What a difference a new play caller makes
A 20-play and nearly 13 minute drive that finished with a seven-yard touchdown toss from QB John Mateer to Isaiah Sategna closed the deal for the Sooners in their 23-7 win over Florida in Jason Witten’s debut as offensive coordinator.
The drive was emblematic of consistency and rhythm the Oklahoma offense had on Saturday night, perhaps for the first time of the season.
And one now wonders if indeed the problem that befell the Sooners offense all season long was not Mateer, but rather offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle, who was fired on Monday, allowing Witten to go from last year’s high school coach to this late season’s play caller for Oklahoma.
The long drive left only 4:56 left for Florida’s first fourth quarter possession. The Sategna touchdown put the game out of reach, 20-7. The Sooners would later cap off the win with a Tate Sandell field goal.
Dave: A lost season
It was going to happen sooner or later.
There was only going to be so many times the defense would keep the team in the game until they eventually had an off night.
And on that off night, they needed the offense to pick them up, instead of the other way around. Unfortunately, the Sooner offense remained missing in action as South Carolina rolled to a 42-25 victory in Norman. And it wasn’t that close.
The halftime score was South Carolina 28 and Oklahoma 10.
More telling would be the 307 total yards of offense the Gamecocks amassed versus the Sooners anemic 71. The only reason it wasn’t 28-3 was an amazing pick six by Kip Lewis. Game was over.