Oklahoma Sooners’ wide receiver battles are always dramatic, but this season? It’s personal. Following a 2024 campaign marred by injury and inconsistency, Oklahoma has reloaded, and Ben Arbuckle has strolled into the WR room like a man on a mission. His words are clear: “If you want it, go take it.” That’s the kind of edge that Sooner Nation has been craving, and Arbuckle gave it to them with some real fire as fall camp got underway.

There’s a fresh ferocity about Norman. Arbuckle established he’s not doling out starting roles like goodies; he’s looking for hungry and responsible men who correct their errors and return improved the following day. And he truly thinks this WR room can do that. Kudos to position coach Emmett Jones for building this group, but Arbuckle’s tone is clear: you’d better earn each and every rep.

By spring’s end, it was no longer a matter of potential anymore. The same team that was shaky to begin with? They went strong. Arbuckle put it perfectly during his recent appearance on OU Media Day. “We have a lot of those guys, right? That can help us. That’s the beauty about fall camp and even the summer. That’s the beauty of fall camp:the competition is going to be strong every single day.” Arbuckle said. He was in awe of their toughness, qualities that, in his estimation, set the stage for a sizzling fall. The receivers are out to stake their claim.

Kaden Helms is the name to bring up in that discussion, despite technically being a tight end. Fresh from injuries that would have derailed a lesser player, Helms is back healthy and dynamite. Arbuckle views him as a versatile asset. He’s quick, explosive, and best of all, enjoying the game for the first time in a long while.

That’s the type of player who shifts the vibe in a room. But all of that, all the disputed balls, all the drills, all the seven-on-sevens, rests on one man: John Mateer. Arbuckle finally drew back the curtain on the man running this offense. Mateer isn’t just here to play; he’s here to command.

Why does Ben Arbuckle rely on John Mateer to command?

When Ben Arbuckle speaks of Mateer, it’s with the type of respect you don’t usually hear from OCs regarding QBs in year one. It’s not merely based on skill. Okay, Mateer posted video game stats at Washington State: more than 3,100 passing yards, 29 touchdowns, and another 15 on the ground. But it’s what he does away from the stat sheet that earned him the keys to this offense.

Ben Arbuckle said, “He brings people together.” Mateer’s been with him since Wazzu, and now Oklahoma; that’s a foundation of trust. He knows the playbook already, like the back of his hand. That’s the rare ability to be able to teach it, to take the guys around him up rather than having to play catch-up. That’s something Arbuckle enjoys. Teammates do too.

It’s that leadership, not merely his dual-threat skillset, that’s making heads turn. Arbuckle said Mateer “wants to be better for his teammates, physically, mentally, spiritually.” He doesn’t merely lead with his arm; he leads with his heart. That’s the guy you want in the huddle when it’s 3rd and long at Texas in the Cotton Bowl. That’s the guy you rally around.

“The biggest point of growth, I think, for John this summer, you know, again, he was fortunate enough to be with me the last two years. Um, and so schematically and everything, he’s a lot where I want him to be. The things that we get to work with him now is NFL film study, right? Hey, you do this. Okay, I really like how this certain guy does this,” he concluded.

So yeah, the WR battle is hot, and somebody’s going to emerge from that basement room and claim the WR1 position. But don’t get it twisted; the pulse of this offense is established already. It’s John Mateer, and it’s not even up for debate. The Sooners are going to be different this fall. Faster. Smarter. Hungrier. And it all stems from the faith Arbuckle has in Mateer and the level he’s expecting out of the WR room. And by kickoff, it’ll be time to determine who actually listened to that message.