Why Oklahoma OC Ben Arbuckle is 'Fired up' About Sooners' Tight End Room

In OU’s season opening win against Illinois State, Jaren Kanak was the Sooners’ primary tight end.

Kanak grabbed five receptions for 90 yards, finishing second on the team in receiving as OU beat the Redbirds 35-3 on Saturday. Tight ends Carson Kent and Will Huggins logged one reception each.

While Kanak is someone that will likely be used heavily going forward, he isn’t the only tight end who will be part of the Sooners’ future game plans, per offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle.

“They definitely have different skill sets,” Arbuckle said. “That’s a great group of kids.”

Kanak was listed as the Sooners’ starting tight end ahead of Week 1 and certainly saw the most game action of that position group. Others in OU’s tight end room include Kent, Huggins, Kaden Helms, Kade McIntyre, John Locke Jr. and Trynae Washington.

Kanak, Huggins and Kent combined for 112 yards against the Redbirds, showing how the tight ends — and not only those three — can be utilized in the Sooners’ revamped offense and passing game.

“I thought they did some really good things just out in space and making the play whenever it came their way,” Arbuckle said. “Fired up about that.”

John Mateer, who threw for 392 passing yards in his Oklahoma debut, played every snap at quarterback for the Sooners in the opener.

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Only one game into his OU career, he sees the tight end room’s depth as a valuable asset.

“We’ve got some good ones, and it’s good because you can keep guys fresh and they all know what to do,” Mateer said. “They are all playmakers.”

Arbuckle also praised how Kanak, Huggins and Kent blocked in pass-protection looks.

But the coach noted room for growth in run-blocking situations. Oklahoma rushed for only 103 yards against Illinois State and averaged 3.2 yards per carry, and Arbuckle believes that the tight ends could have done a better job at clearing space for the Sooners’ backs.

“With all of them I would like a little bit cleaner in the core, whenever you talk about run blocking,” Arbuckle said.

Arbuckle has no doubts that the tight ends will shore up their run-blocking sets and continue to be reliable through the air. 

Their resolve and desire to improve is one of Arbuckle’s favorite parts of the seven-man tight end room, and he believes that will pay off in big games like Saturday's showdown against Michigan.

“They’re pretty in-tuned to their coaching and what they need to do on given plays,” Arbuckle said. “That whole room, I just think they’re going to continue to get better, and that’s the exciting thing.”