Under Brent Venables, offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh has been in charge of assembling and developing the vanguard of trench warriors worthy of the standard at Oklahoma. He has failed to get the job done, and it was never more evident than last Saturday night when the New Mexico Lobos came to Norman and shoved the Sooner offensive line into a locker on live television.
The offensive line has been a glaring weakness for several years now. Bedenbaugh has an impressive track record, with dozens of former players performing well in the NFL. He knows how to coach, and he knows how to identify talent. What changed?
The NIL era turned college football into the Wild West, and talented players quickly spread out across the country, many times signing with the highest bidder. It seems that when money entered the equation, Bedenbaugh was left in the dust in terms of recruiting. This brings many questions to the forefront: Was he given enough money? Did he ask for it? Has he lost his spark? Regardless, one answer is clear: it’s not good enough.
New Mexico showing was a new low for Bill Bedenbaugh's OU offensive line
The performance against New Mexico on Saturday is one of the worst offensive line performances Norman has seen this century. On any given play, you can find a missed assignment, a guy getting thrown or bull-rushed into quarterback John Mateer, or sometimes a guy who is blocking no one for no apparent reason. How can Oklahoma do ANYTHING offensively when the linemen cannot physically move a player who weighs about 40 pounds less than them?
Ben Arbuckle is receiving a lot of criticism for the offensive performances and his play-calling. He should not be taking it all on his shoulders.
John Mateer is not Oklahoma's biggest issue
— SEC Mike (@MichaelWBratton) September 24, 2026
Oklahoma ranks #119 in Tackles For Loss allowed
Oklahoma ranks #128 in Yards Per Rush Attempt
The only shot OU has at turning around the season starts with fixing the offensive line
Full show: https://t.co/5cs2mOwrdQ pic.twitter.com/HjxY9scmqW
It would not matter if Mike Leach himself donned a holy headset and called plays from the heavens. This offensive line is getting mauled on every snap. The offense cannot throw the ball because the offense cannot run the ball. The offense cannot run the ball because the line cannot block. It has turned into a vicious, head-splitting cycle of failure, and the only way it can end is if Bedenbaugh can get these guys coached and prepared to punch somebody in the mouth.
Bedenbaugh and this offensive line need to improve before making the journey to Athens to take on Georgia on Saturday. The Georgia Bulldogs have one of the most aggressive and talented defenses in the country. They will be watching Oklahoma’s game film with their eyes bright like a kid in a candy store.
Bedenbaugh has coached some big names at Oklahoma, like Creed Humphrey, Orlando Brown, Gabe Ikard and more. What he has produced in recent years is embarrassing to his own legacy and the legacy of the University of Oklahoma. Bedenbaugh needs to get it figured out quickly. If not, players are going to get hurt, and people are going to lose their jobs.
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