centerpiece of the offense moving forward.
Newbauer likes to stay in the pocket, but Bentley rushed for 474 yards as a senior and 923 as a junior at Celina High School in Texas. He also has a knack for making throws on the run.
g15 w15 @ West Plains. round 5 ✅@celina_football @Nathaneelliott1 @DamianDevon @RecruitCelinaFB @GPowersScout @TomLoy247 @247Hudson @MikeRoach247 @adamgorney @samspiegs @MohrRecruiting @Hayesfawcett3 @ChadSimmons_ @SWiltfong_ @Zach_Berry @TheUCReport @MarshallLev_ 📽️ KXII NFHS pic.twitter.com/KdnBEIXCUi
— Bowe Bentley (@bowebentley) December 14, 2024
247Sports' analysis described Bentley as "a potential multi-year starter for a College Football Playoff hopeful that can push the pace and create some magic." It's hard not to say the words Baker Mayfield, but that's the kind of player OU needs out there to spark any kind of life.
Bentley is the Sooners' best chance at creating hope for the future, but Witten has to unlock him first.
Witten and his position group were more vocal than anyone over the offseason about running the dang ball, so Witten should commit to the ground attack now that he's in charge. That means one of the four running backs who have been used will become a focal point of the offense.
Lloyd Avant had full control of the RB1 role, but now that he's healthy, Tory Blaylock has quietly emerged as the leader of the pack (again). He's led the team in rushing yards the last two games, even while not getting the most carries. He also led the Sooners with 480 rushing yards last year as a freshman after a late takeover.
Blaylock keeps proving he's the most talented player in the Sooners' backfield, so Witten might be forced to feed him, especially if he has to take pressure off a young quarterback like Bentley.
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