Kirby Smart isn’t ready to join the pile-on around Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer.
That’s the loud conversation around the Sooners right now: Oklahoma is 2-1, the offense has sputtered, and social media has been quick to pin plenty of that on Mateer after a shaky start to the season. He’s completed 62.7 percent of his passes and thrown three interceptions, numbers that have fueled the rush to label him a disappointment. Smart, though, sees something different.
“Obviously his (John Mateer) athleticism pops out at you,” said Kirby Smart. “He's hard to tackle. ...
He's tough. When you talk about the run game, he runs inside, he runs outside, he runs to pass, he scrambles to throw.
He's made explosives with his legs.”
That kind of dual-threat ability is what made Mateer such a coveted transfer in 2024 and what helped make him such a strong player for Oklahoma last season before his injury. He hasn’t matched that level yet this year, and even he would likely admit he needs to play better. But the idea that he’s suddenly a bad quarterback is a stretch, and Smart isn’t buying it.
The timing of this matchup may matter, too. Oklahoma heads into Athens as a two-touchdown underdog against No.
2 Georgia, a reflection of both Georgia’s strong start and the Sooners’ uneven play the past two weeks. Outside of Oklahoma, there isn’t much belief the Sooners can pull this one off.
The recent results have not helped. Oklahoma lost at Michigan in Week 2 after managing just 10 points, one week after the Wolverines had controversially beaten Western Michigan. Then came a 14-6 win over New Mexico, a game in which the Sooners’ defense did its job but the offense again struggled to finish drives and create much of anything.
Still, this trip to Georgia could be exactly the kind of spot Mateer needs. With fans around the country already counting him out, he’ll have the chance to play with less pressure and, in theory, a little more freedom. That kind of setup can change a quarterback’s rhythm fast.
If Mateer gets off to a sharp start Saturday, Georgia could be in for a long night. If the Bulldogs’ defense smothers him early, though, the confidence issues could snowball and make it tough for Oklahoma to find any offensive traction at all. And with Georgia’s offense not expected to pile up points the way it has been, the Bulldogs’ defense may need to set the tone and keep this from turning into a shootout.
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Georgia Fans Wont Love The Latest Shot At This Offense
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Georgia Fans May Only Have One Real Shot At A Home Night Game
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Missouri looks like the best remaining candidate, and even that depends on the Tigers holding up their end of the bargain by staying ranked. Auburn and Georgia Tech can still create intrigue, but the SECs scheduling choices often come down to which matchup carries the most national pull at the right moment. For Georgia fans hoping for one long fall evening under the lights, the path is there, but it is not much of one. [Read more 🡒]