Much is riding on Oklahoma's improvement on offense for more OU-like success on the gridiron in 2025 and as a tipping point to save head coach Brent Venables' job.
Former Washington State quarterback John Mateer came to Oklahoma as arguably the top quarterback pickup out of the portal this offseason and with the expectation that he represents the key piece in turning around an offense that literally went from feast to famine in a year's time from 2023 to 2024.
But as much of an improvement as Mateer is expected to bring to what last season was Oklahoma's worst offensive performance in over 25 years, he is not the end all be all to the Sooners' future success offensively, and he can't be expected to shoulder the load alone.
That's why the Sooners have been busy this offseason adding talented complementary parts like running back Jaydn Ott, who two years ago at California rushed for 1,315 yards and 12 touchdowns, ninth-best in the FBS. The year before that, as a freshman, he ran the ball for 897 yards. He battled injuries last season, rushing for just 385 yards on 116 carries, but is expected to be fully healthy for the start of the 2025 season.
Sooners add more offensive firepower with Ott
While Ott will wield the lead gun in what the Sooners believe will be a revamped run game in new offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle's offense, OU has plenty of depth behind him with Jovantae Barnes, Xavier Robinson and Taylor Tatum (who combined for over 1,000 rushing yards and 5 yards per carry last season) all returning. And that's not even factoring how good a runner Mateer is. The new Oklahoma quarterback can easily beat you with his arm, but as one college football analyst recently put it: "He will kill you with his legs."
Ott was a giant addition to Oklahoma's 2025 offense and bolsters a position that underperformed last season. But what should make the Sooner offense demonstrably better this season is stronger offensive line play and a healthier complement of wide receivers. Injuries, unfortunately, were a major reason none of the offensive pieces seemed to be working in complementary fashion in 2024.
The OU rushing attack should definitely be more effective, not just due to the experience and depth the Sooners have in the backfield, but because the Oklahoma offensive line is also expected to be much better than a year ago.
Because of injuries, the Sooners started seven different combinations on the O-line last season. They have a solid nucleus returning for the 2025 season to go with a deep and equally talented rotation. Transfers Derek Simmons at tackle and center Jake Maikkula from Stanford bolster the experience along the starting front.
Oklahoma began the 2024 season with what was believed by many to be one of the best wide receiver corps in college football. By midseason, however, the Sooners were without their five top receivers, and the fallout was dire. Several from that group have moved on, but OU will have Deion Burks back healthy and ready to go, and the Sooners are hoping to have Jayden Gibson and Javonnie Gibson, a transfer from Arkansas-Pine Bluff who has blazing speed, back early in the season. Both are recovering from injuries.
The 2025 Oklahoma offense will be as good as all of the component pieces -- QB, RBs, WRs and O-line -- executing their respective roles and working together in harmony like so many of the great Oklahoma offenses of the celebrated past.
There is little question, however, that Mateer and Ott are two of the biggest pieces that are being counted upon to shoulder a large part of the load.
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