West of Everest: An Oklahoma Football Podcast

Lee and Grant Benson
  • 4.7 (207)
  • Sports
  • Updated Weekly

West of Everest is for the OU Football sickos, of which there are many. The show was launched in August 2017 by Lee & Grant Benson. The brothers strive to bring you authentic, thoughtful, and nuanced opinions on OU Football & the world of college football. Lee Benson is a former sports anchor/reporter who covered the Sooners for six years from 2016-2022. Grant Benson is a massive OU fan who's passion for the Sooners knows no bounds.

  1. 2d ago

    Ep. 446 - John Mateer’s Best Game at OU? Sooners Beat Mississippi State

    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.

  2. 5d ago

    Ep. 445 - What Would It Take To Bench John Mateer? + Mississippi State Preview

    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.

  3. Oct 18

    Ep. 444 - OU Flops Following Texas Win, Loses to Kentucky at Home

    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.

  4. Oct 15

    Ep. 443 - Did Beating Texas Save OU’s Season? + Kentucky Preview

    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.

  5. Oct 11

    Ep. 442 - OU Shocks No. 1 Texas on Sandell's Walk-Off Field Goal

    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.

  6. Oct 8

    Ep. 441 - Does OU’s Season Hinge on What Happens vs. Texas?

    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.

  7. Oct 1

    Ep. 440 - OU Fans Still Support Brent Venables. But for How Long?

    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.

  8. Sep 28

    Ep. 439 - Georgia Blows Out OU. Where Do We Go From Here?

    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.

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About

West of Everest is for the OU Football sickos, of which there are many. The show was launched in August 2017 by Lee & Grant Benson. The brothers strive to bring you authentic, thoughtful, and nuanced opinions on OU Football & the world of college football. Lee Benson is a former sports anchor/reporter who covered the Sooners for six years from 2016-2022. Grant Benson is a massive OU fan who's passion for the Sooners knows no bounds.

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