For Oklahoma to have a real shot at upsetting No. 2 Georgia on Saturday, the Sooners may need to unlock the part of John Mateer’s game that has barely shown up so far: his legs.
That’s the wrinkle college football analyst David Pollack is circling. Oklahoma’s offense has been one of the worst in the country this season, and the Sooners are walking into a matchup where they’ll need something unexpected to break through. Mateer, meanwhile, has put up modest passing numbers - 62.7% completions, 652 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions - but the bigger surprise has been how little he has done as a runner.
Through three games, Mateer has rushed for just 69 yards and no touchdowns at 2.7 yards per carry. That’s a sharp drop from what made him such an intriguing option in the first place.
Two seasons ago, he piled up 826 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns at 4.6 yards per carry. Last season, he added 431 yards and eight scores on the ground.
Pollack thinks Oklahoma has to lean back into that part of Mateer’s game against Georgia.
"I saw some things that if I'm Oklahoma, I know what I'm going to do to Georgia," Pollack said on 'See Ball Get Ball with David Pollack.'" I'm going to use Mateer.
I've got to use Mateer... I know he has to run the football, and he has to be a part of the play, fake helping slow people down."
That threat matters because Mateer’s running ability changes how defenses have to play him. When he’s effective escaping pressure and extending plays, it gives the offense another layer. Oklahoma just hasn’t gotten that consistently early this season.
Georgia knows Mateer can hurt it on the ground, which opens the door for Oklahoma to use that threat to shape how the Bulldogs defend the Sooners. The tricky part is balance. Mateer can’t turn into a one-dimensional runner and leave the passing game behind.
But if Oklahoma can get him involved as a runner without giving away the football through the air, it could force Georgia to deal with the full version of his skill set. For a team still looking for any kind of offensive spark, that may be the path to turning a flat performance into something that actually gives the Sooners a chance against the No. 2 team in the country.
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For a program already carrying a state-record 20 championships, the next game against Noble is now about more than just another line on the schedule. Bixbys standard was built over a stretch from 2018 to 2022, and Carl Albert now has the chance to move past it while adding another chapter to a dynastic run that has long defined the states powers. [Read more 🡒]