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John Mateer - page 1

Dave: Offense the key question for ’26 Sooners

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The 2025 Oklahoma Football season ended in disappointment for Sooner fans to the tune of a 34-24 first round playoff loss to Alabama in Norman last December. 

What made it sting more was the 17-0 lead Oklahoma built to start the game.  However, looking back on the season as a whole, you would have to say it was a very successful campaign and shows the program Brent Venables is building moving in the right direction. 

A home college football playoff game is a big accomplishment.  And even though we have a monster of a schedule to contend with in 2026, there is reason to believe a bigger jump could be expected this year. 

The defense will continue to be the hallmark of Oklahoma football.  With David Stone and Taylor Wien manning the line and the Bowen brothers along with Kip Lewis patrolling the second level, this unit could be even better than before. 

And don’t forget returning Lou Groza award winner Tate Sandel.  Reports from pre-season practices are saying he is hitting from over 60 yards out.  A reliable place kicker is a huge weapon.

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Bad News: Hand injury sidelines Mateer

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The Sooner’s season dimmed Tuesday with the news that QB John Mateer will undergo right hand surgery Wednesday that will likely sideline him for the next month.

Head coach Brent Venables said he expects Mateer, who is No. 1 on most Heisman watch lists, to return to the field at some point in the season, but when is up in the air.

Mateer sustained the injury to his throwing hand early in Saturday’s exciting win over Auburn. The fact he finished with 271 yards passing and one touchdown through the air while also rushing for a score in the fourth quarter is remarkable, considering he was playing with a fractured thumb.

“After consulting with medical experts, it became clear that surgery is the best option for John and his short- and long-term future,” the Oklahoma coach told reporters. “He’s extremely disappointed he will miss some game action but is eager to correct the issue and move forward. As he is with everything, we know he will be aggressive with his rehabilitation and work to return to the field as quickly as possible.”

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Mateer lives up to hype, leads Sooners to 35-3 opening day win over Illinois State

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A new-found passing game and a resilient defense gave the No. 18 Oklahoma Sooners a 35-3 win in their first outing against Illinois State on Saturday night, but a struggling rushing game does not bode well for next week when a more formidable foe in the Michigan Wolverines comes to town.

One thing is certain: John Mateer lived up to his hype, completing 30 of 37 passes. His side-arm throws were launched with a quick release, and his targets were considerably better than last year’s wide receiver corps.

Transfer Keontez Lewis, who caught 9 of 11 passes his way for 119 yards and two touchdowns.

Deion Burkes caught passes on 88 yards and one touchdown.

Mateer, who completed 81 percent of his passes, set a school record for most yards passing in an Oklahoma debut, passing Baker Mayfield’s 388 yards against Akron in 2015.

Another highlight was former linebacker and now tight end Jaren Kanak, who had five catches for 90 yards, and appeared to be one of Mateer’s favorite targets.

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