Brent Venables woke up in 2025 knowing one thing for sure: the SEC is no Big 12. And the league made damn sure Oklahoma knew it too. After a 6-7 faceplant that had Sooners fans asking for refunds and prayers, Venables hit the panic button like his job depended on it. Because guess what? It just might. But then, May 14th hit. On3’s J.D. PicKell hosted OU GM Jim Nagy, and that man couldn’t stop dropping dimes about one name: John Mateer. The vibes? Different. The message? Crystal. The comeback? Might be loading.

See, Venables watched his offense implode last season like it was allergic to the end zone. Ranked 126th in yards per game and 110th in scoring? That’s crime scene levels of ugly. But instead of folding, Venables pulled off the ultimate redemption plot—he went portal hunting. First, he snatched QB1 John Mateer, the nation’s touchdown leader in 2024. Then he brought in his old right-hand man, Ben Arbuckle, to run the show. Plot twist? This could actually work despite that diabolical schedule that the football gods cooked up for Norman.

And Jim Nagy? He’s already calling his shot. The man gave big-time props to John Mateer: “You know, getting John Mateer—he’s a difference maker. You gotta have that guy if you’re gonna win at a really high level, um, and which they’ve done at Oklahoma. You just look in recent history. And now to bring in John, I think he’s kind of the next one in line. And I wouldn’t—I’m not trying to put pressure on John, he and I have talked about this—but he’s built for that. I’m not putting any pressure on John. He’s a great quarterback, and so that’s—I think there’s a lot of excitement, you know, because of John and some of the additions, as there should be.”

John Mateer’s looking like Oklahoma’s next big-time QB, no doubt. They’ve always had killers at that spot—Jalen Hurts, Kyler Murray, Baker—you name it. According to Jim Nagy, John Mateer’s going to have a vintage Sooners QB season.

Jim Nagy didn’t stop there; he doubled down: “I watched three games of John, and I’ll say this—after going through the spring, he’s better than I thought. Um, you know, he’s one of those guys, every day you kind of felt a little better about what he could do. And uh, what he has that a lot of quarterbacks—I don’t think you can coach it…he’s gonna be a great leader for this team. His familiarity in Coach Arbuckle’s offense is huge for the guys. We’ve got all these guys—transfer portal wide receivers and a couple offensive linemen are new—so he’s getting everybody up to speed.” 

Translation? OU might finally have a quarterback worth losing sleep over—if you’re on the opposing sideline. Mateer’s already helping recruit portal talent, guiding the new offense like he’s been wearing crimson his whole life. With Jaydn Ott in the backfield and some solid wideouts returning, the Sooners don’t just have firepower. They have a flamethrower.

But let’s pump the brakes before we throw a parade in Norman. Because if history tells us anything, it’s that Brent Venables knows how to build a defense. But his offense? That’s where the ghosts start crawling back in.

Brent Venables’ past horror

Brent Venables is a defensive savant, no doubt. Built national title-level defenses at Clemson. But when it comes to running an offense? It’s like he’s reading a playbook written in ancient Greek. The 2024 season was nothing short of a horror flick. The injuries? Nasty. The quarterback play? A mess. And the offense? Dead on arrival.

Receivers dropped like flies. Nic Anderson, Andrel Anthony, Jayden Gibson, and Jalil Farooq all took turns getting hurt. Venables had to fire OC Seth Littrell mid-season, and it still didn’t help. Jackson Arnold literally got benched against Tennessee after coughing up the ball three times. Michael Hawkins Jr. stepped in, gave the Sooners a jolt, then flamed out with three turnovers against South Carolina. The offense couldn’t stay healthy, couldn’t protect the quarterback, and couldn’t move the chains.

By the time the curtain closed on 2024, the stats read like an obituary: 13% sack rate (yikes), 35% third-down conversion rate (110th in the country), and zero faith from the fanbase. Something had to change. And fast.

That’s where Mateer comes in. The man had 3,139 total yards and a 64.6% completion rate last year. He’s not just a stat sheet king—he’s a problem solver. JD PicKell pointed out, “When you turn on the tape and watch that dude play, he deals with pressure better than anyone in college football.” The man reads defenses like it’s a bedtime story. Doesn’t flinch. Delivers strikes even with a linebacker breathing down his neck.

And here’s the kicker: Mateer didn’t come alone. He brought Ben Arbuckle with him from Washington State, where they cooked up serious yardage last year. That familiarity? Huge. Arbuckle knows how to unlock him. It’s like reinstalling an old save file—they’re picking up right where they left off. “His familiarity in Coach Arbuckle’s offense is huge,” Nagy said. “It’s like having another coach out there.” The offensive room finally has a brain and a heart. Mateer isn’t just a plug-and-play guy. He’s the whole engine.

And Nagy wasn’t shy about the expectations. “All we tried to do in the spring portal was bring in a Jaydn,” he said. Mission accomplished. Ott has 3,333 yards and 30 touchdowns in his career. That’s a weapon. Add in the revamped O-line and some transfer portal wideouts? OU might actually be scary again.

But here’s the harsh reality: the SEC schedule this year looks like a hit list. Michigan, LSU, Auburn, and Mizzou at home. Tennessee, Bama, and South Carolina on the road. And oh yeah, Texas in Dallas. That isn’t a schedule. That’s a trial by fire.

After Texas, it gets diabolical. South Carolina, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Bama, Mizzou, LSU. Back to back to back. No room to breathe. No cupcakes. It’s a playoff-level gauntlet in the regular season. So yeah, Mateer’s the guy. Arbuckle’s the brain. Ott’s the hammer. But can Venables finally balance the equation? Because if he fumbles again this year, it won’t just be fans asking questions. It’ll be the SEC handing him his walking papers.

But for now? OU fans can hope. Because they got their quarterback. They got their coach. And they might just have Scary Sooners back. Say what you say; life was buzzing when the Sooners were the national threat in college football. Time to see if it’s real or just another Sooners mirage.