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Fall camp is underway in Norman, and the Oklahoma Sooners are less than a month away from kicking off the 2026 regular season. After a 10-win year in 2025 that resulted in a trip to the College Football Playoff, the focus has been on going from good to great for head coach Brent Venables' team.
With the offseason beginning to draw to a close, it's time to take a look at each position on OU's roster to see where things stand heading into the season. After players from last year's team left via the transfer portal or exhausted eligibility and the Sooners replenished the roster via the portal and high school recruiting, there are plenty of new faces looking to make an impact and returning names looking to take a step forward.
Today, we'll dive into the quarterback position, coached by offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Ben Arbuckle and quarterbacks coach John Kuceyeski. There's much more stability in the room than in years past, which should bode well for the Sooners.
Mateer is back for his final collegiate season and his second as the starting quarterback at Oklahoma. After a strong start to the year in 2025, his level of play dropped after breaking his thumb. After having the hand surgery, he couldn't throw the ball the same way he could in September, and the Sooner offense struggled along with him.
Still, Mateer was able to help push OU to the playoff, showing a lot of mental and physical toughness down the stretch of the season. His push to improve this offseason has been one of the talking points in Norman since January.
Mateer has been open about his work on his footwork, his throwing mechanics, his ability to read defenses, and his decision-making. If he can take the step forward he's been chasing, the Sooners will be better overall. He and Arbuckle will still be the engine driving the offense in Norman this fall.
Behind Mateer, there's a battle for the backup quarterback job between Newbauer and Bentley. Newbauer is entering his second season at OU, and he has some starting experience from his 2024 season at Mercer as a freshman. Bentley is a highly-touted freshman who the Sooners landed in the 2026 recruiting class. While the goal is certainly for Mateer to stay healthy, Oklahoma will have a choice to make if he is unable to be on the field.
Newbauer has more experience in Arbuckle's system, and he brings excellent size to the position. Bentley has really high upside, and is seen by many as the heir-apparent to Mateer, though Newbauer will have something to say about that next offseason. If Mateer were to be out for a short amount of time, or it's the end of a blowout win, perhaps Newbauer would take the field. If Mateer had to miss significant time, it could be Bentley that winds up under center instead.
Niu rounds out the QB room in Norman, as he also enters his second season at OU. He was the first high school passer that Arbuckle and Kuceyeski brought to the Sooners in the 2025 recruiting class, and while he isn't likely to see much action this year, he's an important part of the group. He'll be helping the Sooners get better over the course of the season.
It's been a couple of years since Oklahoma had the kind of quarterback room stability that they'll enjoy this year, both at the coaching level and with the players that make up the group. Oklahoma believes it will get the best of Mateer this season, and they are fully behind him in 2026. How he goes will ultimately determine how much offensive success, and by proxy how much overall success, the Sooners have this season.
Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes and opinions. You can also follow Aaron on X@Aaron_Gelvin.
This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Oklahoma Sooners 2026 Positional Previews: Quarterback
Continue reading...
With the offseason beginning to draw to a close, it's time to take a look at each position on OU's roster to see where things stand heading into the season. After players from last year's team left via the transfer portal or exhausted eligibility and the Sooners replenished the roster via the portal and high school recruiting, there are plenty of new faces looking to make an impact and returning names looking to take a step forward.
Today, we'll dive into the quarterback position, coached by offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Ben Arbuckle and quarterbacks coach John Kuceyeski. There's much more stability in the room than in years past, which should bode well for the Sooners.
The Players
- John Mateer: 5th-year
- Whitt Newbauer: Junior
- Jett Niu: Sophomore
- Bowe Bentley: Freshman
Mateer is back for his final collegiate season and his second as the starting quarterback at Oklahoma. After a strong start to the year in 2025, his level of play dropped after breaking his thumb. After having the hand surgery, he couldn't throw the ball the same way he could in September, and the Sooner offense struggled along with him.
Still, Mateer was able to help push OU to the playoff, showing a lot of mental and physical toughness down the stretch of the season. His push to improve this offseason has been one of the talking points in Norman since January.
Mateer has been open about his work on his footwork, his throwing mechanics, his ability to read defenses, and his decision-making. If he can take the step forward he's been chasing, the Sooners will be better overall. He and Arbuckle will still be the engine driving the offense in Norman this fall.
Behind Mateer, there's a battle for the backup quarterback job between Newbauer and Bentley. Newbauer is entering his second season at OU, and he has some starting experience from his 2024 season at Mercer as a freshman. Bentley is a highly-touted freshman who the Sooners landed in the 2026 recruiting class. While the goal is certainly for Mateer to stay healthy, Oklahoma will have a choice to make if he is unable to be on the field.
Newbauer has more experience in Arbuckle's system, and he brings excellent size to the position. Bentley has really high upside, and is seen by many as the heir-apparent to Mateer, though Newbauer will have something to say about that next offseason. If Mateer were to be out for a short amount of time, or it's the end of a blowout win, perhaps Newbauer would take the field. If Mateer had to miss significant time, it could be Bentley that winds up under center instead.
Niu rounds out the QB room in Norman, as he also enters his second season at OU. He was the first high school passer that Arbuckle and Kuceyeski brought to the Sooners in the 2025 recruiting class, and while he isn't likely to see much action this year, he's an important part of the group. He'll be helping the Sooners get better over the course of the season.
It's been a couple of years since Oklahoma had the kind of quarterback room stability that they'll enjoy this year, both at the coaching level and with the players that make up the group. Oklahoma believes it will get the best of Mateer this season, and they are fully behind him in 2026. How he goes will ultimately determine how much offensive success, and by proxy how much overall success, the Sooners have this season.
Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes and opinions. You can also follow Aaron on X@Aaron_Gelvin.
This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Oklahoma Sooners 2026 Positional Previews: Quarterback
Continue reading...
