John Mateer has done everything you would expect from a QB determined to bounce back. He recovered from a thumb surgery, reshaped his body, and spent months refining his mechanics with respected QB trainers. But for all the talk about his stronger frame and cleaner throwing motion, one question refuses to go away. Can he consistently see the field? That’s one reason a national analyst isn’t ready to fully buy into the offseason hype. 

“Got asked today on XM about Mateer’s improvement this offseason,” Bud Elliott wrote on X. “I’m very high on Oklahoma, but there is nothing he can show me this offseason that will make me think his vision is fixed because it’s what got him in trouble at Washington State and OU. Has to show on the field.”

For Brent Venables, it’s probably the one issue that can’t truly be answered until the games begin. Elliott expanded on that point during the discussion.

“We’re seeing teams play the same defense against Mateer every week, and every week Arbuckle schemes up open guys, and Mateer doesn’t see it,” he said. “So then it leads to him having to run around and make plays because the play was there to be made, and he missed it within the structure of the play call. A lot of people are talking about this thumb thing. The vision has been an issue since week one. That’s not thumb-related.”

When John Mateer arrived at Oklahoma, he was a sensation. The previous year at Washington State, he threw for 3,139 yards, 29 touchdowns and ran for 15 more scores. So when he followed OC Ben Arbuckle to Norman, expectations quickly took off. He looked like one of the nation’s top QBs through the first four games of the 2025 season before breaking the thumb on his throwing hand against Auburn. The injury changed the way he threw the ball, forcing a lower release and making even simple passes tougher.

But the injury didn’t explain everything. John Mateer ended the year with 11 interceptions, including a few games with three picks. Many of those came from throwing into heavy coverage or missing defenders after the snap. That’s why Bud Elliott believes the bigger concern is field vision. Ironically, the QB reached a similar conclusion after Oklahoma’s loss to Texas last season.

“My eyes weren’t as good as they needed to be, and when your quarterback doesn’t play good football, it’s hard to win in this league,” he said.

To address the physical side, John Mateer worked this offseason with QB trainer Josh Hess, whose client list includes NFL star Josh Allen. According to SoonerScoop’s George Stoia, the focus has been on improving his throwing motion through biomechanics while helping him regain the form he showed before the injury. 

Now, John Mateer is surprising everyone with his offseason ripped transformation after appearing to have added at least 5-10 pounds of muscle. Brent Venables has also had him spending significant time in the film room, hoping better recognition and quicker decisions will match the QB’s obvious athletic ability.

Oklahoma already knows John Mateer has the talent. He’s put in the work, too. Now comes the part that really matters. Can he stay calm, read the defense, and make the right call when everything speeds up? If he can, the Sooners could be in for a big 2026 season.