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Oklahoma QB John Mateer 'in a Good Spot' Ahead of Make-or-Break Senior Season

Mateer has worked on keeping feet, head calm heading into his second season with the Sooners.
Ryan Aber|
Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer prepares to throw during practice Friday.
Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer prepares to throw during practice Friday. | Carson Field / Sooners On SI

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Oklahoma Sooners

NORMAN — John Mateer knows all eyes are on him entering his second year as Oklahoma's quarterback.

"I feel great," Mateer said Friday after the Sooners' third practice of preseason camp. "I think year after year you get smarter. You get stronger and faster and quicker and you can just anticipate more. I've tried to watch a lot of film and so you just know the game better, know the looks you're getting and know our answers. I'm in a good spot."

Earlier in the week, OU quarterback John Kuceyeski talked about Mateer's calmness entering camp.

In a make-or-break season not only for Mateer's legacy in Norman but also for his development as a quarterback, Mateer isn't showing the effects of any pressure.

"I think keeping your brain calm, keep your body calm, keep your feet calm (is important)," Mateer said. "It's really the feet is the biggest thing, knowing where your feet are going to be, your eyes and how to get there and just feeling the pocket. Because if your brain's everywhere, you're thinking, you don't know what you're looking at, you'll hesitate. But I'm in a good spot."

The work that Mateer has put in has been among the biggest talking points of OU's offseason.

Now, though, it the time to show the results of that work.

"We all know what time it is," Mateer said.

Mateer said he was happy with the state of the OU run game after the Sooners struggled to find much traction on the ground a year ago.

"It looks good," Mateer said. "People being physical, being tough, putting the pads on, really hitting people. You can hear it. There's a sound to the game of football and it sounds good. It's fun to be behind."

After battling through the hand injury that limited him for much of last season after a quick return from surgery, Mateer is looking forward to the potential of what a healthy season would mean for him and the Sooners.

"I think just playing football," Mateer said. "I was a little hurt last year and I had to adapt and do things a little differently. Playing with Coach (Ben) Arbuckle, Coach Kuz and all these guys I've known for so long and playing with these guys I've built great relationships with, knowing them for one year vs. two years is so different. I know these guys, I love them and doing it in front of these fans, I'm really excited.

"I think I'm most excited I've ever been to play football."

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Ryan Aber
RYAN ABER

Ryan Aber has been covering Oklahoma football for more than a decade continuously and since 1999 overall. Ryan was the OU beat writer for The Oklahoman from 2013-2025, covering the transition from Bob Stoops to Lincoln Riley to Brent Venables. He covered OU men's basketball's run to the Final Four in 2016 and numerous national championships for the Sooners' women's gymnastics and softball programs. Prior to taking on the Sooners beat, Ryan covered high schools, the Oklahoma City RedHawks and Oklahoma City Barons for the newspaper from 2006-13. He spent two seasons covering Arkansas football for the Morning News of Northwest Arkansas before returning to his hometown of Oklahoma City. Ryan also worked at the Southwest Times Record in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and the Muskogee Phoenix. At the Phoenix, he covered OU's national championship run in 2000. Ryan is a graduate of Putnam City North High School in Oklahoma City and Northeastern State University in Tahlequah.

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