OU offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle and head coach Brent Venables held their weekly press conference Tuesday. The Sooners, after defeating Michigan 24-13 last week, are now preparing to play Temple at 11 a.m. on Saturday at Lincoln Financial Field on ESPN2.
Here are key takeaways that arose during the press conference:
John Mateer excels in run game
Redshirt junior quarterback John Mateer shined against Michigan with his ability to rush.
Mateer recorded 74 yards on 19 carries against the Wolverines, leading the team in both statistics. Evidently, Mateer poses a threat with his quickness and power, making him much more than the standard quarterback.
"John Mateer is a football player before he's a quarterback and a special one too whenever he pulls the ball down to run," Arbuckle said.
Arbuckle and Mateer worked together to lead Washington State to the No. 6 scoring offense in the nation in 2024, and the offensive coordinator says the quarterback's agility allows for more dynamic play-calling.
"When you have a guy who has the ability to do that and understands the moments and situations and what it takes to win, I think it broadens what you can call in certain situations," Arbuckle said.
Mateer's speed remains to be simply a continuation of the past.
Arbuckle remembers when he first noticed Mateer's running ability. It was very early on during their time together in Pullman, Washington, and it set the tone for later success.
"Our first scrimmage, my first year there, whenever he was the backup, we went live with some of the quarterbacks, and ... I just remember he made two guys miss," Arbuckle said. "And he looked twisty doing it, so from that moment on, I said, 'OK, this guy's got a little juice to him with the ball in his hands.'"
From Pullman to Norman, Mateer has showcased his nimble ability.
"He's a real weapon when running the ball," Venables said. "He has really good instincts as a runner — great (laterally), explosive and very efficient."
Jaren Kanak shines after position switch
Senior tight end Jaren Kanak switched from linebacker to tight end in the offseason and has already become dominant in his new position.
Through two games, Kanak has recorded 159 yards on 10 receptions. He was No. 2 on the team in receiving against Illinois State and Michigan, with 90 in the first game and 69 in the second.
Kanak worked diligently to fit well in the offense, and his mindset and physique are paying off.
"He's been doing really good, and that's coming from a lot of hard work," Venables said. "He's a very talented athlete. His best qualities are just his sheer will and belief in himself, a good weapon, ... speed. He's got natural strength as well."
To play sharply, Kanak studied NFL tight ends in the offseason to learn their traits. Now, he works to mimic the players he admires.
"He was in the building every day. He studied, certainly systematically, we're doing in this system and what he needed to learn, how he could get better mentally, " Venables said. "He also studied the best tight ends in college, in the NFL too."
Venables compares offense to NFL
The OU offense overcame a superb Michigan defense in its 24-13 win after putting up 35 against Illinois State. With dynamic running and prolific receiving, Venables feels the Sooners' offense relates to NFL ones.
"You look at every really good offense, and that's what they're doing," Venables said. "So whether it's what they're doing in Washington in the NFL or with the Buffalo Bills or with the Baltimore Ravens or Kansas City, ... there's a formula."
OU's 2025 system has contributed to Mateer ranking No. 2 in the nation in total offense and No. 6 in passing yards per game so far, and these marks are ones the team takes pride in.
"I'm really, really proud of our guys — how they came out, executed, played with a lot of urgency and found a way to get the job done," Arbuckle said.
This story was copy edited by Avery Avery.
