Oklahoma’s offense enters its biggest test of the season Saturday night in Knoxville.
A raucous Neyland Stadium crowd and a surging Tennessee defense await under the lights of the “Dark Mode” game.
The Sooners have found more rhythm behind offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle and quarterback John Mateer. So, this matchup represents a chance to validate their progress under Brent Venables.
“The defense and their improvement is the thing that most people are really excited about when it comes to this team,” said Jenni Carlson, sports enterprise reporter for The Oklahoman.
“For a long time, especially when Lincoln Riley was coordinating the offense, Oklahoma had an offense good enough to win national championships, but they didn’t have a defense that could carry them in big games. When Brent Venables was hired, the hope was that they’d get that side of the ball back on track, and they definitely have,” said Carlson.
The Sooners’ defense has taken shape, and the offense continues to evolve.
Arbuckle’s new system, paired with the transfer addition of Mateer, has led to measurable improvement from last year’s struggles. Still, questions linger around the quarterback’s health after thumb surgery in late September.
“Matier’s injury and his recovery are still in progress, quite honestly,” Carlson said. “It still remains to be seen what kind of level he can get to before this season comes to a close.”
Mateer has said publicly his thumb isn’t limiting him. Though, Carlson notes that recent film suggests he may still be working back to full form.
Against Ole Miss, she said, his inconsistency was evident.
“He missed some wide-open receivers, missed some throws,” Carlson said. “Three weeks ago against Texas, he was only 17 days removed from surgery. He was better against South Carolina, but against Ole Miss it was a mixed bag. I think this is still a guy that’s recovering. He’s about five weeks out now, so it’s not a short-term thing.”
Oklahoma’s offense will likely need a balanced approach to keep pace with Tennessee’s high-powered offense.
The Volunteers’ defense thrives on pressure, especially off the edges with pass rushers like Joshua Josephs and Caleb Herring. The pair have combined for seven sacks and eight QB hurries this season.
That could spell trouble for a Sooners offensive line that’s both young and banged up.
“The run game has definitely been the biggest issue this season,” Carlson said. “They’ll have two true freshmen on the offensive line this week, including at the end. They’ve had their struggles. Even Michael Fasusi, who was one of the best offensive line recruits in his class, has had times when he’s picked up multiple penalties on the same possession.”
Oklahoma may need to rely more heavily on second-year back Xavier Robinson, who showed flashes last week. As well as freshman Tory Blaylock.
Still, consistency in the run game has been elusive.
“Their run game has just been an up-and-down mystery,” Carlson said. “You don’t really know who’s going to play or what the rotation will look like.”
Tennessee’s defense ranks fourth in the SEC in sacks and allows just 135 yards on the ground per game. Oklahoma will have to find offensive rhythm early.
“I think Tennessee’s offense is going to score points no matter how good Oklahoma’s defense is,” Carlson said. “So the OU offense needs to bring it more than it did last week. They’re going to need to be able to answer.”
If the Sooners can stay balanced and Mateer can deliver from the pocket, Oklahoma could push this game into a shootout.
Tennessee and Oklahoma clash Saturday night at 7:30 ET.
