The Florida Gators are looking to get back on track after falling to 5-3 on the season with a 27-8 loss to rival Georgia. This week, head coach Jon Sumrall's team welcomes the 4-4 Oklahoma Sooners to town.
Leading into the matchup, Sooners head coach Brent Venables has shaken up his coaching staff. Earlier this week, the school announced that it was parting ways with offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle, who had been with the team since last season.
To replace him, Venables is handing play-calling duties to Oklahoma tight ends coach and former Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten. He was hired by Venables in Jan. 2026.
So what can Florida's defense expect going up against a new play-caller? Let's take a look at Witten's coaching history to find out.
Jason Witten won a pair of state championships while coaching Texas high school football
Of course, Witten is primarily known for his NFL career as a tight end. He played college football for three seasons at Tennessee from 2000-2002, and was selected in the third round of the 2003 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys. He spent 16 of his 17 NFL seasons with the Cowboys, where he solidified himself as one of the league's greatest tight ends.
Across his 17 seasons, he racked up 1,228 receptions for 13,046 yards with 74 touchdowns. He was a two-time first-team All-Pro in 2007 and 2010, and was an 11-time Pro Bowler. His receptions rank fourth all-time in NFL and 22nd in yards among all receivers, third in tight ends behind Tony Gonzalez and Travis Kelce.
Jon Sumrall believes Florida still has a lot to play for despite CFP being out of reach
After retiring from the NFL officially in 2020, he tried his hand at coaching high school football. He was the head coach at Liberty Christian Football in Argyle, Texas from 2021-2025. He led the Warriors to back-to-back state championships for the first time in school history in 2023 and 2024. Liberty plays in the state's Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS) division. Per the school, Witten's teams outscored their opponents 1,375-269 during those seasons, which was an average of 39.9 points per game. His first state title in 2023 was the school's first-ever 14-0 season:
Former #Cowboys tight end Jason Witten just led Argyle Liberty Christian to a state championship and its first-ever perfect season (14-0) in just his third season as the helm
— Jett Beachum (@JetthroTV) December 2, 2023
"Football's changed my life. It's given me so much over the years. This is what you play for and coach… pic.twitter.com/EX6aRjlOV7
Arbuckle's second season in Norman did not go well. He and Sooners quarterback John Mateer did great things at Washington State in 2024, and helped lead Oklahoma to a CFP bid last season. But more than halfway through the 2026 season, the Sooners rank 111th in total offense, tied at 108th in scoring (22 PPG), and are 128th in rushing offense.
Witten has been leading a tight ends unit that's led by star Sooners tight end Rocky Beers. He is second on the team in receiving with 446 yards and four touchdowns, getting 13.1 yards per catch.
"Coach Witten will serve as offensive coordinator and play-caller for the remainder of the season," Oklahoma coach Brent Venables said in a statement of the change. "Beginning today, he will lead our offensive staff in preparing a clear and focused plan that gives our players the best opportunity to execute with confidence."
Witten will have just a few days to switch things up offensively for Mateer. The Sooners quarterback goes on the road to face a Florida offense that ranks 104th in passing defense, giving up 235.8 yards in the air per game. But it will be a challenge for Florida defensively, as it could see some new wrinkles on offense that Witten adds in.
Florida's defense will look to create turnovers
The biggest key for Florida will be forcing turnovers off of Mateer, which he has struggled with all year. He's thrown seven interceptions on the season, but hasn't thrown any in games against Mississippi State and South Carolina. He has three fumbles so far this season.
John Mateer has more turnovers (9) than 42 FBS teams. pic.twitter.com/LpSgND9Iyq
— The Main Line (@TheMainLinePod) October 19, 2026
Florida's defense has recovered just 10 turnovers this year. If the Gators defense can get some turnovers to give Florida's offense short fields, it could help get some easy points on the board early.
We'll see how Oklahoma's offense looks with a new offensive coordinator in Witten first-hand on Saturday.
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