When Oklahoma hired Ben Arbuckle as its offensive coordinator ahead of the 2025 season, it sent a clear message: the Sooners are embracing the modern, high-octane passing attack that has defined college football’s elite. But while Arbuckle’s track record as an innovative play-caller suggests an exciting new era in Norman, there are still plenty of questions—and concerns—about how his offense will function in OU’s transition to the SEC.
As spring football gets underway, here are some of the biggest questions surrounding Arbuckle’s vision for Oklahoma’s offense in 2025.
1. Will the Air Raid Work in the SEC?
Ben Arbuckle, a disciple of the Air Raid, has built his reputation on high-efficiency passing and aggressive play-calling. His system thrived at Western Kentucky and Washington State, but those are very different environments from the trenches of the SEC.
Oklahoma is about to face bigger, faster defenses than ever before, and history suggests that pure Air Raid schemes struggle against elite defensive lines. Just ask Mike Leach at Mississippi State—when SEC defenses don’t have to respect the run, they feast on Air Raid quarterbacks. Will Arbuckle adjust, or will he stubbornly stick to his system?
2. Can Jackson Arnold Handle the Pressure?
Jackson Arnold is the future of OU football, but is he truly ready to thrive in a pass-heavy system?
Under Jeff Lebby, Arnold was expected to operate in an RPO-heavy offense that leaned on the run game. Now, he might be asked to throw 40+ times per game in an Air Raid-style attack.
- Does Arnold have the decision-making and pocket awareness to handle that responsibility?
- Can he withstand the hits that SEC pass rushers will inevitably deliver?
- Will the offensive line protect him, or will he be running for his life?
If Arnold struggles, does Arbuckle have a backup plan, or will the Sooners be forced to live and die by the pass?
3. What Happens to OU’s Run Game?
One of the biggest concerns about Arbuckle’s offense is that it might neglect the run game entirely.
Oklahoma has a stable of talented running backs, including Kaleo Keith and Xavier Robinson, who could thrive in a more balanced attack. But in Arbuckle’s system, will they even get enough touches to make an impact?
If Oklahoma becomes too one-dimensional, SEC defenses will have an easy time pinning their ears back and attacking the quarterback. The Sooners need some level of physicality to survive in the SEC, and it remains to be seen whether Arbuckle understands that reality.
4. Will Oklahoma’s Receivers Thrive?
If there’s one group that should benefit from Arbuckle’s scheme, it’s Oklahoma’s wide receivers.
Players like Nic Anderson, Jaquaize Pettaway, and Deion Burks could explode in a pass-happy offense that gives them more freedom to make plays in space. But will the lack of a dominant No. 1 receiver hurt OU?
Without a clear-cut go-to guy, can Arbuckle’s system manufacture enough big plays to keep defenses honest? Or will the Sooners struggle against SEC secondaries that boast elite man-to-man defenders?
5. Can Arbuckle Out-Scheme SEC Defensive Coordinators?
Perhaps the most critical question is whether Ben Arbuckle can match wits with the best defensive minds in college football.
The SEC is full of defensive geniuses, from Georgia’s Glenn Schumann to Alabama’s Kane Wommack and Texas’ Pete Kwiatkowski. They will bring pressure, disguise coverages, and force Arbuckle to adjust on the fly.
If Arbuckle can’t adapt, Oklahoma’s offense could look a lot like Mississippi State’s failed Air Raid experiment—a flashy but ineffective system that crumbles against top-tier competition.
Final Verdict: Boom or Bust?
Oklahoma fans should brace for one of two extremes:
- Boom: Arbuckle’s Air Raid lights up the scoreboard, Arnold becomes a star, and Oklahoma’s offense stuns the SEC with its explosiveness.
- Bust: The Sooners struggle against elite defenses, Arbuckle’s system gets exposed, and OU fans are left wondering why they abandoned the run game in the first place.
Spring football will offer early clues, but the real test begins in the fall. Will Arbuckle’s offense be a revelation or a disaster? Only time will tell.