Paul Finebaum isn’t backing away from John Mateer after a roller-coaster first year in Norman. If anything, he sounds encouraged by what he saw.
Mateer’s debut season with Oklahoma started like a breakout. After arriving from Washington State, where he put together a stellar season, he became one of the portal’s most coveted names before following offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle to Norman.
Through the first four games, he looked every bit like a difference-maker: 1,215 passing yards, six touchdown passes and three interceptions, plus 190 rushing yards and five more scores. Oklahoma rolled to a 4-0 start, and Mateer was right in the Heisman conversation.
Then came the injury. In that fourth game, Mateer hurt his throwing hand and had to wear a brace on his thumb for the rest of the season.
The production dipped hard from there. Over the final eight games, he finished with 1,670 passing yards, eight touchdowns and eight interceptions, while adding 241 rushing yards and three scores.
Even with that uneven finish, Finebaum made it clear he’s still a believer.
"You know, (I) saw Mateer the other day, and I'm a fan," Finebaum said on WWLS The Sports Animal."And if he can, you know, stay healthy, if (he) gets, you know, some protection and some weapons, which they didn't really have last year."
That view lines up with the buzz around Oklahoma’s offense heading into 2026. Mateer is another year removed from the thumb injury and now has a full season in Norman behind him. He also should have more help up front with a more experienced offensive line.
The supporting cast looks stronger, too. Transfer receivers Trell Harris and Parker Livingstone join Isaiah Sategna, giving Oklahoma more talent around its quarterback than it had a year ago. If Mateer can get back to the level he showed early last season and stay healthy, the Sooners may finally deliver the offensive jump plenty of people expected last fall.
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