Just 17 days after undergoing surgery on his throwing hand, Oklahoma QB John Mateer was back under center for the Red River rivalry. But his return didn’t go as planned. Despite looking every bit the fighter OU needed, he threw three interceptions. Although he admitted it was not because of his hand injury, but the sixth-ranked squad didn’t get the win against Texas. Surely, that loss dropped them to 5-1, but now Oklahoma has found a reason to smile.

John Mateer injured his hand in Oklahoma’s win over Auburn and underwent surgery during the bye week. While it caused him to miss the Kent State game, he returned against Texas, throwing for 202 yards. But the Sooners fell 23-6. Now, looking ahead to the South Carolina matchup, Mateer updated his injury status. On Monday, according to OU insider George Stoia III, Mateer confirmed what Sooners fans wanted to hear. “OU quarterback John Mateer said he’s back full-go in practice this week ahead of the South Carolina game,” wrote. Still, there’s a small “if” factor.

Mateer says he feels great but isn’t taking chances. If anything starts to flare up, he’ll tap the brakes. “I’m full go. I’m good. I played in the game so if anything starts hurting, I’ll chill out, but I’m good to go, ” said Mateer regarding his availability. Now, while OU head coach Brent Venables took heat for starting Mateer against Texas, he made a big confession. Venables mentioned on his coaches show that the star QB took reps with the scout team but skipped full offense-versus-defense work. But Mateer had a different perspective.

After the loss against the Longhorns, Mateer admitted, “I felt ready to go, I was throwing normal. I got to where I needed to be, but I just didn’t perform.” And then came that bold take. “I think I just made bad decisions and made bad throws, nothing because of practice or my hand,” added Mateer. Now, it’s true that he struggled as he didn’t score a TD. But the main criticism was directed at Venables.

The reason is very simple. Despite having option with backup QB Michael Hawkins Jr., Venables went with John Mateer after his surgery. It was a high-stakes move. Because keeping Mateer healthy for the season arguably mattered more than that one game. And maybe because of that gamble, the Sooners’ offense struggled, and Saturday came at a cost. Now while Hawkins Jr. delivered against Kent state, bringing him in at halftime might have sparked the offense, but Venables stuck with his plan. Amidst all this, Mateer seems stay focused on the game against the Gamecocks.

John Mateer’s mindset ahead of the SC game

John Mateer opened up about his recovery. And then also gave a glimpse into the mental grind that kept him ready. “A lot of the mental reps,” he said. “Just standing back and seeing. Knowing when you can pull the trigger… taking the reps with your eyes. It’s huge, and it helps. I thought I did a good job of keeping my body ready, keeping my legs ready.” Now after all the struggles, he is ready for the next challenge.

Oklahoma can’t afford any slip-ups against South Carolina. With 3-3 record the Gamecocks have had an up-and-down season, but taking on a road SEC team is always a tough test. That’s why Mateer knows the offense must step up. “My hand was hurt, but that doesn’t mean my legs were hurt… I felt ready to go. Yeah, the process was tough, but I got to where I needed to be,” he said. And what about his midset?

He seems highly confident. “Obviously, never been there before,” mentioned Mateer. “First road SEC game, so I’m excited. If your confidence is fragile in this league, you don’t have a chance. It was tough, tough on me, obviously, again, I’m not happy about it, but you’ve got to step up and find a way, and I will.” Now, Mateer is ready to lead and prove that the offense can bounce back.