“Say what you want about Jackson Arnold. Say what you want about Michael Hawkins Jr., John Mateer is an upgrade.” It’s not just J.D. PicKell; it seems many now agree John Mateer is indeed an upgrade. The Oklahoma Sooners quarterback already has an edge over the hyped Arch Manning. While Arch hasn’t proven himself yet, Mateer certainly has. Last season, he led all FBS players with 29 touchdowns, showcasing his skills as both a passer and a runner, gaining 3,139 total yards. Now you can see why Brent Venables’ quarterback is generating Heisman buzz. But with hype comes huge pressure.

The Sooners’ offense struggled in 2024, partly due to many receiver injuries. This year, they’re really counting on new offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle and quarterback John Mateer, both brought in from Washington State, to make an immediate impact. It’s a big risk hoping Mateer quickly adjusts and plays against the tough defenses in the SEC.

Josh Pate has highlighted the pressure on Mateer, saying, “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, if the quarterback needs some motivation, here it is: he’s got his grades!

On the June 21 episode of the Cover 3 Podcast, Sooners’ insider Josh Callaway came with a report card for Mateer. And in his analysis, the quarterback passed with distinction. “I mean so far A+ for John Mateer in particular. Ben Arbuckle, too. But John Mateer, in particular, he’s got the fan base fired up.”

Callaway added, “He’s kind of the beacon of hope right now as far as the offense goes. He’s done everything he could do without doing it in games, right, which he hasn’t had the chance to do just yet. As soon as he got to campus, he started showing up at basketball games and stuff like that, and he’s got the fan base fired up.”

John Mateer simply wants the same kind of team success that all 7 OU Heisman winners had. Since he arrived in Norman in January, his teammates and coaches have clearly seen that he will help change things. This might be because of his impressive stats. As a redshirt sophomore in 2024, Mateer earned an offensive grade of 83.4. His rushing grade (86.2) was fourth among all NCAA Division I FBS quarterbacks.

Callaway further noted, “The way he’s kind of commanding the room and the fact that he knows Arbuckle’s offense, he’s helping teach it, is definitely helpful. Kind of reminds me of when Dillon Gabriel and Jeff Lebby came aboard was the same kind of thing.” He added, “DG was able to really help be kind of an extra coach and stall the offense that’s what John Mateer is certainly able to do right now. Him and Ben Arbuckle they’ve got a good relationship, they kind of have each other’s back a little bit. You can kind of sense that talking to them so you know excitement’s high.”

The Arbuckle- and Mateer-led WSU offense ranked sixth in points scored per game in 2024 (36.6) and 17th in total yards per game (442.8). So, can Brent Venables’ Oklahoma finally put its past struggles behind it with this duo?

A safety net for John Mateer to prevent the past from repeating itself

In 2024, the Sooners ranked among the worst in the nation. They stood 113th in total offense, 119th in passing offense, 76th in rushing offense, and 97th in scoring offense. Venables’ offense had hit kind of rock bottom in their 3-34 loss to the Texas Longhorns. To say Oklahoma’s offense has been bad might be an understatement. Nothing worked as they used eight different starting offensive line combinations in their first nine games before finding a set group.

Josh Callaway reminisced about the dark days, “The offense was such a mess. It was kind of a Murphy’s law on offense because the injuries did not help. Don’t get me wrong, the wide receiver room was decimated, like you said offensive line got healthy-ish toward the end of the year, but in fall camp the first half, it was just they were on their third-string center. Like, it was it was tough to start the year, but the offense was just you know, as Bren Venables put himself so using his word ‘an abomination’ on offense last year, and so Jackson Arnold didn’t play well, turned the b- -l over a ton.” Falling prey to a struggling offense, Jackson Arnold got sacked 34 times. So, Venables has laid out a safety net for his new QB1, Mateer.

The Sooners had their training session on March 23 under NFL wide receiver and tight end specialist Delfonte Diamond. That’s when John Mateer strengthened his chemistry with redshirt sophomore wide receiver Isaiah Sategna and redshirt junior wide receiver JaVonnie Gibson. Thanks to Jim Nagy for pulling in the best protectors for Mateer.

Sategna is known for having hauled in 37 receptions for 491 yards and a touchdown in Arkansas. On the other hand, Gibson has already proved himself, walking into Oklahoma with a 79.9 offensive player grade and an 83.7 receiving grade. Maybe Mateer is the one to shatter the Sooners’ long-running offensive jinx.