“Say what you want about Jackson Arnold. Say what you want about Michael Hawkins Jr., John Mateer is an upgrade. And that’s not me being on the John Mateer hype train, which we, very frankly, have been the conductor of here for some time.” The big review about Oklahoma Sooners quarterback John Mateer came from On3’s J.D. PicKell. Now that Brent Venables’ quarterback is riding high on the hype train, it’s likely that the train will go through the Heisman station. However, in a parallel line, another train is heading towards the same station carrying Texas Longhorns quarterback star Arch Manning. But Steve Sarkisian’s quarterback is yet to unleash his rebel side on the gridiron. Now, that calls for some Mateer vs. Manning debate for the Heisman winner, which no one was ready for.
Venables took the big risk to make the big swap from the Big 12 to the SEC. Unfortunately, things did not fall into place. They wrapped up the season with a rather disappointing 6-7 record. Moving into the 2025 season, their quarterback, Mateer, is going to be the big gamble. Venables’ future will depend on his quarterback. In 2024, for the most part, OU was at a QB disadvantage against almost every team they played, especially in the SEC. However, ever since Venables locked in the No.1 prospect of the transfer portal in December, he has picked up the Heisman buzz. Mateer led all of FBS with 29 total TDs this season because of his ability as both a passer and runner, racking up 3,139 yards. However, someone is still not sold on Mateer’s Heisman hopes.
On the May 31st episode of That SEC Football podcast, Sooners insider George Stoia sounded underconfident about Venables’ quarterback lifting the trophy. “Let’s be real. He was at Washington State, he didn’t play the competition he’s going to play in the SEC now.” Definitely, things around him will turn in Mateer’s favor. Like an improving Oklahoma O-line that is far better than what he received back at Washington State, with Ben Arbuckle at the helm. Even then, Stoia rides low in confidence when it comes to Mateer’s Heisman buzz. “I think he’s going to be really good. He could be a top-five quarterback in the league. Is he a Heisman contender? I don’t know if I would go that far right now.” So, who is next in line to lift up the award?
Manning’s name comes next as he has the best odds. But Stoia believes that the decision is going to be a tough one. “Do you want somebody who’s a little bit more proven then you take John Mateer…or do you want the guy with tremendous upside a guy that you know could be a number one pick in the NFL draft next year uh obviously the lineage that Arch Manning has?” Sarksian has already set out a path for his quarterback to glory, making him sit behind Ewers. For Mateer, Venables will now have to win more football games. Going by the analyst’s take, things are going to be smoother for Manning than Mateer. But the reality is different. Both the quarterback’s seats are equally hot.
The point where both John Mateer and Arch Manning’s ground is loose
Carrying a rich NFL legacy, it often works in favor of gaining NFL spotlight. For Manning, to some extent, that has been the case. Definitely, he has shown his talent on the gridiron. However, his growth has been stunted, being Ewers’ backup. Sarkisian’s quarterback came up with a 66.3% completion rate, racking up 969 yards and 9 touchdowns. However, right now Heisman conversation is secondary for Manning. He first will have to prove himself. As an anonymous coach shared, “This kid is a legit, Heisman-level package. Provided he produces at that level, the offense will be even better.”
On the other hand, Mateer is setting his feet on hot coal. In 2024, in his first full season as a starter, Jackson Arnold got benched after four games. Michael Hawkins Jr., the true freshman who replaced Jackson Arnold earlier this season, looked very much like a freshman. His numbers were pretty average. 147 yards with just one touchdown in his three primary outings (Tennessee, Auburn, and Texas). That’s when Venables tightened the reins by firing offensive coordinator Seth Littrell. They hired Arbuckle from Washington State. But to make it a full package, they also hired Arbuckle’s quarterback.
So, one can imagine how long the Sooners fans have been starved of some really good quarterback action. That’s when Josh Pate raised an alarm for John Mateer. “But dude, you think about the pressure on a college football quarterback. John Mateer’s coming in there, and think about the pressure, man…Every one of their potential or expectation levels depend on whether you [Mateer] perform.” So, in the Heisman department, both Mateer and Arch Manning are stuck at zero — no edge, no advantage.
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