NORMAN — There isn’t one quick fix that will suddenly make Oklahoma’s offense good.

Quarterback John Mateer has turned the ball over six times over the last three weeks. OU’s offensive line has allowed 44 quarterback pressures. And the Sooners are averaging only 2.9 yards per carry.

With eight SEC games left on the schedule, several things must change for OU to avoid complete disaster.

The Sooners’ offense won’t suddenly become a juggernaut even if several players step up. But a few breakouts could allow the unit to become serviceable enough to at least win a few games they otherwise would not.

Here are a few players OU can lean on to get more production out of the offense:

WR Isaiah Sategna

In the midst of OU’s offensive woes, wide receiver Isaiah Sategna has built on his 2025 consistency in the first four weeks of the 2026 season.

Sategna is up to 267 yards and two touchdowns on 20 catches. He was held to only one catch for nine yards in the loss to Michigan on Sept. 12, but aside from that game, the wideout has given opposing defenses fits, thanks to his sprinter speed.

The former track star has been able to regularly separate from defenders, and as a result, he’s been a fairly reliable option for Mateer.

Going forward, the Sooners would be wise to continue feeding him down the field while also looking for creative ways to get him involved.

TE Rocky Beers

Tight end Rocky Beers, who is playing his sixth college football season, has easily been OU’s most productive 2026 transfer portal addition.

Beers trails only Sategna with 255 yards and two touchdowns on 18 catches over his first four games at Oklahoma. The 6-foot-5, 240-pound tight end — who caught seven touchdown passes at Colorado State in 2025 — is Oklahoma’s top graded offensive player, per Pro Football Focus, at 75.8.

Against Georgia, Beers was a major part of OU’s game plan, and he finished the 41-13 loss with eight passes for 84 yards and a touchdown. The Sooners, however, didn’t have him on the field for several key moments, including Mateer’s first fumble and the two-point conversion attempt in the third quarter.

Beers is one of the only players who has consistently produced, and the Sooners must use him as an almost-every-down guy.

WR Elijah Thomas

Sophomore receiver Elijah Thomas has played 139 snaps this year. But he has only caught four passes for 38 yards.

The Checotah, Okla., product has been wide-open on multiple occasions, but Mateer has connected with him only a handful of times. Most recently, he was open on the Sooners’ fourth-down attempt in the second quarter against Georgia — but Mateer didn’t throw to him, instead fumbling and giving the Bulldogs possession at OU’s 11-yard line.

Though Thomas has played plenty of snaps, the Sooners need to use him more in their game plan. It’s clear that the second-year wideout has big-play ability, and OU’s coaches regularly raved about his growth throughout the offseason.

If he doesn’t see a more significant role, Thomas might understandably explore other options after the season.

TE Trynae Washington

Tight end Trynae Washington is another second-year offensive player who garnered significant praise during the offseason.

Washington has appeared on 28 snaps in 2026, but he has still yet to record a catch.

Notably, he was one of the tight ends on the field for Mateer’s first fumble against Georgia. The Bulldogs quickly covered up Jack Van Dorselaer, but Washington was wide-open near the goal line — and Mateer just didn’t throw him the ball, instead coughing it up and allowing Georgia linebacker Chris Cole to return it for a touchdown.

Between Beers’ success and Hayden Hansen’s 31-yard touchdown reception against New Mexico, it’s clear that the tight end room has improved. And considering that Washington hasn’t gotten many chances to showcase his pass-catching skills, it’s worth giving him some targets in the games ahead to see if he can add any new wrinkles to the offense.

QB Whitt Newbauer

Finally, making a quarterback change from Mateer to Whitt Newbauer is worth exploring.

Through four games, Mateer has already turned the ball over six times. The Sooners are already at two losses, and they still have to battle eight more SEC opponents.

OU’s quarterback play can’t get much worse, and if Mateer plays against Texas, it likely won’t get any better.

Newbauer transferred to Oklahoma before the 2025 season after starting several games for Mercer as a true freshman in 2024. Most of his appearances that year came against FCS competition, but he did complete 15 of 22 pass attempts for 152 yards, a touchdown and an interception in a loss to Alabama.

Is it possible that Newbauer comes in, struggles and proves that he isn’t the guy? Sure.

But, even if temporary, a quarterback change is necessary for the offense to possibly find a sliver of momentum.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook and X for the latest news.