Mason Young

Tulsa World OU Sports Reporter

NORMAN — When Ben Arbuckle became Oklahoma’s offensive coordinator last winter, it felt like a matter of time before quarterback John Mateer entered the transfer portal and followed his coach from Washington State to OU.

Then-Sooner starting quarterback Jackson Arnold, on the heels of a tumultuous 2024 season, entered the NCAA transfer portal the day after Arbuckle was named OU’s new play caller.

Head coach Brent Venables said during the summer that OU tried to keep Arnold, but that Arnold desired a fresh start elsewhere.

Maybe Arbuckle could’ve changed Arnold’s playing trajectory, but the proposition of sitting behind Mateer likely wasn’t tantalizing for Arnold, who had previously backed up Dillon Gabriel for a year before getting his chance

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