Oklahoma QB Coach John Kuceyeski Working to Improve John Mateer From the Ground Up

NORMAN — This offseason’s buzz around the Oklahoma Sooners centers on one thing: John Mateer’s growth — a storyline that could define OU’s 2026 season.

During Oklahoma's Pro Day, Mateer threw to now-former pass catcher Deion Burks and others and appeared to have altered his throwing motion into a more typical action — "closer to the ear" as Mateer said on Wednesday.

During spring practices, Mateer has rarely been far from offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle. He’s also getting steady guidance from quarterbacks coach John Kuceyeski, who’s even coaching him up on his demeanor at the podium.

"I've been with him long enough now that when he started these press conferences, he was really bad," Kuceyeski said on Saturday. "He was just kind of laughing and giggling and he wasn’t very polished."

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Oklahoma Sooners, John Kuceyeski — Oklahoma offensive analyst John Kuceyeski | Ryan Chapman / Sooners on SI

'Polished' not just off the field, but on it. Kuceyeski knows that the first step in helping his quarterback produce better on the field is to start from the ground up — literally.

"The biggest thing is his foundation, his platform — throwing from a great platform, having consistency in his drops and his pocket movements," Kuceyeski said. "Now we start to move, as we go against another defense, with some of the eye discipline, some of the coverage reads pre and post-snap process and elevating that."

With as much attention as Mateer’s throwing motion has demanded, most would argue his biggest physical flaw in 2025 was his unstable base — routinely throwing without his feet set or even leaving the ground before releasing the ball.

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Kuceyeski acknowledged that Mateer "took ownership" of his mistakes during winter sessions. "It’s the one time of year you can really work the kinesthetic, the bottom half, and just really drill it," he added. "We did a good job with that in January, February."

The ever-discussed throwing motion will be more "gradual" according to Kuceyeski.

"If we can just start to get the arm angle to here (over the top) more consistently, that’s going to be great," he said. "But it’s not going to be something where you’re just going to change it overnight. It’s been drilled for him for 21 years of his life.

"Obviously, there’s going to be times where it’s going to demand a sidearm throw based on some movement and RPO throws; that’s not going to vanish, and he’s going to default to that at times when things speed up," Kuceyeski added.

Oklahoma Sooners, John Mateer — Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer hands the ball off during a spring practice. | Ryan Chapman / Sooners on SI

Kuceyeski understands that spring is the time to work on these fundamental aspects. The desired outcome is that the drills and repetition of spring ball lead to muscle memory in the fall. But once the games begin in September and the speed ramps up, he will need to make plays as he falls back into old habits.

"The easiest thing is in drills, how clean can we be when we’re not going against teams, and then, boom, ‘Look at your arm here on this clip when the defense is rushing; now you see what’s happening?’" Kuceyeski said.

While Mateer struggled last season and is working towards becoming a better player in 2026, Kuceyeski is confident that his quarterback won't be haunted by any ghosts of mistake-ridden play from 2025.

"The best thing about John is that he’s extremely seasonal," he said. "In the sense that every season, he’s got something he’s gotta get better at. And that’s not just fall season, like right now."

John Kuceyeski, Ben Arbuckle, John Mateer, Oklahoma Sooners — Oklahoma coaches John Kuceyeski (left) and Ben Arbuckle with Sooners quarterback John Mateer. | John E. Hoover / Sooners On SI

That seasonality fits naturally as Mateer enters his fourth and final college season. Kuceyeski expects an even more mature and more improved player come fall.

"He’s grown up a lot, obviously, as a human, as well," he said. "Just really proud. He’s very process-driven and that’s always going to be a process and that’s what’s going to give him success."