Why playing with Ben Arbuckle, John Mateer drew Jaydn Ott to OU

NORMAN — Before Ben Arbuckle and Jaydn Ott eventually joined forces in Norman, the two squared off as opponents in 2023.

Ott was the running back at California when the Golden Bears hosted Washington State, led by then-offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle. Cal prevailed, 42-39, and Ott had a field day against the Cougars, finishing with 27 carries, 185 total yards, two touchdowns.

That was Arbuckle’s first glimpse at Ott, and it stuck with him.

“He had his way with us that day,” Arbuckle joked during Wednesday’s media day.

That game stuck with Ott, too. When he entered the transfer portal in April, he knew he wanted to play in the SEC and immediately narrowed down his options to Oklahoma and Georgia.

One of the biggest selling points for the Sooners?

“Getting to play with John (Mateer),” Ott said. “I think they have something good going on. This offense is very familiar. I played against Arbuckle and his offense at Wazzu while I was at Cal, and so I was just familiar with what he has going on. So I thought it was a good place.”

Now, Arbuckle has the opportunity to deploy Ott in his offense.

Ott was one of the country’s most explosive playmakers during his time at Cal. He’s logged over 3,100 total yards and 30 touchdowns while averaging nearly five yards per carry. His breakout season came in 2023, when he finished with 1,315 rushing yards and 12 scores.

He’s proven he can succeed in both gap and zone-scheme running plays. He’s averaged over three years after contact through his career and has 69 carries of 10 yards or more. That versatility and explosiveness should be helpful for the Sooners.

“I just like to get into open space, man,” Ott said. “Once I see that green, like, I get to high stepping. I want to run the ball and then also get out wide

The biggest addition is Ott’s receiving ability. He caught 95 passes for 736 yards and six scores at Cal, including a career-high 46 receptions as a true freshman. That’s a dimension that wasn’t there for the Sooners a season ago.

He’s excited to bring his skillset to Arbuckle’s offense.

“His spread offense is really exciting,” Ott said. “There was a play a couple years ago where I lined up at the slot against Wazzu, when he was there, and I ran like a shallow route and took it in for a touchdown. Talking to him throughout this whole summer and throughout the whole recruiting process, there was a lot of clips like that that he was showing where he planned on moving me out wide and not just using me out of the backfield like a traditional running back.”

Arbuckle’s learned a lot about Ott in a short time, too. That game back in 2023 was his first impression of Ott, and Arbuckle’s view of him has only improved since he arrived in Norman.

“The thing that has impressed me the most is how diligent he is with his work and how intentional he is with everybody,” Arbuckle said. “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 has been the most impressive to me is his diligence and intentionality.”

The Sooners adding Ott was one of the biggest splashes in the transfer portal, and there are immediate expectations for OU’s offense to be much better in 2025. With Ott and Mateer in the mix, the Sooners hope their ceiling is significantly higher under Arbuckle’s offense.

Ott is confident all of that will come together on the field.

“I think we have a really good chance to be in a national championship this year and do good things on our offense and get Oklahoma back to what it’s used to,” Ott said. “I know last year wasn’t what everyone around here was used to. And so I’m just excited to be a part of that and help the team get to where they need to be.”

Fall camp is underway for the Oklahoma Sooners, and OUInsider has you covered with every piece of VIP and insider information. All the depth chart changes, practice breakdowns, and recruiting intel can be found on OUInsider VIP!

Join OUInsider now for $1 your first week and enjoy a complimentary year of The Athletic – included with your membership.

No, this deal is NOT too good to be true! Take advantage of this great deal today!
Sign up here: https://www.on3.com/sites/ou-insider/join/