Why Oklahoma QB John Mateer Believes ‘the Struggle’ Helped Him Develop

John Mateer's first season with the Sooners was far from perfect, but he believes he's better as a result.

Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer warms up at a spring practice. | Carson Field / Sooners On SI

Quarterback John Mateer believes that the trials he faced in Year 1 at Oklahoma will allow him to be better in Year 2.

After a scorching start to the 2025 season, Mateer suffered a hand injury against Auburn in Week 4. Mateer missed just one game as a result, but his performance — as well as the entire offense’s — declined after he returned.

Mateer ended his first year in Norman with 2,885 yards, 14 touchdowns and 11 interceptions on a 62.2-percent completion percentage. In the eight games after his injury, he completed only 59.4 percent of his passes for 1,670 yards, eight touchdowns and eight interceptions.

The quarterback, who spent his first three college football seasons at Washington State, came to OU with offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle, who previously coached him in Pullman. Mateer and Arbuckle dealt with plenty of ups and downs during 2025, and as a result, they’re even closer as the 2026 season approaches.

“You hear that the relationship between an offensive coordinator and a quarterback is the biggest relationship in all of sports, and I believe that,” Mateer said at SEC Media Days in Tampa, Fla. “Our relationship’s only tighter now than it’s ever been, and that’s probably because of the struggle. 

“The struggle brings you closer. I love that guy, and we’ve both learned so much together, and it’s going to be real good.”

Mateer completed under 60 percent of his passes in three of OU’s final eight games. His worst completion percentage (46.7 percent) came in the Sooners’ 17-6 win against Missouri on Nov. 22, and he combined for four interceptions in OU’s last two games of the year.

Overall, becoming more accurate has been one of Mateer’s key focuses throughout the offseason.

“The biggest one has been the completion percentage — moving the ball forward, staying ahead of the chains,” Mateer said. “The accuracy, the timing, the decision-making.”

Though Mateer was very inconsistent after he returned from injury, he did enough to lead his team to the College Football Playoff.

The Sooners won four games in a row — against Tennessee, Alabama, Missouri and LSU — to end the regular season 10-2 and reach their first CFP since 2019. Oklahoma lost to Alabama 34-24 in the CFP First Round.

Mateer’s up-and-down first season in Norman taught him much about leadership.

“I think I’ve raised my intensity that we need to be better; I need to be better,” Mateer said. “When the mental errors come around, you let them hear it a little more. There’s a fine line. I’m only able to do that because when they succeed, I try to do my best and give them their praise because they all deserve it. You can’t get onto somebody if you don’t have a relationship with them.”

Mateer and his teammates have high hopes for the 2026 season. After reaching the CFP last year, they will now look to go even further.

The quarterback believes that the roster is filled with veteran leaders who can help that become a reality — and Mateer knows that his development as a leader will be crucial.

“I think a good leader makes them believe in you, but a great leader makes them believe in themselves,” Mateer said. “We don’t have a lot of immature leaders. We have a lot of good guys that want to help and see other people succeed because we know depth is so important in this league.”

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