OU offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle and head coach Brent Venables are addressing the media after the first loss of the season against Texas. The Sooners will face South Carolina next at 11:45 a.m. on Saturday at Williams-Brice Stadium on SEC Network.
Here are key takeaways:
John Mateer's response after Texas loss
Arbuckle spoke on redshirt junior quarterback John Mateer's attitude after his performance against Texas.
Mateer recorded his lowest passing yards of the season in the Red River Rivalry after recovering from a right-hand injury he suffered against Auburn.
"With his mental build and his mental makeup, one is that he's the ultimate competitor. He is his harshest critic, ... whether it's his footwork or his reads and really honing in on that and cleaning that up and making sure he's very intentional with that in practice."
Mateer, who has recorded 1,417 yards so far in 2025, faces five AP Top 25 teams after facing South Carolina, and Arbuckle relayed his message to his quarterback.
"(You got to) stay true to the process that has gotten you to where you have been in life and as a player and don't listen to the outside noise because that's that's nothing pertaining to you," Arbuckle said. "(You need to) stay true to who you are, stay true to who you are as a leader, bond, connect and continue to build all your relationships with your teammates, strengthen those as much as you can because ultimately, those are the guys that matter. ... You just got to be you."
Run game update
The Sooners have struggled all season in the run game and rank No. 105 in rushing yards per game. They are also coming off recording 48 rushing yards against Texas.
After the shortcomings, Arbuckle gave an overview of how the offensive line and running backs need to work together to improve.
"You got to work the strain; you got to work the finish and practice, Arbuckle said. "Game day is just the finished product, but it's everything that goes into the week that I think we can continue to develop and build on and get better at and demand execution and strain. ... We have to keep on demanding it. The kids have to demand it out of themselves. The leaders that we have (need) to demand it from everyone but also be the standard of what we do."
Specifically, senior running back Jovantae Barnes has not recorded a carry in the last two games and has only 45 rushing yards on the season.
Venables said that Barnes missed practice on Monday and is recovering from an injury he suffered in warmups before the Texas game.
"When in pregame, we thought it was initially his hamstring or something else," Venables. "I think it'll be a short-term thing."
Freshman running back Tory Blaylock, however, has been a consistent part of the run game. Blaylock leads the Sooners in rushing yards and carries on the season.
"He attacks his work every single day; he's a guy that you can't take off the field," Arbuckle said. "It'd be wrong with how he performs, how he practices, how he prepares, how he is in the building, how he is with his mindset. So that running back room, I think, has a lot of talented guys in it, but ultimately, we have to put the most consistent person out there that not only runs the ball well but does everything else really, really well. Tory has been consistent with that all year."
OU faces South Carolina QB LaNorris Sellers
The Sooners are set to face South Carolina sophomore quarterback LaNorris Sellers.
Sellers led the Gamecocks to a 35-9 win over the Sooners in 2024 and has recorded 1,010 yards in 2025 so far.
"He's a freak, ... and he's becoming an elite quarterback," Venables said.
