Witten Delivers in First Game Calling Oklahoma’s Offense

Oklahoma promoted Jason Witten to interim offensive coordinator after firing Ben Arbuckle, giving the former NFL tight end one week to prepare for the Sooners’ game at Florida. Witten had joined Oklahoma’s staff in January and had not previously coached at the college level. The Sooners won 23-7 on November 7, improving to 5-4 overall and 3-3 in the SEC.

Witten told the offense that its recent coaching and results had fallen short, then urged staff members to commit to working through the challenge. Oklahoma scored on three of its first four possessions, including its first two drives. In the second quarter, John Mateer found Hayden Hansen for a three-yard touchdown.

Florida scored on Jadan Baugh’s 15-yard run but never took the lead. Tate Sandell kicked a 48-yard field goal to give Oklahoma a six-point halftime advantage. After three consecutive punts in the third quarter, Oklahoma put together a 20-play, 89-yard drive that took 12 minutes and 45 seconds. Mateer capped it with a six-yard touchdown pass to Isaiah Sategna late in the fourth quarter.

The Sooners finished with 351 yards of offense and held the ball for nearly 38 minutes without turning it over. Coach Brent Venables praised the offense’s control and execution, while noting that the team still had areas to improve. Oklahoma’s remaining opponents are No. 10 Ole Miss, Texas A&M and Missouri; one more win would make it bowl-eligible for the 27th straight year.