Brent Venables has seen the version of John Mateer Oklahoma wants, and he’s making no secret of it.
After a performance against Mississippi State that looked a lot more like the quarterback the Sooners believe in, Venables said Tuesday that he expects Mateer to keep playing at that level moving forward. The conversation around Mateer has never really been about whether he can win games at Oklahoma. It’s been about what happens after the first mistake - whether he resets or lets everything spiral.
That issue showed up against Kentucky, when Mateer slipped back into old habits and Oklahoma’s shot at stacking another ranked win after beating Texas slipped away. Ryan Fodje’s injury may have played a part in the late-game breakdowns.
But in Starkville, Mateer handled things differently. He opened well, kept producing, and didn’t let the offense’s miscues swallow the entire night.
“We’ve been saying how much we believe in him and trust him, what we watch," Venables said on Tuesday. "He has a body of work, we know what his best football looks like."
Mateer finished 22-for-29 and helped Oklahoma produce its biggest offensive output against a conference opponent since joining the SEC. The Sooners still left points out there, stalling twice in the red zone and settling for field goals.
Another scoring chance was wiped out by a questionable chop block penalty. Even so, Mateer didn’t fold when the offense hit those rough patches.
He kept finding answers.
"It’s just staying in the moment," Mateer said on Monday. I mean things are gonna happen.
It’s an imperfect game. That’s why everybody loves it.
That’s why it’s the greatest game. You can learn so much."
For Oklahoma, the next step is simple in theory and harder in practice: put Mateer in situations where he can keep building on that version of himself. The Sooners need their run game to become a real asset, not something opponents can ignore. If that happens, it could help unlock the quarterback Venables sees behind the scenes.
“It’s in there. You want to get it out of him," Venables said.
"You do have to coach him and lean on his strengths and pull him through some rough spots. Last week was what we all expected and hope for.
Hopefully this will be an opportunity for him to continue to perform at the level that we need him to to have a chance to win games and for everybody to kind of complement each other."
Mateer says the mental side is getting better, too. The pressure hasn’t disappeared, but he sounds like a quarterback more comfortable riding out the chaos.
"Staying in the moment, knowing who I am, trusting in the week of preparation and just playing free," Mateer said. "One play could go bad, but the next play matters."
In Other News...
OU Fans Think Memorial Stadium Could Be Getting A Huge Summer Event
A cryptic post from Oklahomas official athletics accounts has Sooners fans doing the kind of detective work that usually comes with schedule releases and transfer rumors, not summer concert news. The image was vague enough to spark plenty of speculation, but it lined up with other stadium teases circulating around the music world, and Memorial Stadium has long been a venue that can double as more than just a football home.
The most talked-about possibility is a Noah Kahan show next summer, especially with a countdown appearing on his website that has fueled talk of an announcement coming soon. Nothing has been made official yet, but the timing of the post and the pattern behind similar stadium hints have given fans a reason to think one of the biggest summer events in Norman could be on the way. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma Finally Has Some Bowl Momentum After A Much Needed Road Win
For a team trying to steady itself in the middle of an SEC stretch, Oklahomas win at Mississippi State offered more than just a number in the standings. The Sooners left Starkville with a 4-3 record and a 2-2 mark in league play, and they did it with a cleaner, more balanced performance than they have consistently shown this season. John Mateer completed 76 percent of his passes for 283 yards and two touchdowns, while the ground game added 184 yards on 41 carries to help control the pace.
Adepoju Adebawore also kept flashing the kind of pass-rush presence Oklahoma has been leaning on. He finished with 1.5 sacks, another strong showing for a defense that needed one on the road. A win like this does not solve everything, but it does give the Sooners something they have been lacking lately: a little momentum, and a clearer path as the season heads deeper into conference play. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma Faces A Real Test Up Front In Norman
South Carolina is bringing real momentum into Norman, and that alone makes this matchup worth a closer look for Oklahoma. The Gamecocks have stacked consecutive wins over ranked Florida and Tennessee, while the Sooners are trying to follow their recent victory over Mississippi State with something they have not managed yet this season: back-to-back wins. With both teams looking to keep moving in the right direction, the line play figures to be central to everything that happens Saturday.
For Oklahoma, the immediate concern is up front, where the Sooners are still sorting through an offensive line situation that will be under the microscope against one of the SECs most disruptive young defenders. South Carolina coaches pointed to edge rusher Dylan Stewart as a player who can change the tone of a game, and Oklahomas staff knows that kind of pressure can decide whether a rhythm offense ever gets settled. In a game with momentum on the line for both sides, that front-five battle may end up defining the afternoon. [Read more 🡒]