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John Mateer will lead the Oklahoma offense onto the field in Game 1 against Illinois State. His presence on the field has the Sooners a trendy pick for the College Football Playoff.
Many believed he was the top transfer signal caller in the portal this past offseason. One anonymous SEC coach isn’t sold.
Mateer is fresh off a career-year at Washington State. As a redshirt sophomore, he threw for 3,139 yards and 29 touchdowns.
A dual threat, he also added 826 rushing yards and 15 more scores. That athleticism is what drew him to Norman.
Oklahoma’s offense is a fit for John Mateer.
The Sooners new offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle is aggressive. He also has familiarity with his signal caller as they were both at Washington State last year.
Arbuckle blends air raid with a strong run game. He likes to run the quarterback when possible, evidenced by Mateer’s 178 carries in 2025.
The quarterback shined in the system last season. Most believe he’ll do so again with his new program. The competition on the defensive side of the ball will take a step up in the SEC, but Mateer has all the talent in the world.
Oklahoma will push the ball down the field next year. John Mateer will be featured often in the gameplan, whether with his arm or legs.
While it will undoubtedly produce results, SEC coaches are worried for Mateer’s safety.
The Sooners failed their quarterbacks last year.
Jackson Arnold and Andrew Hawkins split time in 2024 while leading the team to a losing record. Neither was all that productive.
Offensive line play had a negative impact on success. The Sooners allowed a nation-worst 50 sacks. It resulted in an SEC-high 299 yards lost.
Both Arnold and Hawkins were freshmen still getting their feet wet in the league. Neither was truly given a chance to succeed behind the leaky front five.
As a result, Oklahoma was near the bottom of the league in scoring and total offense. They’ve reshuffled the roster this offseason in hopes of shoring up the offensive line.
Talent has increased, though the starting rotation is still unclear. The Week 1 depth chart listed four positions still in open competition. Things should become a bit more settled after the first game.
Can they fix the issues? They’ll have to for John Mateer’s sake.
SEC coaches were asked about the passer’s outlook ahead of his conference debut. They are concerned for his health.
“He doesn’t look very big,” said one SEC defensive coordinator. “The human body can only take so many hits, and if you’re not a big dude in this league, it’ll take its toll.”
Pass rushers won’t be the only ones delivering hits on the Oklahoma quarterback. He’ll be expected to face defenses as a ball carrier, too.
“He’s going to be one of the better quarterbacks in the SEC,” another coach said. “If he can stay healthy – because they run him like a running back – they’ll be a much better team.”
John Mateer’s health could make or break the season. Offensive line play will be a major factor. Oklahoma failed its signal callers last season. They’ll hope to avoid a repeat performance under a new regime.