Kane Wommack, the defensive coordinator for Alabama, recently opened up about a challenging experience he faced against Ben Arbuckle, the offensive coordinator for Oklahoma. This encounter took place during the 2022 New Orleans Bowl, where Wommack, then head coach of South Alabama, saw his team suffer a significant defeat to Western Kentucky.
“We got our ass kicked is what happened,” Wommack candidly stated. “I appreciate you bringing that up. I needed a little edge this morning. That”s good.” At the time, Arbuckle was leading the Hilltoppers” offense, having been promoted the previous offseason following the departure of Zach Kittley to Texas Tech.
In that bowl game, quarterback Austin Reed of Western Kentucky delivered an outstanding performance, throwing for 497 yards and four touchdowns against Wommack”s squad. Wommack acknowledged the effectiveness of Arbuckle”s offensive strategies, noting, “I feel like we have faced this offense and this system a number of times over the years, and I think they do a great job just schematically.” He further elaborated on Arbuckle”s approach, highlighting their vertical attack and effective run game schemes that include strong RPO (run-pass option) elements.
After his tenure at Western Kentucky, Arbuckle spent two seasons at Washington State before taking the helm at Oklahoma ahead of the 2025 season, bringing quarterback John Mateer along with him to Norman.
“I think Ben did a great job in that game and has done a good job in his first year there at Oklahoma,” Wommack noted. “It will be a good challenge for us. This is the SEC. You face really good offensive minds every single week, and you have a body of work that you put on tape that you have to answer for.” He emphasized the importance of addressing both the strengths and weaknesses visible in their previous performances as they prepare for upcoming matchups.
As Alabama gears up to face Oklahoma, scheduled for a 2:30 PM CT kickoff at Bryant-Denny Stadium, Wommack is aware of the challenges that Arbuckle”s offense will present. “Certainly they”ll present a number of schematic challenges for us this week,” he stated, reinforcing the competitive nature of SEC football.
