John Mateer injury update: Brent Venables told Oklahoma QB he will not 'defy the odds' in recovery

Brent Venables wants to be sure that when John Mateer returns from injury, the Oklahoma quarterback is fully prepared to do so. Mateer recently had surgery on his right thumb, with initial reports stating that he would be out at least three weeks.

Many have noted that seems like an awfully quick recovery time, with some questioning whether Mateer will be able to go for the Red River Rivalry against Texas on Oct. 11. Mateer had the operation on Sept. 25, and exactly three weeks from that date would be Oct. 16.

Even so, the Sooners have yet to officially rule him out for that game against the Longhorns and are hopeful he can play. Venables addressed that possibility on his radio show Monday evening, revealing what he told Mateer about his recovery.

“He’s going to push the limits on everything when it comes to his rehab and getting back,” the coach said, per George Stoia of Sooner Scoop. “At the same time, I told him, you’re not going to defy the odds… You need to let those things heal.”

Mateer transferred to Oklahoma from Washington State this offseason and has the Sooners off to a 4-0 start. He was also the leader in Heisman odds prior to his injury, having thrown for 1,215 yards, six touchdowns, and three interceptions, while also rushing for 190 yards and five more scores.

OU is expected to start Michael Hawkins Jr. for a Week 6 contest against Kent State. The Sooners should be able to manage without their star QB against the Golden Flashes, but the following week will be a different story.

Of course, in a perfect world, Mateer will have a speedy recovery and be back for the Texas game. But OU has bigger goals this season, including an SEC Championship and College Football Playoff appearance, and rushing their star player back would be ill-advised.

That doesn’t mean Mateer won’t play, though. The next week-plus will be critical in determining his status, with On3’s Pete Nakos reporting Tuesday that there is still “some hope” the QB will be ready for the Longhorns.

Until then, the Sooners will look to make it through this week and begin to evaluate where John Mateer is at next Monday. Venables said he has faith in the rest of team to handle business in the meantime.

“I’ve got faith in our football team, and I hate that for John, certainly,” Venables said. “But it’s been good. Again, in the spirit of the team, we’ve got a bunch of guys that are highly invested.

“Most teams are going to face some type of adversity, whether it’s in a game, or an injury to your roster. You’ve gotta move forward and gotta get better from it. And again, if we’re who I believe we are, we’ll continue to keep our head down and work and get better.”