Oklahoma football continues to attract talented young quarterbacks, and one of the newest names creating excitement among fans is freshman Bowe Bentley. While current quarterback John Mateer is expected to lead the team right now, many supporters believe Bentley could become the next big star for the Sooners in the coming years. As he prepares for his first college season, Bentley recently shared why he chose to join the Oklahoma program.
Freshman Quarterback Bowe Bentley Arrives at Oklahoma
Freshman quarterback Bowe Bentley has arrived in Norman to begin preparing for spring football practice ahead of his first collegiate season with the Oklahoma Sooners.
Bentley played high school football in Celina, Texas, where he developed a strong reputation as a talented young quarterback. Despite receiving attention from multiple programs, he decided that Oklahoma was the right place for his future.
The young quarterback said the program’s strong history with quarterbacks played a big role in his decision.
Bentley explained that Oklahoma’s long record of producing successful quarterbacks made the university stand out among other schools.
Oklahoma’s Reputation as “Quarterback U”
Oklahoma has built a strong reputation for developing top quarterbacks over the past few decades. Many of the program’s former players have achieved major success both in college football and in the NFL.
Some of the most notable Oklahoma quarterbacks from the last 25 years include:
- Josh Heupel – Led the Sooners to a national championship
- Jason White – Heisman Trophy winner
- Baker Mayfield – Heisman Trophy winner and NFL quarterback
- Kyler Murray – Heisman Trophy winner and NFL star
- Sam Bradford – Heisman Trophy winner and former No.1 NFL Draft pick
- Landry Jones – One of the program’s top passing leaders
- Jalen Hurts – NFL star quarterback
- Caleb Williams – Heisman Trophy winner and former OU quarterback
- Dillon Gabriel – One of the recent standout quarterbacks for the Sooners
This strong history has helped Oklahoma earn the nickname “Quarterback U,” something Bentley clearly recognized before committing to the program.
John Mateer Expected to Lead the Team
While Bentley is an exciting young talent, he understands that he is not expected to start immediately.
John Mateer is currently the leading quarterback for the Sooners. Early in the previous season, Mateer was even considered a strong candidate for the Heisman Trophy after an impressive start.
However, a thumb injury slowed his performance during the final part of the season. Even with that setback, he remains highly ranked on many preseason watch lists for the upcoming year.
With Mateer leading the offense, Bentley will likely spend his freshman season learning the system and developing his skills.
Coach Brent Venables Building a Strong Program
Head coach Brent Venables has been working to strengthen the Oklahoma football program in recent seasons.
Under his leadership, the Sooners reached the College Football Playoff during its first year with an expanded format. The team is expected to compete for another playoff appearance in the 2026 season.
Bentley said the coaching staff played a major role in his decision to join the program.
He shared that he believes Venables runs a high-level program and that the coaching style felt familiar to him.
Sooners Preparing for Spring Football and 2026 Season
Oklahoma will begin its spring football practices on March 25 as players start preparing for the upcoming season.
These practices will give young players like Bentley their first opportunity to work closely with the coaching staff and learn the team’s system.
The Sooners will officially begin their 2026 season on September 5 with a home game against Texas-El Paso.
Fans will be watching closely as the team develops, especially to see how young players like Bentley grow within one of college football’s most famous quarterback programs.
