Oklahoma football is set to lose a talented quarterback to the transfer portal. The Sooners are trying to bounce back after a trying first season in the SEC. Head coach Brent Venables knows a lot is at stake in year four under him, and he has a roster in Norman that is set to be a lot better than last season's 6-7 squad. But the schedule is once again brutal, and this group will have to be in great form by Week 2. The Sooners' quarterback room, however, will be a little thinner in 2025.

According to CBS Sports National college football reporter Matt Zenitz, Cole Gonzales has entered the transfer portal. The Ocala, Florida native started three years at West Carolina before transferring to Oklahoma this offseason. Gonzales was a two-time Walter Payton Award finalist with the Catamounts.

Oklahoma football picked up a big-time quarterback in the transfer portal this offseason

Article Continues Below
More NCAA Football News
South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback LaNorris Sellers (16) runs the ball against Illinois Fighting Illini linebacker Joe Barna (43) in the first quarter at Camping World Stadium.
South Carolina QB LaNorris Sellers drops ‘cool’ take on lucrative NFL hypeTroy Finnegan ·
Featured image Michigan football
Michigan football secures a pair of commits over Georgia, Texas, and SMUDylan Fine ·
Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Matt Rhule reacts during the second half against the Boston College Eagles at Yankee Stadium.
Nebraska’s Matt Rhule flips 2026 wide receiver from Arizona StateGuillermo Guajardo ·
DeSean Jackson and Delaware State University football have unveiled their 2025 class of recruits during national signing day.
DeSean Jackson nabs WR recruits from same high schoolRandall Barnes ·
Westlake Chaparrals wide receiver Chase Bowen (11) and North Shore Mustangs free safety Chace Calicut (22) collide after the punt bounces in the first quarter as the Chaparrals take on the Mustangs in the Conference 6A Division 1 UIL State Playoff semi-final game at Legacy Stadium in Katy, Dec. 14, 2024.
Georgia football secures massive 4-star commitment over Texas, MichiganTroy Finnegan ·
Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin against the Boise State Broncos in the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium.
Penn State Nittany Lions beat out Ohio State, Michigan for 4-star pass rusherRichard Pereira ·
Oklahoma's John Mateer looks to throw a pass during the University of Oklahoma Sooners Crimson Combine at Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday, April, 12, 2025.
SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Sooners' prospects of being competitive in 2025 increased drastically in the winter transfer portal cycle. Last December, Oklahoma football secured a huge commitment from Washington State quarterback John Mateer. Mateer was phenomenal with the Cougars and one of the most sought-after players in the portal when he put his name in it. The Little Elm, Texas native threw for 29 touchdown passes while rushing for over 800 yards and 15 scores. Gonzales' departure, therefore, does hurt, but the Sooners have their clear-cut starter in mind.

Mateer will need to gain a rhythm with his new team pretty quickly. After a Week 1 matchup against Illinois State, the Sooners will host Michigan, a program that is trending in the right direction. Soon after that, Oklahoma football will hit an absolutely brutal stretch. Brent Venables' team will then play Texas, South Carolina, Ole Miss, Tennessee, and Alabama. All of those teams will enter the season with playoff-sized expectations. But with a great schedule comes an excellent opportunity for Oklahoma to rejoin the elite of college football.

Overall, there's plenty of reason for optimism in Norman. But the pressure is on Brent Venables to produce results in 2025. Even in the vaunted SEC, Oklahoma football has a standard that its head coach is very familiar with. It's time to take that next step in year four.