With John Mateer locked in as Oklahoma’s starter, the real quarterback intrigue in Norman sits one spot down the depth chart.
That backup job has two clear contenders: Whitt Newbauer, the veteran holdover from last season, and Bowe Bentley, the highly touted freshman signee who arrived with plenty of long-term buzz. Whoever wins it will not only earn the No. 2 role behind Mateer, but also position himself for a bigger future in the program.
Mateer’s hold on the top spot is not in doubt. In 2025, the redshirt junior threw for 2,885 yards with 14 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. His numbers dropped after a right-thumb injury, but he still helped Oklahoma finish 10-3 and reach the College Football Playoff.
Newbauer enters the fight with experience on his side. He transferred to OU from Mercer before the 2025 season after starting seven games for the Bears in 2024. He saw action three times for Oklahoma last season and completed two passes in the Sooners’ 44-0 win over Kent State.
He also handled himself well in the 2026 spring game on April 18, going 7 of 9 for 69 yards and adding six rushing yards. Playing against the “Red” team, which included most of Oklahoma’s first-team defensive players, Newbauer kept things clean and avoided the big mistakes that can sink a quarterback’s day.
He also has the physical tools to stand out in a crowded room. At 6-6 and 237 pounds, Newbauer is the biggest quarterback on the roster, which includes redshirt freshman Jett Niu. During spring ball, Brent Venables said Newbauer was working with the second team and praised what he had shown.
“He’s done a nice job,” Venables said in March. “Learned our offense a year ago in a backup role and has progressed.”
Because Newbauer arrived in the same transfer class as Mateer, his move didn’t draw nearly as much attention. But if he ends up as the backup in 2026, that could hint at a bigger role waiting beyond that. Unless NCAA legislation changes his timeline, Mateer’s 2026 season will be his last in college.
The early schedule could create some chances for both backups. Oklahoma’s games against UTEP and New Mexico are expected to be one-sided, and if that plays out, Mateer could be rested to protect his health. That would open the door for Newbauer to show what he can do in live action.
Bentley brings a different kind of appeal. He was one of Oklahoma’s highest-rated signees in the Class of 2026, a consensus 4-star recruit ranked No. 109 overall and the No. 8 quarterback in the class. He led Celina (TX) High School to a state title in 2024 and then got the team back to the state semifinals as a senior in 2025.
The Sooners clearly signed Bentley with bigger goals in mind, but the spring game showed he still has work to do. The 6-1, 208-pound quarterback went 5 of 13 for 35 yards and threw two interceptions against Oklahoma’s first-team defense.
Afterward, Mateer put that performance in perspective.
“You're going against the one defense the whole time, it's not easy,” Mateer said. “I think that's the first thing. In the long run, it's good that it happened.”
If Bentley ends up as the backup, it could be a sign that Oklahoma believes he’s on track to start in 2027. Even if he doesn’t win the No. 2 spot, he should still see the field in the UTEP and New Mexico games, giving him a chance to show how much he has grown since spring.
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