John Mateer, the Washington State transfer, was hardly a speck on the SEC radar a year ago. But this off-season, the Sooners took a gamble—they bet their futures on this no-nonsense, chip-on-shoulder who had a point to prove. Coaches overlooked him coming out of high school; he benched at Central Arkansas and Washington State, and then, when the SEC thought they’d finally seen the last of him, he ended up in Norman. The hype train made its departure this spring. ESPN, Paul Finebaum, and analysts such as J.D. PicKell are all on board, asserting that Mateer is the difference-maker OU has been missing. “I love what I’m seeing,” Finebaum commented, repeating the enthusiasm for the program.
On3 Sports went so far as to say Mateer might be among the top QBs in the SEC this season, turning Oklahoma’s biggest liability into an asset. On day one of workouts, Mateer was the clear leader, a sign of the respect he commands in the locker room. Film pundits sing his praise but caution him to keep it basic and have faith in his mechanics, particularly in deep balls. But is the hype real, or is this another example of preseason overhyping that’ll have fans regretting it by October?
On June 17th, On3’s J.D. PicKell gets a bit hectic handing down judgment over John Mateer’s hype. “There’s a lot of names in Oklahoma history that have played quarterback at a high level especially recently so I understand it’s intense but I also think that this is the most reliable hype of any first year starting quarterback at Oklahoma of any of those guys,” PicKell says when asked if Mateer’s hype is deserved or not. Oklahoma football fans are used to their share of quarterback wunderkinds. Some panned out, some didn’t. The difference this year? The atmosphere changes. Fans mention Mateer’s name as if he were already a legend—Heisman talk, playoff ambitions, the whole shebang.
Mateer also arrives on the heels of a monster year at Washington State, where he passed for 3,139 yards, 29 touchdowns, and just seven picks, and added 826 yards and 15 more touchdowns on the ground. That’s 44 total touchdowns—most in the FBS last season. Most of the new Oklahoma quarterbacks who transitioned into their first year as starters didn’t have that level of established production at the college level.
Even Baker Mayfield, as iconic as he turned out to be, was coming off a season at Texas Tech with good but not nearly as mind-boggling stats before he joined OU. An added benefit for Mateer is that he’s taking his old offensive coordinator, Ben Arbuckle, along with him. That’s gigantic. Most transfer quarterbacks need to learn a new playbook and adapt to new coaches, but Mateer gets to operate the same system he already mastered. Third, the experts are all in. ESPN has him listed as the No. 4 quarterback in the nation, and FOX’s Joel Klatt has him at No. 3, higher than guys like Arch Manning and Carson Beck.
PicKell says, “Dylan Gabriel, like situationally great production at a lower level in college football coming over from UCF, same offensive coordinator in Jeff Lebby. It’s kind of John Mateer. But even Dillon Gabriel’s production was not as much or I don’t think as flashy as what John Mateer did at Washington State.” Gabriel was electric at UCF—no question about it. Both players had the benefit of stability with their offensive coordinators, but Mateer’s 2024 campaign was a genuine breakout, not merely an incremental increase. It kind of rests well when PicKell says, “What he [Mateer] did last year, I believe, is solid because you really saw it occur. Now, does it carry over at that level to the SEC? We will see.” In Norman, the tale is just beginning, now it’s all set, the lights are shining bright, and John Mateer has his moment to shine.
Brent Venables’ fate in the balance
Following a vicious 6-7 year that had Sooners faithful looking for next season, Brent Venables, the man in the headset and the world on his shoulders, realizes the stakes are greater than ever. And ESPN’s Rece Davis, the voice of college football, isn’t holding anything back about what lies ahead. On his College GameDay podcast, Davis put it out straight and simple: “To me, it’s Oklahoma..Because of the change in offensive coordinator, bringing in Ben Arbuckle, but more importantly, bringing in John Mateer to play quarterback. They had quarterback issues last year. They had offensive issues. It’s not just because of that. It’s because it’s highly likely that Brent Venables’ job security depends on it.”
The defense was strong last season, but when your offense is mired in “checkdown city,” even a top-ranked player can’t prevent mediocrity. So Venables double-downed. He went out to the transfer portal and acquired John Mateer, the quarterback who ranked first in the nation in total touchdowns last season. He also brought former play-caller Ben Arbuckle to rejuvenate the whole offense. The lineup is loaded: explosive receivers, a Pac-12 rushing champion at running back, and a bolstered offensive line. On paper, it’s a dream team.
Despite the loaded roster the ride this season won’t be easy. As Davis mentions that the schedule is a nightmare: Michigan, LSU, Alabama, Texas—no breathers, just one heavyweight after another. He didn’t mention Oklahoma needs to win the SEC or get into the playoff, but another bottom-feeder finish? That’s a one-way ticket out of Norman. The pressure is nuclear, and the margin for error is microscopic. If Mateer and Arbuckle can’t get the offense going, Venables could be gone before Halloween.
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