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Ep. 449 - Ben Arbuckle is Out. Who Should OU Hire Next? Lee and Grant react to Brent Venables showing Ben Arbuckle the door. They look back at what went wrong during Arbuckle’s 21 games at OU and examine whether his biggest problem was John Mateer, an ineffective running game or a much larger dysfunction within OU’s offensive operation. Jason Witten takes over as interim offensive coordinator, creating one of the strangest situations of the Venables era. The guys discuss what Witten can realistically change in a matter of days, whether OU could make a quarterback change and why Kevin Wilson wasn’t elevated instead? Then the guys turn toward the future and discuss what Oklahoma needs from its next offensive coordinator. Chip Kelly headlines an early group of possible candidates as the guys debate whether Venables needs his offensive version of the role he once filled for Dabo Swinney at Clemson. Finally, the Sooners head to Gainesville as a 6.5-point underdog against Florida. The guys go through the injury report, what they want to see from OU’s defense after the South Carolina debacle, expectations for Witten’s first game calling plays and whether OU can pull off a surprise in The Swamp before closing with another round of college football picks against the spread. Chapters/Timecodes 00:00 — Opening Take: Why Ben Arbuckle’s offense failed at Oklahoma 06:03 — Reacting to OU firing Ben Arbuckle 10:58 — Could Oklahoma make a quarterback change? 16:07 — Is Ben Arbuckle actually a good offensive coordinator? 23:08 — The numbers from Arbuckle’s 21 games at OU 26:26 — Jason Witten named interim offensive coordinator 27:50 — Why wasn’t Kevin Wilson given the job? 34:09 — Could Jason Witten become the full-time OC? 37:08 — What does all of this mean for Brent Venables? 41:15 — Venables’ eye-opening comments about fixing the offense 45:39 — Oklahoma’s offensive coordinator search begins 46:24 — What does OU actually need from its next OC? 52:52 — Is Chip Kelly the ideal candidate? 1:14:48 — Final thoughts on the early OC candidates 1:15:07 — Oklahoma-Florida preview 1:18:27 — What does OU’s defense need to show? 1:19:07 — Oklahoma and Florida injury report 1:22:13 — Can OU win in The Swamp? 1:33:51 — Weekly picks against the spread 1:47:09 — Picks recap Subscribe to the West of Everest YouTube channel Follow the show on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and please leave a five-star rating and review if you enjoy the podcast.

Ep. 448 - OU Gets Embarrassed Again by South Carolina. What Now? It was one of the worst games of the Brent Venables era as OU fell to South Carolina 42-25 on Owen Field Saturday. After carrying the team for much of the season, OU’s defense was finally overwhelmed by a good SC offense. We don’t talk much about the game, it’s mostly about the state of the program. Lee and Grant examine Venables’ 36-24 record, OU’s struggles against P4 competition and the mediocre results since joining the SEC. They also revisit the contract extension and massive buyout that could make a coaching change difficult, while asking what responsibility belongs to Oklahoma’s administration and whether simply hiring another offensive coordinator can realistically solve the program’s problems. We read your “3-Word Reviews” as fan apathy seems to have hit a new high. Chapters/Timecodes 00:00 — South Carolina embarrasses Oklahoma 42-25 02:35 — Is this Brent Venables’ worst Oklahoma team? 05:15 — Another disastrous offensive performance 08:00 — Grant: the loss barely felt surprising anymore 12:02 — Is Oklahoma football at an inflection point? 14:49 — The “Lincoln Riley gutted the program” argument 17:03 — Venables’ record against P4 teams 17:34 — Oklahoma’s troubling SEC numbers 19:39 — Can a new offensive coordinator actually fix this? 20:04 — The Venables contract and $50M-plus buyout problem 25:48 — Another losing season is now very possible 27:00 — Who is responsible for the contract extension? 32:50 — Listener three-word reviews begin 34:22 — Has apathy taken over the OU fan base? 36:46 — What happened to Michael Fasusi? 41:28 — Are fans focusing on the wrong fixes? 43:34 — Mateer, Arbuckle and distrust in the offensive staff 48:00 — Ivan Carreon finally gets his opportunity 48:57 — OU loses despite winning the turnover battle 3-0 50:03 — Grant goes down the list of all the teams ranked ahead of OU in SP+ 1:02:53 — The atmosphere at Owen Field and fans leaving early 1:10:53 — Breaking down OU’s defensive breakdowns 1:16:48 — Looking ahead to Florida Subscribe to the West of Everest YouTube channel Follow the show on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and please leave a five-star rating and review if you enjoy the podcast.

Ep. 447 - What if OU Wins Out? + South Carolina Preview As OU enters game 8, the guys take stock of a Sooners defense that remains very good , but has clearly taken a step back from last season. Why isn’t Brent Venables’ defense forcing more turnovers, what happened to the dominant run defense and pass rush, and are opposing offenses simply playing differently against OU? The guys also answer a listener question: what would it actually mean if OU wins out and finishes 9-3? The South Carolina preview includes the latest injury report (hopefully Peyton Bowen can play!), the importance of Michael Fasusi and whether John Mateer can put together another turnover-free performance. The Sooners should have a path to win at home, but nothing is predictable with this team. They finish with a look at the national scene and weekly picks against the spread. Chapters/Timecodes 00:00 — Opening Take: Why isn’t OU’s defense forcing more turnovers? 05:02 — Are opponents changing how they attack Brent Venables? 09:10 — Revisiting our preseason defensive predictions 14:20 — How far has Oklahoma’s run defense fallen? 16:19 — Is OU’s defense actually elite this season? 20:58 — Listener question: What if Oklahoma wins out? 25:34 — Would a 9-3 finish prove the offense actually improved? 27:23 — Sustainable success vs. another defense-driven run 29:44 — Are expectations being lowered under Brent Venables? 34:19 — Is Venables searching for his “head coach of offense”? 42:30 — Oklahoma-South Carolina preview begins 43:24 — Injury report: Peyton Bowen and other key Sooners 54:34 — Breaking down LaNorris Sellers and South Carolina’s offense 57:50 — Can OU’s offense build on Mississippi State? 1:00:26 — The simplest key: John Mateer must protect the football 1:01:16 — Should Oklahoma beat South Carolina? 1:05:47 — How Grant sees the game playing out 1:11:03 — Around college football 1:24:04 — Weekly picks against the spread Subscribe to the West of Everest YouTube channel Follow the show on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and please leave a five-star rating and review if you enjoy the podcast.

Ep. 446 - Mateer’s Best Game at OU? Sooners Beat Mississippi State OU’s back in the win column and the offense actually looked pretty good for a full game. Lee and Grant break down John Mateer’s best performance as OU’s quarterback, the season-high 467 yards, a much-improved running game and whether Ben Arbuckle finally found a version of the offense that can work. The guys also discuss the impact of Michael Fasusi’s return at left tackle, strong performances from Isaiah Sategna, Rocky Beers, Tory Blaylock and Lloyd Avant, and the dramatic difference between Mateer’s conservative first half and much more aggressive second half. They also debate the controversial Beers no-touchdown call and why Oklahoma still failed to turn a dominant statistical performance into a comfortable blowout. The defense was great again, OU dominated, but still only won by 8 points. Plus, listener three-word reviews, Tate Sandell’s rough day, Oklahoma’s bizarre win-loss pattern and an early look toward South Carolina. Chapters/Timecodes 00:00 — OU beats Mississippi State 23-15 05:21 — Was this John Mateer’s best game at Oklahoma? 07:06 — A tale of two halves for Mateer and the offense 10:13 — Oklahoma finally establishes a running game 11:07 — Michael Fasusi’s return changes the offensive line 15:59 — Mateer’s first-half vs. second-half numbers 20:14 — OU dominated, so why was the game still close? 24:39 — Is there finally something for the offense to build on? 29:23 — Isaiah Sategna, Rocky Beers and OU’s top pass catchers 30:06 — Was Rocky Beers’ end-zone play actually a touchdown? 38:30 — Defensive standouts against Mississippi State 45:20 — Three-word reviews and what the win really means 53:17 — What’s going on with Tate Sandell? 55:44 — Is Oklahoma’s defense still elite? 1:04:03 — OU’s bizarre win-loss-win-loss streak 1:05:19 — Early look at South Carolina 1:09:05 — Could Oklahoma still reach the SEC Championship Game? 1:26:10 — Final thoughts and looking ahead Subscribe to the West of Everest YouTube channel Follow the show on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and please leave a five-star rating and review if you enjoy the podcast.

Ep. 445 - What Would It Take To Bench John Mateer? + Mississippi State Preview What does it mean to remain invested in Oklahoma football when you no longer believe in the people leading the program? Grant tackles that question in his opening take. Then Lee and Grant turn to Oklahoma’s broken offense. John Mateer will remain the starting quarterback against Mississippi State, we hear from Ben Arbuckle and would making a change actually matter? The guys also react to Arbuckle’s explanation for why Ryan Fodje remained on the field for many snaps after injuring his foot against Kentucky. What does this say about the coordination and leadership of Oklahoma’s offense. Then it’s a preview of OU-Mississippi State, including the uncertain status of Bulldogs quarterback Kamario Taylor, Oklahoma’s depleted offensive line, what the defense needs to do and whether the Sooners can simply avoid enough mistakes to win in Starkville. Chapters/Timecodes 00:00 — Opening Take: What happens when a fan stops believing? 05:50 — Brent Venables misses the weekly press conference 06:58 — Ben Arbuckle explains why Mateer is still QB1 09:29 — Why a quarterback change probably won’t fix OU 11:01 — The strongest argument for trying Whit Neubauer 11:52 — Do you trust OU’s quarterback evaluation? 15:15 — Should Ben Arbuckle be worried about his job? 18:07 — What if Whit Neubauer actually looked better? 19:02 — Comparing Oklahoma’s QB situation with Texas 20:34 — What would it take to bench Mateer? 21:56 — Ben Arbuckle explains why Fodje stayed in the game 22:41 — Grant: the Fodje situation symbolizes the bigger problem 23:28 — Why Arbuckle’s explanation is a bad look 27:01 — Leadership and communication breakdowns 29:42 — Oklahoma’s offensive-line outlook vs. Mississippi State 30:09 — Could Michael Fasusi finally return? 31:10 — What OU’s offensive line may look like 34:30 — Oklahoma-Mississippi State preview begins 35:16 — Will Kamario Taylor play? 39:05 — Why OU should win if Mississippi State starts its backup QB 40:31 — How Venables may defend Jeff Lebby’s offense 41:38 — What Oklahoma’s defense needs to show 42:56 — Can OU generate more organic pass rush? 45:20 — What Oklahoma’s offense needs to show 45:30 — Can OU simply finish drives and avoid turnovers? 46:39 — Breaking down Mississippi State’s defense 47:46 — The simple formula: don’t turn it over 48:10 — Score prediction discussion 51:18 — Weekly picks against the spread 52:20 — Indiana at Michigan, Tennessee-SC, Iowa-Minn, Ole Miss-Texas 59:16 — USC at Wisconsin 1:00:14 — Picks recap 1:00:49 — Final thoughts on Starkville Subscribe to the West of Everest YouTube channel Follow the show on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and please leave a five-star rating and review if you enjoy the podcast.

Ep. 444 - OU Flops Following Texas Win, Loses to Kentucky at Home OU followed its emotional win over Texas with a 21-13 home loss to Kentucky, falling to 3-3 overall and effectively ending any realistic College Football Playoff hopes. Despite showing signs of life early, OU’s offense reverted back to their usual selves when it mattered most. The guys also examine the larger coaching picture. Kentucky looked like the more buttoned-up team under first-year head coach Will Stein, while Oklahoma continues to struggle with many of the same problems that have followed Brent Venables throughout his tenure. They discuss Venables’ newly revealed buyout, why the recent contract extension matters so much and whether Oklahoma has financially boxed itself into a difficult spot. Plus, Lee & Grant talk about Ryan Fodje’s injury and what all went into that sequence of events. Stick around for listener “3-word reviews”. Chapters/Timecodes 00:00 — OU loses and the same problems keep showing up 03:17 — Grant’s first reaction to the loss 08:22 — Why coaching makes players look better or worse 10:27 — Mateer was playing well — until the interception 14:23 — Mateer’s turnover problem in perspective 18:37 — Venables’ contract extension and the bigger picture 21:23 — Why we thought Oklahoma would beat Kentucky 22:48 — OU’s turnover numbers are among the worst in college football 26:30 — Venables’ $51.67 million buyout 30:23 — Can Venables ever fix the offense? 34:35 — The Ryan Fodje injury situation was crazy 40:59 — Reconstructing the Fodje timeline 44:49 — The Mateer turnover changes everything 46:36 — Why was Fodje still on the field? 56:03 — Kentucky scores only 14 offensive points and still wins 56:41 — Three-word reviews begin 59:27 — “Numb to losses” and more fan reaction 1:00:54 — Should OU just eat the buyout now? 1:02:00 — Can a new offensive staff actually save this? 1:04:26 — Venables’ postgame explanation of the Fodje situation 1:07:10 — More fan reaction: “John Blake bad” 1:08:20 — Revisiting the fake field goal 1:10:29 — Injuries and another frustrating pattern 1:12:38 — What expectations should be for the rest of the season 1:13:14 — Kentucky’s rebuild makes OU’s situation look worse Subscribe to the West of Everest YouTube channel Follow the show on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and please leave a five-star rating and review if you enjoy the podcast.

Ep. 443 - Did Beating Texas Save OU’s Season? + Kentucky Preview Did OU’s emotional 27-24 win over Texas change the direction of the Sooners’ season? Lee and Grant run through several reasons for optimism, followed by realistic reasons why it’s fair to be skeptical. What expectations should we have for OU over the final seven games? Then it’s a full Oklahoma-Kentucky preview. The guys break down the latest injury report, Will Stein’s Kentucky offense, Kenny Minchey, Kentucky’s offensive line, OU’s matchup advantages on defense and whether Ben Arbuckle can finally get more out of Oklahoma’s offense against one of the weaker defenses the Sooners have faced. The show closes with score predictions and the weekly college football picks against the spread. Chapters/Timecodes 00:00 — Opening Take: Did beating Texas save Oklahoma’s season? 07:15 — Did beating Texas prove OU can beat anybody? 11:11 — Did OU finally find something in the run game? 11:28 — Mateer: OU is 5-1 when he doesn’t turn it over 13:13 — The biggest reason for optimism: the remaining schedule 17:04 — Why an unranked OU is favored over No. 15 Kentucky 18:12 — Peyton Bowen’s leadership: meaningful or overrated? 20:06 — Oklahoma’s defense remains the biggest reason for hope 24:18 — Can OU repeat last year’s backs-against-the-wall run? 30:05 — Oklahoma has the worst offense in the Power Four 33:20 — One Mateer turnover changes everything 34:22 — The difficult offenses still ahead on OU’s schedule 36:00 — What should Oklahoma’s expectations be now? 41:05 — Oklahoma-Kentucky preview begins 42:18 — Latest OU injury report 43:14 — Eli Bowen, Michael Fasusi and offensive-line concerns 45:36 — How injuries could reshape Oklahoma’s lineup 49:00 — Breaking down Kentucky’s offense 54:19 — Why Kentucky’s offense knows exactly what it wants to be 55:25 — Is Kentucky’s offensive line really the best OU has faced? 59:58 — Kentucky’s creative use of tight ends 1:04:00 — How Will Stein schemes easy throws 1:08:10 — Kenny Minchey’s strengths and limitations 1:09:43 — Can OU’s offense take advantage of Kentucky’s defense? 1:13:54 — What OU’s defense must do against Kentucky 1:15:16 — Third downs and Oklahoma’s pass defense 1:16:49 — What OU’s offense needs to show 1:18:59 — Oklahoma-Kentucky score predictions 1:22:57 — Around college football 1:27:59 — Ohio State at Indiana 1:29:26 — Alabama at Tennessee 1:30:58 — Missouri at Ole Miss 1:34:00 — Wisconsin at UCLA 1:35:49 — Nebraska at Oregon Subscribe to the West of Everest YouTube channel Follow the show on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and please leave a five-star rating and review if you enjoy the podcast.

Ep. 442 - OU Shocks No. 1 Texas on Sandell's Walk-Off Field Goal Oklahoma stunned No. 1 Texas 27-24 in the Cotton Bowl, and Lee and Grant break down how the Sooners found the narrow path to a massive Red River win. The guys evaluate John Mateer’s performance and whether Ben Arbuckle may finally be finding a more manageable formula for the OU offense. They also dig into Lloyd Avant’s breakout third quarter. On defense, Oklahoma made Arch Manning uncomfortable, forced seven three-and-outs and got major performances from Peyton Bowen, Courtland Guillory, Tristan Haynes, David Stone and others. The guys also read your “3-word reviews”! Chapters/Timecodes 01:40 — Grant begins the Texas victory lap 03:03 — Texas blinked under the bright lights 07:49 — Oklahoma followed the exact upset recipe 09:42 — OU finally finds something in the run game 11:09 — Why OU made the winning plays and Texas didn’t 12:13 — John Mateer: not great, but good enough 18:17 — OU finally gets some turnover luck 19:27 — Courtland Guillory’s interception and Venables’ pressure call 20:12 — Trystan Haynes shines in a huge spot 22:59 — OU finally makes Arch Manning uncomfortable 23:35 — Seven three-and-outs from the Oklahoma defense 25:23 — Lloyd Avant and the third-quarter run-game breakthrough 29:18 — Can Oklahoma build on the running game? 34:00 — The new offensive formula: just manage the game 34:57 — David Stone continues his breakout 36:18 — Jayden Jackson and OU’s defensive front 39:36 — Owen Heinecke, Danny Okoye and defensive standouts 42:09 — Was Texas finally due to lay an egg? 49:10 — Three-word reviews begin 49:59 — The frustrating side of the John Mateer experience 51:48 — Arbuckle’s play-calling and the failed trick play 56:03 — Peyton Bowen talks about the pick-six 57:22 — Tate Sandell’s walk-off field goal 1:00:04 — More three-word reviews: Sategna, Avant and the heroes 1:01:03 — Did this win change Oklahoma’s season? 1:05:21 — How strong is the SEC this season? 1:07:26 — Is there an elite team in college football this year? 1:10:33 — More fan reaction: Golden Hat back 1:12:25 — Celebrate now, but skepticism remains 1:12:53 — Why Kentucky still matters enormously 1:18:27 — Should Sark have kicked the late field goal? 1:23:01 — Sategna’s final catch and the OU sideline reaction 1:25:26 — Closing thoughts: enjoy beating Texas Subscribe to the West of Everest YouTube channel Follow the show on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and please leave a five-star rating and review if you enjoy the podcast.

Ep. 441 - Does OU’s Season Hinge on What Happens vs. Texas? Oklahoma needs a win to change the direction of its season. Lee and Grant break down whether the Sooners have a realistic path to upsetting No. 1 Texas. The guys also react to Brent Venables’ strong comments about the instability and development problems inside the offensive line room. Has the time finally come for a change with Bill Bedenbaugh? Then it’s a full OU-Texas preview: the latest SEC injury report, Arch Manning and the Texas offense, Oklahoma’s only realistic upset formula, whether Texas is truly as vulnerable as its raw offensive numbers suggest, and score predictions. The show closes with a look around college football and the weekly picks against the spread. Chapters/Timecodes 00:00 — Opening Take: Is Texas the most beatable No. 1 team in years? 02:40 — OU-Texas week: the greatest atmosphere in college football 04:09 — Lee and Grant’s favorite Red River memories 05:43 — Could 2009 provide the blueprint for this year? 07:48 — OU-Texas history and why this rivalry is so unpredictable 10:49 — Why Texas usually brings its best against Oklahoma 14:13 — The one thing Texas hasn’t done poorly in this rivalry 16:38 — Brent Venables’ comments on the offensive line 18:54 — Was Venables calling out Bill Bedenbaugh? 27:17 — OU’s last elite high-school-developed offensive lineman 31:15 — Comparing OU’s offensive line development to Texas 33:03 — Oklahoma’s recent O-line recruiting misses 36:34 — Is this the beginning of the end for Bedenbaugh at OU? 38:18 — Final thoughts on the offensive line 40:15 — OU-Texas preview begins 40:52 — SEC injury report: who’s out for Oklahoma? 50:13 — The upset formula: shorten the game and protect the football 52:49 — If Mateer avoids turnovers, can OU win? 53:43 — Can Venables finally get the better of Sark? 1:04:40 — OU’s defense vs. Texas’ offense 1:06:15 — What Oklahoma needs from both sides of the ball 1:08:24 — Could this game change the rest of OU’s season? 1:13:39 — Score predictions: can Oklahoma keep it close? 1:16:07 — Who has more pressure: Oklahoma or Texas? 1:17:37 — Final OU-Texas picks 1:18:45 — Around college football 1:22:22 — Iowa-Washington and other national games 1:29:47 — Texas A&M at Missouri 1:32:14 — Indiana at Nebraska 1:35:00 — UCLA at Oregon 1:37:00 — USC at Penn State 1:38:19 — Georgia at Alabama Subscribe to the West of Everest YouTube channel Follow the show on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and please leave a five-star rating and review if you enjoy the podcast.

Ep. 440 - OU Fans Still Support Brent Venables. But for How Long? Even after OU’s 2-2 start, a new fan survey says that more than 60% of Oklahoma fans still do not want a change at head coach. Lee and Grant react to the poll, compare it with the West of Everest audience results and discuss whether expectations around Oklahoma football have changed under Brent Venables. Should Oklahoma stick with John Mateer, or is it time to see what Whitt Newbauer can do? Later, Lee and Grant answer a Spotify listener question about possible future offensive coordinators, react to the huge response to Grant’s OU coaching hot board. The show closes with a look around college football and this week’s picks against the spread. Chapters/Timecodes 00:00 — Opening Take - OU fan polls reveal two very different views of Brent Venables 04:05 — More than 62% of fans still don’t want a coaching change 08:48 — West of Everest poll: 53% checked out on the Venables era 10:50 — Have Oklahoma’s standards changed? 15:37 — 72% want a quarterback change 21:39 — The best argument for trying Newbauer 23:39 — What do you actually want from Oklahoma football? 24:49 — Venables says John Mateer is still QB1 30:00 — Everest Club update and listener engagement 31:55 — Listener question: Chip Kelly or Hue Jackson at OC? 33:16 — If Venables stays, does the entire offensive staff have to go? 37:28 — Making the playoff should be the expectation at Oklahoma 39:21 — Grant’s coaching hot board blew up on YouTube 41:05 — Viewer reactions to the coaching hot board 41:26 — Is it time to move on from Bill Bedenbaugh? 43:20 — New OC, new O-line coach — or a full offensive reset? 45:23 — Why some fans still aren’t ready to move on from Venables 47:24 — “One more chance” for Venables? 48:00 — Is hiring great assistants the most important head-coach skill? 51:55 — More coaching candidates: Kalani Sitake, Jamie Chadwell and others 52:43 — Grant adds Blake Baker to the hot board 53:32 — Jim Harbaugh? Make the call anyway 58:41 — Does Venables get too much benefit of the doubt? 59:57 — The bigger concern: Oklahoma’s administration 1:02:08 — Buster Faulkner rises on Grant’s coaching hot board 1:03:07 — Jon Gruden? Absolutely not 1:04:41 — Around college football and Lee wants no part of James Franklin 1:07:04 — Miami-Clemson and the Week 5 slate 1:09:08 — Last week’s picks and Lincoln Riley fallout 1:13:31 — Alabama at Mississippi State 1:17:10 — Missouri vs. Florida 1:19:13 — Minnesota vs. Michigan 1:21:37 — Iowa vs. Ohio State 1:24:29 — Washington at USC 1:26:42 — Picks recap Subscribe to the West of Everest YouTube channel Follow the show on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and please leave a five-star rating and review if you enjoy the podcast.

Ep. 439 - Georgia Blows Out OU. Where Do We Go From Here? Oklahoma is 2-2 after a 41-13 loss at Georgia, and Lee and Grant break down another disastrous offensive performance for the Sooners. John Mateer committed three turnovers and made several game-changing mistakes, but the problems go far beyond the quarterback. The guys discuss whether benching Mateer would actually solve anything, Ben Arbuckle’s role in the offensive failures, Oklahoma’s quarterback evaluation and development issues, and why the same problems continue to surface under Brent Venables. They also revisit Venables’ recent contract extension, the expectations for Oklahoma football and whether the people responsible for the program’s biggest decisions can be trusted if another coaching change eventually becomes necessary. The guys also read your “3-word reviews”.   Chapters/Timecodes 00:00 — Georgia exposes the same problems of the Venables era 04:35 — John Mateer’s catastrophic mistakes 08:55 — Grant: the entire offensive culture is rotten 09:26 — Should Oklahoma bench John Mateer? 10:08 — OU’s history after starting 2-2 12:00 — Where can this season realistically go? 14:32 — Offensive line injuries and another major disappointment 16:50 — Has apathy started to set in again? 20:13 — Are 8-4 and 9-3 expectations already too low for Oklahoma? 20:49 — Why the latest contract extension matters so much 24:23 — Can Oklahoma’s leadership be trusted with the next hire? 25:34 — What should the standard be for Oklahoma football? 28:17 — Roger Denny and the Brent Venables extension 31:20 — A few positives from the Georgia loss 31:36 — David Stone surprisingly plays and looks healthy 32:30 — Kip Lewis stands out against Georgia 34:10 — Film room: breaking down Georgia’s explosive touchdown pass 39:19 — Oklahoma has become Lincoln Riley-era OU in reverse 41:42 — Looking ahead to Texas 43:45 — Mateer showed flashes despite the turnovers 46:04 — Could the offense improve against weaker defenses? 49:04 — Three-word reviews begin 50:13 — Has Venables turned OU into a “laughing stock”? 51:52 — Is Ben Arbuckle gone after this season? 52:19 — Venables closes in on Gary Gibbs’ loss total 54:34 — “Pay the buyout” and Nebraska comparisons 55:33 — NIL spending and Oklahoma’s roster problems 56:57 — Who could play quarterback for OU next season? 59:47 — Financial questions around the program 01:05:42 — The human side of Mateer, Arbuckle and Venables struggling 01:08:04 — Oklahoma isn’t the only major program struggling 01:09:37 — “It’s a circus” 01:11:04 — “I am done” and “extend him again” 01:13:15 — Watching other fan bases have fun again 01:14:27 — Everest Club reaches its first two members 01:16:12 — Plans for the bye-week episode Subscribe to the West of Everest YouTube channel Follow the show on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and please leave a five-star rating and review if you enjoy the podcast. Follow West of Everest on X, Instagram and Facebook.

Ep. 438 - What Would it Take For OU to Shock Georgia? Lee and Grant open the show by discussing the latest David Stone injury news, the conflicting reports surrounding how he was injured, and what his availability could mean for an already banged-up Oklahoma defense. Then the conversation turns back to OU’s offensive problems, including missed assignments, poor execution and questions about how well Ben Arbuckle, Bill Bedenbaugh, Kevin Wilson and the rest of the offensive staff are fitting together. Then the guys break down OU’s path to victory as a 14-point dog at Georgia. Finally, Grant answers a listener question about who Oklahoma should consider if it eventually moved on from Brent Venables? The show closes with OU-Georgia score predictions and the weekly college football picks against the spread. Chapters/Timecodes 00:00 — Another OU injury and a trip to No. 2 Georgia 02:02 — David Stone injury news and conflicting reports 08:14 — John Hoover’s report and clarification 12:49 — What is Oklahoma’s path to upsetting Georgia? 13:29 — West of Everest launches the Everest Club on YouTube 16:22 — OU-Georgia preview begins 17:06 — What Georgia has done well through three games 18:36 — Can Oklahoma stop Georgia’s run game? 19:28 — The upset formula: turnovers, defense and shortening the game 20:31 — OU desperately needs takeaways 24:52 — Could OU’s offense somehow match up better with Georgia? 25:32 — Venables points out busted tight end blocks against New Mexico 27:58 — Does Oklahoma’s offensive staff have too many cooks? 30:53 — What exactly is Kevin Wilson’s role? 31:33 — Remember when OU had “no chance” against Alabama? 33:19 — John Mateer vs. Arch Manning comparisons 34:55 — What Lee wants to see from OU’s defense 36:27 — Grant’s defensive key: make Gunner Stockton uncomfortable 38:51 — Oklahoma is a rare two-touchdown underdog 43:44 — What does Oklahoma need from the offense? 46:35 — Grant wants to see 2024 John Mateer again 48:38 — OU-Georgia score predictions 50:09 — Listener question: if Venables is out, who replaces him? 51:58 — The dream-candidate tier 54:34 — Coordinator candidates for Oklahoma 57:56 — Grant’s head-coaching candidate list begins 01:03:24 — Grant’s top four candidates 01:09:25 — Weekly college football picks begin 01:09:43 — Texas at Tennessee 01:11:16 — Ole Miss at Florida 01:12:10 — Michigan at Iowa 01:13:38 — Oregon at USC 01:14:11 — Missouri at Mississippi State 01:15:48 — Picks recap Subscribe to the West of Everest YouTube channel Follow the show on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and please leave a five-star rating and review if you enjoy the podcast. Follow West of Everest on X, Instagram and Facebook.

Ep. 437 - OU Wins, But This All Feels Way Too Familiar The guys are back after OU tops New Mexico 14-6. Although the Sooners just played a game, the most interesting topic is OU’s future. What happens next? Chapters/Timecodes 00:00 — OU survives New Mexico 14-6, but the offense sputters again 01:09 — Grant reaches his breaking point with the Brent Venables era 02:02 — What would it take to hit the “eject button” on this regime? 03:07 — The Michigan loss exposed the offseason optimism 04:03 — New Mexico’s undersized defense still controlled OU’s offense 04:30 — Grant: “I’m out” on the current Oklahoma regime 05:02 — Revisiting the frustration of the 2024 season 06:07 — Why OU’s offense still looks broken 06:45 — Tight ends and offensive line fail to create a run game 08:03 — The SEC schedule will expose every offensive weakness 08:46 — OU returns to 12 personnel but still can’t execute 09:40 — Has John Mateer actually gotten worse? 10:15 — Grant: Oklahoma doesn’t understand its offensive problems 11:09 — OU’s running back room has no punch 11:38 — Is Bill Bedenbaugh’s offensive line room the biggest disappointment? 12:00 — Grant: changing one offensive coach won’t fix this 12:45 — Questions about Oklahoma’s leadership and future hires 13:29 — OU’s reported roster spending raises another red flag 14:29 — Why did Oklahoma extend Brent Venables? 15:29 — Venables admits there’s nothing to hang your hat on offensively 15:51 — Why didn’t the staff see the offensive problems coming? 17:11 — The danger of buying into offseason optimism 17:33 — Could OU miss a bowl game? 17:51 — “Mediocrity is a choice” 18:18 — Grant: the program is “rotten to the core” 18:34 — OU’s defense looks elite while the offense sinks again 19:07 — Oklahoma’s brutal remaining schedule 19:50 — Grant plants his flag: Venables isn’t taking OU where it wants to go 20:13 — What would college football fans outside Oklahoma think of this program? 21:22 — Oklahoma is back to being one-sided — just reversed from Lincoln Riley 22:10 — Why are we talking about the future of the program before Georgia week? 22:52 — Grant explains his breaking point during the New Mexico game 23:20 — ESPN’s incorrect timeout graphic changes the end-of-half discussion 24:19 — Jonathan Hatton and OU’s lack of juice at running back 25:23 — Three-word reviews begin 26:16 — Michael Hawkins is thriving at West Virginia — and coaching matters 27:16 — Peyton Bowen’s dropped interceptions and OU’s takeaway problem 28:14 — More listener reactions: “2024. Not again.” 28:39 — Could Jason Eck eventually become an OU coaching candidate? 29:27 — Could Oklahoma actually fire Venables after extending him? 30:33 — The defense may have to carry the entire season 31:01 — Could a strong defense save a mediocre season? 31:40 — David Stone finally flashes dominance 32:12 — OU still doesn’t have the offensive athletes other SEC teams have 33:12 — Programming note and Georgia preview schedule 34:02 — The Venables extension looks increasingly unnecessary 34:37 — How much influence does Joe Harroz have over Oklahoma football? 35:51 — What could the Venables buyout look like? 36:39 — Looking ahead: Georgia week becomes a bigger-picture program discussion 37:09 — Closing thoughts Subscribe to the West of Everest YouTube channel Follow the show on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and please leave a five-star rating and review if you enjoy the podcast. Follow West of Everest on X, Instagram and Facebook.

Ep. 436 - John Mateer Is Who He Is. Can OU Make It Work? Lee and Grant go back through the Michigan game and take a closer look at the Mateer-Ben Arbuckle dynamic. They also revisit Oklahoma’s offensive identity, the dramatic shift away from the Week 1 approach against UTEP, the use of 12 personnel and empty formations, Mateer’s field vision, the lack of a consistent run game and whether OU truly understands what it is offensively. Trell Harris is expected to miss significant time after suffering a serious injury. Kip Lewis could also miss several weeks, creating another major concern on the defensive side. Lee and Grant also discuss Oklahoma’s defense, why missed tackles and players trying to do too much remain a problem, and whether the pressure of carrying an inconsistent offense is already affecting that side of the ball. Then it’s on to New Mexico. The Lobos are one of the more interesting G6 teams in the country. NM is well coached and experienced, and should provide a useful test for an Oklahoma team trying to get back on track. The guys also make their weekly college football picks against the spread. Chapters/Timecodes 00:00 — Opening Take – John Mateer is who he is 06:59 — Michigan rewatch: how much blame belongs on Arbuckle vs. Mateer? 07:26 — Mateer misses an easy timing throw to Trell Harris 08:29 — The quarterback counter Mateer could have broken for a huge gain 09:39 — Hayden Hansen throwback was there, but Mateer could not complete it 10:09 — Empty 12 personnel creates a QB-run opportunity Mateer misses 10:47 — The fourth-and-7 miss to Rocky Beers 11:28 — Were Oklahoma’s receivers really “wide open”? 12:38 — The bigger question: how does Arbuckle simplify things for Mateer? 16:21 — Grant: Arbuckle can draw up plays, but he has to know his personnel 18:03 — Did Oklahoma’s staff misunderstand its own offense? 19:11 — Mateer will still have good moments, but the Michigan performance was alarming 19:56 — Mateer needs his confidence rebuilt 20:34 — Ben Arbuckle’s offenses have never consistently run the ball well 24:24 — How many first reads is Mateer simply not seeing? 29:01 — Elijah Thomas and Parker Livingston now need bigger roles 33:45 — Michigan’s seven-minute drive that quietly helped win the game 36:23 — Is OU’s defense pressing because it does not trust the offense? 39:05 — Is another “season from hell” developing for Oklahoma? 39:31 — Grant: Venables’ history of responding to adversity is mixed 41:59 — New Mexico is a legitimate G6 test under Jason Eck 42:52 — Could Oklahoma actually lose this game if the Michigan problems remain? 46:26 — How Oklahoma wins matters more than simply winning 46:46 — Grant: run the core offense until OU actually gets good at it 47:23 — New Mexico’s experienced defense presents a useful test 48:31 — OU’s defense should dominate New Mexico’s offense 49:38 — New Mexico’s three-quarterback rotation 50:42 — Jason Eck’s rise from the FCS ranks 53:18 — New Mexico has created takeaways; Oklahoma has not 54:01 — What Grant wants to see from OU’s offense 54:17 — Lee wants a return to the UTEP offensive blueprint 54:55 — Arbuckle needs to create easy completions for Mateer 55:11 — Defensive key: stop trying to do too much 55:37 — Grant’s defensive priority: tackle better 56:22 — OU-New Mexico score predictions 59:32 — What would a convincing win mean before Georgia? 01:00:33 — Early look at how big an underdog OU could be at Georgia 01:01:03 — Around college football: SEC and national games to watch 01:02:11 — Michael Hawkins and West Virginia hit the road at Virginia 01:02:27 — James Franklin discussion 01:03:14 — Weekly picks against the spread begin 01:03:36 — Houston at Texas Tech 01:05:39 — SMU at Louisville 01:06:42 — Mississippi State at South Carolina 01:08:50 — Florida at Auburn 01:09:55 — LSU at Ole Miss 01:12:09 — Back to Mateer’s running ability and field vision 01:13:30 — Does Mateer need an eye exam? Jameis Winston tangent 01:14:56 — New Mexico postgame podcast scheduling update Subscribe to the West of Everest YouTube channel Follow the show on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and please leave a five-star rating and review if you enjoy the podcast. Follow West of Everest on X, Instagram and Facebook.

Ep. 435 - OU’s Offense Fails in 17-10 Loss at Michigan Oklahoma went to Ann Arbor with a chance to make a national statement. Instead, the Sooners left Michigan with a 17-10 loss and a lot of familiar questions about the offense. Lee and Grant react to Oklahoma’s disappointing road loss at Michigan and read your “3-Word Reviews”. Chapters/Timecodes 00:00 — Oklahoma makes West of Everest look stupid 04:16 — Oklahoma’s offense was bad again 05:16 — Grant: the game exposed offseason concerns 09:31 — The offensive sequencing felt weird from the opening drive 13:20 — Offensive line injuries mattered 13:44 — Fodje and the tackles struggled with Michigan’s edge rushers 18:56 — Empty 12 personnel was the failed new wrinkle 22:46 — Mateer had too many misses that should not be missed 24:58 — OU still had a chance despite the offensive mess 27:00 — The standard for Oklahoma’s defense is extremely high 29:12 — Pass rush concerns and lack of disruption 30:57 — Kip Lewis’ non-contact injury   36:24 — Mateer remains the key to Oklahoma’s season 36:40 — Grant: good teams can lose that game, really good teams do not 38:42 — Could OU still bounce back against Georgia and Texas? 40:54 — Three-word reviews begin 42:22 — “Nice extension, Denny” 43:40 — End-of-half time management failure 46:45 — Michigan’s offensive coordinator knew Underwood’s limitations 48:12 — Was Elijah Thomas open for a touchdown? 48:50 — Michigan took away Sategna and Beers in high-leverage moments 49:22 — JJ Buchanan’s third-and-long explosive still bothers Grant 50:32 — Running backs are mid and not dynamic 51:05 — Fans pile on the offense, Venables and the extension   56:23 — Grant: year five at Oklahoma should not look like this 59:45 — Michigan fumbled twice on the same series and OU recovered neither 01:00:22 — OU forces zero takeaways after Western Michigan forced three 01:04:60 — Lee still did not expect Oklahoma to lose 01:06:38 — Grant: this was the perfect script for Michigan to win 01:07:06 — OU failed to punch Michigan in the mouth early Subscribe to the West of Everest YouTube channel Follow the show on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and please leave a five-star rating and review if you enjoy the podcast. Follow West of Everest on X, Instagram and Facebook.