Brent Venables places John Mateer in ‘rare air’ after Oklahoma debut

The Oklahoma Sooners hope that they have found their next great quarterback in John Mateer. Certainly, through one game in Norman, head coach Brent Venables is thrilled with what he’s seen from his signal caller.

After Oklahoma’s Week 1 win over Illinois State, Venables praised Mateer. In particular, he noted how Mateer responded to adversity in the game.

“He’s just right here in this rare air,” Brent Venables said. “I love John. Ultra competitive, but never too high. Never too low.”

John Mateer began his career as a three-star recruit in the Class of 2022 at Washington State. He was the 1,678th-ranked player and the 107th-ranked quarterback in that recruiting cycle. Despite that, he was able to prove himself there, breaking out during the 2024 season as one of the most productive quarterbacks in the country. So, when Oklahoma added his offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle, it wasn’t a surprise that he followed as a transfer.

In his debut against FCS Illinois State, things weren’t perfect for Mateer. He did throw an interception, after all. They were, however, pretty exceptional overall. He finished the day completing 30 of 37 passes for 392 yards and three touchdowns.

“We talked about how there’s going to be some kind of headwind tonight. There’s gonna be something where there’s some pushback,” Venables said. “And it’s about responding. You have to take the bad with the good and stay at a consistent level. I thought he did that, from his leadership. Bounce right back after the interception. They go down. They do a great job on offense. So, his maturity and his toughness. His leadership, his play-making, all of that, were at a real premium level in my opinion.”

Expectations had been high for Mateer for some time. Even before the season began, Venables made a point of praising him for how he’s looked throughout the offseason. That helped him earn captain status within the program. Externally, he’s also been highly regarded. CBS Sports, for instance, ranked him ninth among college quarterbacks going into the preseason. In a ranking from ESPN of college players regardless of position, he came in 16th.

The level of competition is going to quickly jump up for John Mateer and Oklahoma. Next week, the Sooners are set to play host to the Michigan Wolverines. The Wolverines are coming off a win over New Mexico and are expected to compete in the Big Ten on the back of an excellent defense this season.