Ben Arbuckle jokes about facing Jaydn Ott at Washington State: 'He had his way with us'

When Jaydn Ott rushed for 167 yards and a touchdown in 2023 for Cal during a 27-15 win over Washington State, neither Ott nor then-Wazzu OC Ben Arbuckle knew they’d be teaming up in the SEC less than two seasons later. They’re now less than a month away from their first game as Oklahoma Sooners.

Ott touched the ball 30 times that day, scoring twice and totaling 185 yards of offense for the Golden Bears. It’s safe to say that Ott left an impression on Arbuckle at the time.

“He had his way with us that day,” Arbuckle joked with reporters on Wednesday. “He was a good player, so I knew he was a talented kid.”

That game against the Cougars was on the tail-end of his career-best 2023 season. That year, Ott exploded for 1,305 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. His 1,305 rushing yards were the ninth-most in the country that year.

He went on to finish 2024 with 116 carries for 385 yards and four touchdowns. He also hauled in 24 catches for 222 yards and a score. Those numbers came as a result of him playing through an ankle injury throughout the season, as they pale in comparison to Ott’s to previous campaigns. If he stays healthy he could produce similar numbers in the SEC in 2025.

“The thing that has impressed me the most about him is how diligent he is to his work and how intentional he is with everybody,” Arbuckle continued. “He doesn’t waste time. He does exactly what he needs to do in order to put himself in the best position possible. That’s what’s been most impressive to me.”

Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables spoke highly on Ott’s character, saying that the Washington State transfer shows “great humility,” and “tremendous work ethic,” on and off the field who has gained the trust of the locker room. He’s also a veteran running back with proven success at the then-Power Five level.

Ott will join new quarterback John Mateer as a part of a brand new backfield in Norman. Mateer followed Arbuckle to OU out of the NCAA transfer portal — both him and Ott will hear their number called all season long.

The transfer tailback will kick off his Oklahoma career against Illinois State on Aug. 30. Their first test of the season will come the following week when they host Michigan inside Memorial Stadium.