The Oklahoma Sooners made several changes this offseason on offense. The Sooners returned several key players, including quarterback John Mateer, four of five starting offensive linemen, star wide receiver Isaiah Sategna and their top two running backs, but Oklahoma replaced two coaches.
Running back coach DeMarco Murray left to take the same position with the Kansas City Chiefs and Oklahoma parted ways with tight end coach Joe Jon Finley. Oklahoma replaced Murray with Deland McCullough, who is regarded as one of the best running back coaches in the country. The Sooners replaced Finley with legendary former Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten.
Offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle raved about the collaboration with McCullough, Witten and the other
offensive coaches like Bill Bedenbaugh, Emmett Jones and Kevin Wilson.
"But as far as having the guys that I get to work with in that room and the depth of knowledge and experience that's in there, I mean, it's huge, right?" Arbuckle said. "And it makes getting on the same page, you know, really that much easier because there's so much good information that's being said, that's being brought up, that's being talked about."
The challenge is translating that collective knowledge into results on Saturdays. Oklahoma has shown flashes of what its offense can accomplish, particularly with its improved rushing performance against the Mississippi State Bulldogs, but consistency remains the priority. As the Sooners move deeper into SEC play, chemistry among the offensive coaches could help the unit make adjustments, build on its strengths and give the offense a clearer identity for the rest of the season.
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This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Ben Arbuckle praises collaboration among Oklahoma's offensive staff
