Oklahoma Fires Offensive Coordinator Ben Arbuckle Before Florida Game

Oklahoma fired offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle on Monday and turned play calling over to tight ends coach Jason Witten five days before the Sooners play at No. 25 Florida.

Witten is the interim offensive coordinator and play caller, ESPN reported. Saturday's game at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, set for 7:45 p.m. ET on SEC Network, will be his first in the role.

"My responsibility is to the whole team and what I believe is best for us right now. We need a change," Oklahoma coach Brent Venables said in a statement released by the school.

Oklahoma is 4-4 overall and 2-3 in the SEC after a 42-25 home loss to South Carolina on Saturday. The Sooners rank next to last in the SEC in yards per game and touchdowns scored, ESPN reported. Arbuckle was in his second season at Oklahoma.

Who is Jason Witten

Witten played 17 NFL seasons, all but one with the Dallas Cowboys, and made 11 Pro Bowls. He finished with 1,228 receptions, 13,046 receiving yards and 74 touchdowns, according to ESPN. He spent five seasons as head coach at Liberty Christian School in Argyle, Texas, winning state championships in 2023 and 2024, before Oklahoma hired him as tight ends coach in January, ESPN reported.

The quarterback

Quarterback John Mateer played for Arbuckle at Washington State and transferred to Oklahoma the same month Arbuckle was hired. ESPN reported that Mateer has thrown 21 touchdowns and 15 interceptions since a thumb injury sidelined him last season. This season he has 1,835 passing yards, 13 touchdowns and seven interceptions, per ESPN.

Venables also fired an offensive coordinator during the 2024 season, when he dismissed Seth Littrell seven games in, ESPN reported.

What it means for Florida

Florida (5-3, 3-3 SEC) has not named a starting quarterback. The Gators' depth chart lists Aaron Philo or Tramell Jones Jr. A win Saturday would give Florida six victories, the usual mark for bowl eligibility.

More from GatorBait: our Florida football coverage, roster and schedule.

Sources: ESPN and FloridaGators.com. Cover photo: Florida players take the field before facing Ole Miss on Sept. 26 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Photo by Chris Spears, GatorBaitMedia.com