NORMAN — It’s hard to believe Ben Arbuckle has only been a college coordinator for three seasons.
Following one season as co-offensive coordinator at Western Kentucky, where he developed quarterback Austin Reed, Washington State took a chance on a 27-year-old Arbuckle, then the youngest primary coordinator in the country. In two seasons with the Cougars, he tutored future No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward and current OU quarterback John Mateer.
When he speaks, Arbuckle doesn’t sound like someone who was still in college himself less than a decade ago. When searching for someone to trust with a rebuild of the Sooners’ offense, Venables believed in Arbuckle’s scheme and knowledge despite his age and limited experience.
“There will be plenty of things. You learn, you grow and you adapt,” Venables said Wednesday ahead of Arbuckle’s first OU preseason camp. “I don’t know what all those things are. We’ll find out. You lean on the staff. If you’re going to be successful as a coordinator, you’re not going to do it alone. Can’t play quarterback alone. Can’t be the head coach and do things alone from this position either.”
Venables’ bet on Arbuckle is a significant one. The 29-year-old Arbuckle’s pedigree and success with quarterbacks speak for themselves and it helps that Arbuckle brought with him Mateer, who completed 64.6% of his passes for 3,139 yards and 29 touchdowns last season at Washington State.
The challenge for Arbuckle and Mateer will be emulating their prior success in the SEC. Venables strongly believes they will. After all, Venables was 28 when former Sooners coach Bob Stoops hired him as co-defensive coordinator ahead of the 1999 season.
“I feel good about the major change we had, a change at…
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Publish date : 2025-08-02 10:02:00
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