There wasn't just a change on Oklahoma's coaching staff when head coach Brent Venables replaced tight ends coach Joe Jon Finley with future Pro Football Hall of Famer Jason Witten, but even possibly a new identity for the Sooners' offense coming in 2026 under second-year offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle.
The Sooners completely revamped their tight end position from top to bottom this offseason. Even before Witten was hired, OU added two high-level tight ends from the Transfer Portal in Florida's Hayden Hansen and Colorado State's Rocky Beers. Then, shortly after Witten got to Oklahoma, he landed Tennessee transfer Jack Van Dorselaer to be the future at the position.
Tight ends could transform Sooners' offense in 2026
Hansen and Beers are both veterans, but all three have starting experience and different skill sets. Hansen already has loads of SEC experience after making 34 starts at Florida, including 25 in a row. Although just entering his sophomore season, Van Dorselaer immediately started as a freshman for Tennessee last season and also excels as a blocker like Hansen at 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds.
Beers might not have Power Four experience yet, but he has SEC size at 6-foot-5 and 250 pounds. He'll also be an immediate boost in OU's passing game as an end-zone target for quarterback John Mateer after setting a Colorado State single-season tight end record last season with seven touchdown catches.
But even though all three have strengths, none have as glaring of weaknesses as OU's tight ends had last season, especially because of their size across the board.
No disrespect to Jaren Kanak, who was stellar in 2025 after switching from linebacker to tight end for his senior year, but all three of OU's new portal additions would have likely started over him last season. All are much bigger with a lot more experience, and Kanak's lack of both of those saw him struggle blocking on the edge last season.
The Sooners' inability to run outside in 2025 was largely due to their lack of talent at tight end. The same could be said for OU's first season in the SEC in 2024.
Kanak was great in the passing game, but was often pulled when OU needed blockers, which often tipped Arbuckle's hand as he had no other tight ends who were threats as receivers, let alone able to do both.
This successful overhaul of the Sooners' tight ends means that the position can actually become a vital part of their offense. OU's offense could succeed because of its tight ends, not in spite of. That means more weapons for Mateer in the passing game with towering targets, and maybe even more 11-personnel formations to benefit the Sooners' running game that has been lagging the past few years.