You just don’t know how fast the tables can turn. The past few days have been a roller coaster ride for the Oklahoma Sooners quarterback John Mateer. On September 20, FanDuel Sportsbook put its spotlight on Brent Venables‘ quarterback, placing him at the top of the list of Heisman odds at +750. This came right after Mateer led Oklahoma to a 24-17 win over Auburn on September 20. But the quarterback was not in the right mood to celebrate. The reason? Mateer injured his right hand during the first quarter of the Auburn game. Things looked serious, and he had to undergo surgery. And it was successful. That’s when Dr. Shin, the one behind the surgery, received an honorary credit from the Oklahoma attorney general. Now, who is Dr. Shin?

The Sooners fans might have gone heartbroken. Mateer’s injury came as a surprise. After all, he was the one who went 24 of 36 for 271 yards and one touchdown, helping his squad to crush Hugh Freeze’s squad with a fourth-quarter game-winning drive. “After consulting with medical experts, it became clear that surgery is the best option for John and his short- and long-term future,” Venables arrived at a crucial decision. On September 25, after undergoing the surgery, Mateer himself tweeted, “Thank God for a successful procedure. Dr. Shin is the GOAT. BOOMER SOONER!!” It was followed by a tweet from Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond.

He wrote, “I hereby issue this official commendation of Dr. Shin for single-handedly saving John Mateer’s season. BOOMER!” Now, who is this Dr. Shin? Sooners fan-favorite, Dr. Steven Smith, the savior. As per the reports, Mateer was cured by him, who is the world’s leading hand surgeon. He is an orthopaedic surgeon who specializes in the treatment of athletes’ hand and upper limb injuries. Mateer’s doctor holds three degrees: AB, MMSc, and MD from Brown University. Now, what was written in the commendation letter?

Dr. Shin has performed surgeries on star athletes that made Venables and Co. trust him with Mateer, their soft spot. His list of patients includes Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout, former New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, and Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams.

The government official thus sent a note of appreciation. He wrote, “Whereas, Dr. Shin has earned the gratitude of Sooner fans far and wide, who have taken to celebrating his surgical acumen on social media; Therefore, I, Gentner Drummond, Attorney General of the State of Oklahoma, do hereby recognize and commend Dr. Steven Shin for his dedication, professionalism, and admirable commitment to helping ensure great football.” Now that Mateer has been operated on, how long will the Sooners fans have to wait till he makes a return to the gridiron? 

The void in the Sooners’ camp without John Mateer

As per the reports, John Mateer will be out for roughly one month. The injury is in his throwing hand, potentially creating a murky return timeline. Week 5’s bye gives Venables a golden window to reshape the Sooners’ offense minus Mateer. The silver lining? And with Michael Hawkins Jr., who saw three starts in 2024, the Sooners have experience waiting in the wings.

Even after having surgery, Mateer will take some time to come back to action. The Oklahoma head coach ensures that no panic is created. Instead, Venables assured, “We have all the confidence in the world in Michael and are excited for his opportunity to lead our offense while John recovers. He had some big moments for us last season as a true freshman and has just gotten better and better. I’m proud of the work Michael’s put in and the progress he’s made, and know he will attack this opportunity to help lead our football team.”

But no matter what good words come for Hawkins, Sooners’ fans’ hearts still lie with Mateer. After all, he has been one of the best quarterbacks in the country through four games. Having thrown for 1,215 yards, 6 touchdowns, and three interceptions while also rushing for 190 yards and five touchdowns, Mateer finds himself mentioned in an analyst’s warning for Venables to brace himself for the worst. 

On the Get Up podcast, Jordan Rodgers came up with a wake-up call: “While I think he was the best pure passer in college football, he was also Oklahoma’s leading rusher. The run game has been absent without him, and I think that’s the biggest stressor for Oklahoma moving forward.” John Mateer, holding 38% of the rushing production from Oklahoma to his name, is the only hope for the Sooners’ fate to punch the playoff tickets. The big question: what kind of magic did Dr. Shin work on the QB’s arm to speed up his comeback?