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Oklahoma Football Fall Camp is underway, and the early buzz out of Norman suggests the Sooners may be finding answers to some of the biggest questions standing between Brent Venables’ team and another College Football Playoff run.
On this edition of Rise & Shine College Football — BIG MONDAY, Jason Watkins breaks down what we’re hearing from Oklahoma’s first week of 2026 Fall Camp — including the development of John Mateer, the sudden buzz surrounding freshman running back Jonathan Hatton Jr., Oklahoma’s crowded running back battle and whether the Sooners are finally building the offensive balance they lacked last season.
Mateer returns after throwing for 2,885 yards and rushing for another 431 yards in 2025, when a thumb injury interrupted what had started as a potentially huge season. Oklahoma still won 10 games and reached the College Football Playoff, but the offense never consistently matched the level of Brent Venables’ defense.
Now the question is whether Year 2 of Mateer and Ben Arbuckle, an improved offensive line and a deeper running back room can change that.
And keep an eye on Hatton.
The highly regarded freshman arrived at Oklahoma after rushing for 1,359 yards and 17 touchdowns as a high school senior, and he has quickly become one of the most intriguing young players in camp.
We’re also talking:
🔥 John Mateer’s offseason reset and what Oklahoma needs from QB1
🔥 Jonathan Hatton Jr. and the Sooners’ running back competition
🔥 Lloyd Avant and whether OU finally has legitimate backfield depth
🔥 The offensive line and Michael Fasusi’s next step
🔥 Oklahoma’s loaded defensive front
🔥 Young Sooners beginning to push for playing time
🔥 Brent Venables’ biggest remaining position battles
🔥 Which Fall Camp reports we’re BUYING or SELLING
🔥 Whether OU’s ceiling is actually rising entering the 2026 season
The Sooners enter 2026 coming off a 10-win CFP season, but the path toward becoming a genuine SEC and national championship contender probably comes down to one thing:
Can Oklahoma's offense close the gap with its defense?
That’s what we’re digging into on BIG MONDAY.
Drop your answer in the comments:
Who will be Oklahoma’s biggest breakout player in 2026?
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