Bad News: Hand injury sidelines Mateer
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.”