Why Oklahoma Coaches Are Confident in John Mateer Entering Alabama Trip

This Saturday’s matchup in Tuscaloosa is unquestionably a crucial game with significant College Football Playoff ramifications.

No. 12 Oklahoma playing on the road in yet another SEC cathedral is a potential fork in the road for the Sooners: win and keep your playoff hopes alive, lose and you might want to pray for help.

OU has won now two road games in the SEC this season. Each win came in the wake of Oklahoma's first loss of the season in the Cotton Bowl, where John Mateer had one of the worst games of his college career.

Mateer's recent play since then hasn't quite matched the level of his September performance. However, Ben Arbuckle remains confident in his quarterback based on those two road games as Oklahoma prepares to face Alabama this weekend in Tuscaloosa.

John Mateer and Ben Arbuckle, Oklahoma Sooner — John Mateer and Ben Arbuckle | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

"I thought he did really good things in the Tennessee game and during the bye week," Arbuckle said during his weekly press conference. "I think the South Carolina game helped because that’s not an easy place to play. That prepared John for another test. He was clean and played efficient football."

Mateer didn't light up the box score against the Gamecocks or the Volunteers. Save for a questionable decision late in Neyland — which Arbuckle again took the blame for — the Sooner quarterback made plays with his arm and his feet when they needed it.

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Against South Carolina, Mateer wasn't asked to do much — still dealing with recovering from his hand surgery and an unspecified knee problem. OU controlled the game but still only led 17-7 late in the third quarter. Mateer led a drive with two 20-yard passes, the second being a strike to Isaiah Sategna III to put the game out of reach.

Tennessee provided a glimpse that Mateer's running ability may be more in play as Oklahoma prepares for its final three-game stretch. OU's QB1 maneuvered his way on a third-and-16 to move the chains thanks to a 21-yard run. Mateer finished with 80 yards on 16 carries and a touchdown.

These performances bode well for Arbuckle's confidence in his quarterback. Mateer's leadership was on display even during the bye week.

"John attacked his footwork, his communication, his consistency (during the off week)," Arbuckle said. "He’s a process-driven kid. Great leader throughout the bye week. Excited to see him play more football."

Oklahoma Sooners, Isaiah Sategna, Xavier Robinson, Jake Maikkula, John Mateer — Oklahoma wide receiver Isaiah Sategna, running back Xavier Robinson, offensive lineman Jake Maikkula, quarterback John Mateer | Carson Field, Sooners On SI

OU's advantage of splitting their SEC road game-gauntlet with a bye also allowed Arbuckle to compare this Sooner off week with their first one in September prior to their game against Kent State.

That was the first week Oklahoma knew Mateer would not play and the entire conversation in Norman centered around his status for their game the following week against Texas.

"That first bye week, just kind of a lot of stuff was up in the air," Arbuckle said. "This bye week, to be a little healthier at a few positions, we were able to attack this week better than we did the last one. The players attacked it. John attacked the work every single day. The whole team was locked in during meetings and took it out to practice."