Why Firing One Coach Won’t Fix Oklahoma’s Offense

Everyone in your group chat is blaming someone different for Oklahoma’s loss to Kentucky. The quarterback. The offensive line. Ben Arbuckle. The running backs. And after two days in the play-by-play data, the answer is that all of you are right at the same time — and that’s exactly why this is so hard to fix. Oklahoma outgained Kentucky by 116 yards, won the first down battle 19 to 14, and lost by 8. Teams that outgain an opponent by that much win 93% of the time. Teams that lose the turnover battle by four lose by an average of 21.6 points. This game happened in the gap between those two numbers. Every stat in this video is computed from the raw College Football Data play-by-play, drive, and roster files — sources are on screen so you can check the math yourself. Screenshot anything you need. That’s what it’s for. CHAPTERS 0:00 The argument every OU fan is having this week 1:46 You’re all right 2:18 What this video is for 4:24 Oklahoma lost this one backwards 5:32 Outgained, out-first-downed, and beaten anyway 6:33 The quarterback: four interceptions in ten drives 7:58 Nobody in the country has had a worse game 8:25 Give Mateer credit — three good quarters 8:46 41 of the 109 points were handed over 9:51 The drops 10:29 The best chance to win and the reason they don’t 11:07 The offensive line 11:50 A hurt left tackle, on one leg, in the fourth quarter 12:36 7th most linemen lost to the portal since 2021 14:13 What the fourth-quarter sack rate actually shows 15:10 The running back room 15:21 One handoff in the entire fourth quarter 15:40 Second-level yards: 136th out of 138 16:20 Avant’s 42-yarder was the only one all season 16:47 The play calling 18:03 The trick play 18:52 Special teams 19:37 The punt that decided the game 20:10 It rolls up to the head coach 21:01 This isn’t the blue blood anymore 22:04 Final thoughts THE NUMBERS 4 of 10 drives ended in an interception — worst of 774 FBS vs FBS games this season 41 of Oklahoma’s 109 points allowed came off its own giveaways Without those points, this defense gives up 11.3 per game 24 offensive linemen lost to the portal since 2021, 7th most in the country 136th of 138 in second-level yards per carry 1 handoff to a running back in the fourth quarter of a one-point game 176 carries this season, exactly one longer than 30 yards Data: College Football Data (collegefootballdata.com). Season figures are six games through Week 7. #BoomerSooner #OUFootball #CollegeFootball #Sooners #Oklahoma #JohnMateer #BrentVenables #BenArbuckle #SEC #CFB #SoonerStats #OUvsKentucky