NORMAN — There’s not much to salvage for Oklahoma in 2026.

Through eight games, the Sooners are 4-4, and three of their losses came in conference games. OU still has games against Florida, Ole Miss, Texas A&M and Missouri left on the schedule as it looks to get to bowl eligibility.

The team that takes the field during the final month of the season, though, will look much different. OU parted ways with offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle on Monday, and tight ends coach Jason Witten will now take over the play-calling duties.

Witten is serving his first year on Oklahoma’s staff after previously coaching at the high school level in Texas.

As OU’s offense changes under new leadership, here are some players who could see an uptick in production:

Rocky Beers

This one is obvious.

Rocky Beers, a sixth-year tight end who transferred to OU before the year, has been a bright spot on Oklahoma’s offense. Through eight games, Beers has already caught 34 passes for 446 yards and a team-high four touchdowns.

During his 17-year NFL career, Witten logged 13,046 yards and 74 touchdowns. He knows as well as anyone how to utilize tight ends, and Beers’ role might become even more significant in the coming weeks.

Ivan Carreon

Ivan Carreon isn’t a tight end, but the 6-foot-6, 238-pound wide receiver is built like one.

Carreon went without a catch in OU’s first seven games of 2026 before having a breakout performance in the Sooners’ 42-25 loss to South Carolina. He finished the lopsided loss with 88 yards and two touchdowns on five receptions.

Witten knows plenty about utilizing size advantages, and the South Carolina game made it clear that Carreon was an under-used weapon on OU’s offense.

Lloyd Avant

Transfer running back Lloyd Avant is OU’s leading rusher with 347 yards and two touchdowns. He hasn’t been a star by any means, but he has been the Sooners’ most productive option on the ground.

Avant is also a notable blocker. In Oklahoma’s road win over Mississippi State, he was responsible for a block on a 315-pound defensive lineman that allowed quarterback John Mateer to find Isaiah Sategna for a touchdown.

It’s imperative for non-offensive linemen to block, and as a former tight end, Witten knows that. Avant’s blocking abilities make him someone who will continue to get playing time.

Noah Best

He’s only a freshman, but offensive guard Noah Best has arguably been OU’s most effective lineman.

Best’s 65.3 Pro Football Focus (PFF) offensive grade ranks first among Oklahoma offensive linemen who have registered more than 200 snaps in 2026. In the South Carolina game, Best logged a 72 pass-blocking grade; the other four offensive linemen who participated in that game graded out below 41.

Though Witten is the new man leading the offense, Best’s starting status shouldn’t change. He has been a reliable piece on the line, and getting more reps in the final four games will allow him to build further momentum leading into his sophomore year.

Bowe Bentley

The offense is going in a new direction, so why not try something new at quarterback?

Mateer has turned the ball over nine times in eight games. And while he didn’t give the ball away against South Carolina, he notched only 25 yards in the first half of that game.

Freshman Bowe Bentley’s only appearance came in the season opener against UTEP — and he looked unpolished. He played only one drive against the Miners, taking a sack and throwing an incompletion.

But considering Bentley’s youth, it would be wise for the Sooners to give him some game experience against quality competition. There isn’t much for Oklahoma to gain in 2026, even if the Sooners found a way to win the remainder of their games. Mateer will have no eligibility after this season, so there’s nothing long-term to build on if he plays behind center.

Witten has the keys. And it will be interesting to see if he does what OU fans have been calling for over the last few months.