When the Sooners unexpectedly lost Cole Gonzales in the chaos of the spring transfer portal window, they were briefly left with only three total quarterbacks on the roster. Behind presumed starter John Mateer and primary backup Michael Hawkins, only true freshman Jett Niu remained.

So just as they did with Gonzales over the winter, Ben Arbuckle and the Sooner staff turned to the FCS ranks to find a much-needed depth piece in the quarterback room. Following a Friday official visit to Norman, Mercer transfer Whitt Newbauer has elected to transfer to Oklahoma and will join the program with three years of eligibility remaining.

A 6-foot-6, 225-pound native of Raleigh, North Carolina, Newbauer originally signed with Mercer as an unheralded and unranked prospect in the 2024 recruiting class. However, upon arriving on campus, he quickly found his way into the Bears' starting lineup as a true freshman — and excelled.

Newbauer played in nine games for Mercer during the 2024 season, throwing for 1,398 yards and 12 touchdowns to just four interceptions. He added two additional scores on the ground, and led Mercer to a Southern Conference championship and an appearance in the FCS playoffs.

At Oklahoma, Newbauer will likely compete with Niu for third-string duties in an immediate sense, and can well be expected to take a redshirt in 2025. However, should he elect to remain at OU for the long haul, it's not out of the question that he could eventually contend for the starting role at some point down the line. Regardless, to have a third-string quarterback with starting experience is something that very few programs in the Power 4 can claim, which is why the Sooners made Newbauer their first and only priority in the portal upon Gonzales' departure.

Newbauer is the sixth addition of the spring portal cycle for Oklahoma, joining RB Jaydn Ott, OL Jake Maikkula, DL Ricky Lolohea, K Tate Sandell and WR Jer'Michael Carter.

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