Oklahoma Secures Quarterback Cole Gonzales Transfer from Western Carolina: Could He Be the Missing Piece for Playoff Contention?

In the early hours of Christmas morning, the coaching staff at Oklahoma received a gift that they had been eagerly anticipating: a quarterback who is both extremely productive and experienced. After committing to the Sooners, Cole Gonzales, a former standout quarterback at Western Carolina who has been a nominee for the Walter Payton Award on two separate occasions, the Sooners will have more quarterbacks to choose from for the 2025 season.

A seasoned athlete with three years of college experience, Gonzales entered the transfer portal on December 11th. He has been playing for the team for three years. Over the course of the previous two seasons, he has been the starting quarterback for the Catamounts, and he has guided them to a record of 14-9 and a spot in the FCS poll for the very first time in the history of the program. The signal caller, who stands 6 feet tall and weighs 195 pounds, has racked up about 1,500 snaps in 27 games, with remarkable figures, including 2,803 yards and 28 touchdowns in 2023.

The track record of Gonzales as a dynamic quarterback who is capable of both passing and running will provide Oklahoma with new offensive firepower, despite the fact that Gonzales will miss the latter part of the 2024 season due to an injury. Following the losses of Jackson Arnold and Brendan Zurbrugg, the Sooners now have only two quarterbacks on their roster. This addition gives the Sooners with the much-needed depth that they could have lacked. Alongside Gonzales, John Mateer, a recent transfer from Washington State, was also added to the roster in order to fight for the starting spot in 2025. Mateer arrived from Washington State.

Gonzales brings a combination of experience and leadership to the quarterback room at Oklahoma, which will be beneficial to head coach Brent Venables and offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle as they continue to rebuild the Sooners in preparation for a strong return to postseason contention. Gonzales’ arrival adds to the already impressive roster of quarterbacks at Oklahoma. It is anticipated that Gonzales, Mateer, and freshman Michael Hawkins will experience a heightened level of contention for the starting position as spring practices draw closer.

Gonzales’ pledge is an important step in the Sooners’ pursuit of championship hopes, as the Sooners continue to strengthen their roster through the addition of players through the transfer site.