Oklahoma, which was once known for its storied history and footballing dominance, is now struggling under Brent Venables. So, when you look back at the Sooners’ last season, it was rock bottom; they lost 7 games, including their Armed Forces Bowl. But Brent Venables said ‘no more!’ And hired the most prolific duo in 2024 in all of college football. So, as Ben Arbuckle and John Mateer have joined Oklahoma, the offensive revamp is looking to be extraordinary. But the duo’s union in Oklahoma wasn’t that easy!!

If you happened to watch that Washington game against Washington State last year, you would know just how good the ‘dynamic duo’ was last season. Mateer threw for 245 yards and rushed for another 62 as Ben Arbuckle’s offensive schemes delivered a well-deserved win to the Cougars. In total, Arbuckle helped Mateer throw for 3,139 yards and rush for 826 yards, totaling 43 touchdowns, the highest in the FBS for a QB. And Mateer acknowledges Arbuckle’s massive contribution to developing him.

In an interview with ‘AP Steadham’ on June 28th at Manning Passing Academy, Mateer was asked how he came to Oklahoma and how he “brought your offensive coordinator from Washington State.” To this, Mateer quickly replied in correction, “Actually, he brought me, but I’m not going to take credit for that,” and went on to explain how Arbuckle elevated him as a player. “We just took the next step in the offense, you know, year three going into the offense is huge, being able to take the next step, really in protections, and checks run checks, and pass checks, that’s that’s the biggest thing,” remarked Mateer.

Mateer has spent the previous two seasons with Ben Arbuckle, perfecting himself under his guidance. However, in 2023, Mateer wasn’t the QB one at Washington State under the 29-year-old OC. It was someone quite familiar with both NFL and college football fans: Cameron Ward, the first pick in the 2025 draft, who threw for 3,735 yards in the season. So, Mateer not only would have learned from Arbuckle’s offensive philosophy but also learned from Cam Ward. So, this makes expectations quite high with the OC and QB duo as they enter the 2025 season. But the relationship between Arbuckle and Mateer isn’t always smooth in practice, as he tells.

“He coaches me hard. He yells at me when I do stupid stuff, but he also doesn’t praise me a lot when I do good stuff. Cuz we’re supposed to do good stuff,  but it’s great he has a great balance of good and bad, and discipline is the biggest thing being a quarterback,” said Mateer. But Mateer accepts how Arbuckle approaches him to toughen him for the grueling games that the change of scenery in the SEC will present. “If I try to do too much and I make a mistake, it’s my fault, but that’s how it should be played; it should be played with discipline,” declared Mateer in praise of his mentor. As for the SEC challenge, the QB seems ready for that, too.

Mateer reportedly comes on a $3 million NIL deal over two seasons, making him a high-profile transfer. In many circles, the QB is still touted to be a top contender for the Heisman. Yet, there are still some concerns as to how he will navigate the SEC as opposed to the Mountain West schedule he faced in Washington State. Add to that, Oklahoma’s schedule is probably the toughest in the country.

With games against Texas, Tennessee, Alabama, LSU, Michigan, Auburn, and South Carolina, the schedule will be intense. But Mateer looks ready for the challenge as he declares, “I know it’s (SEC) loud and it’s a lot of fun, and well, it’s fun for some people, fun if you win, but I know it’s a challenge and I’m excited.” Moreover, Ben Arbuckle and Mateer need to perform, not just because Brent Venables’ fate depends on them, but also because the future QB room depends on them.

More challenges come for Brent Venables and John Mateer for the 2025 season

Brent Venables’ recruiting at Oklahoma hasn’t been too spectacular, but it’s still decent with a 17th-ranked class this year and a 21st-ranked class building up in 2026. But what if the team fails to perform in the 2025 season? Then, even these recruiting highlights will regress further. And one such 2027 prospect, Peyton Houston, echoed a similar opinion and batted for waiting and watching Mateer and Arbuckle perform before making a final decision.

“My relationship with Coach Arbuckle has been strong, been talking since I first got the offer with the last coaching staff. So the relationship there is definitely strong, just waiting to see what football looks like for him, and waiting to see what football looks like for a lot of different schools,” said Peyton Houston.

The message is simple: Even recruiting will regress if the 2025 season ends like the last season. So, Venables and John Mateer have several things to take care of. Navigating the toughest schedule in the country, making sure the offense doesn’t dip, and most of all saving Venables’ job. It’s a lot to achieve undoubtedly, but if that happens? Then, Mateer would be the undisputed favorite for the Heisman.