John Mateer injury update: Brent Venables addresses Oklahoma QB's status amid rumors of Red River Rivalry return

Really, only one question in Norman matters this week heading into the Red River Shootout. Will quarterback John Mateer be healthy enough to play against Texas? Nobody truly knows the answer thus far. And as it turns out, not even head coach Brent Venables has a timeline for when Mateer will be back.

“I don’t know when John Mateer will be back,” Venables said on his coach’s show.

From the moment news broke about Mateer, everyone wondered if he would be back in time for the Texas game. Oklahoma was facing a bye week at the time before rounding out nonconference play against Kent State. Not much concern there, no matter who played quarterback. Michael Hawkins got the job done, as the Sooners won 44-0.

Immediately after walking off the field vs. Kent State, Venables casted doubt about Mateer playing. Certainly not what anybody in Norman wanted to hear at the time.

“Brent Venables says he’s assuming John Mateer won’t be available next week,” George Stoia of On3 | Rivals’ Sooner Scoop said via X. “Says if he’s not, they feel confident in Michael Hawkins Jr. leading the offense.”

So, we might be looking at a second consecutive start for Hawkins inside the Cotton Bowl. He played over Jackson Arnold in 2024, completing 19 of 30 passes with no touchdowns or interceptions. One of Hawkins’ biggest strengths is his feet but Texas held the quarterback in check there, only going for 27 yards on 20 attempts.

Of course, Texas is the immediate focus for Oklahoma. However, there are still long-term implications to this update from Venables. OU begins a brutal final seven games to its regular season, drawing the short end of the SEC scheduling stick. A trip to South Carolina sits on deck before five straight games against teams currently ranked in the top 15.

College Football Playoff excitement swirled around the Sooners due to Mateer’s great play early on. Wins against Michigan and Auburn got a ton of national attention for the program, something they needed in a critical season for Venables. But for the most part, how Oklahoma performs during SEC play will determine its fate.

Through four games, Mateer has thrown for 1,215 yards, six touchdowns, and three interceptions. Offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle does a nice job getting the run game going when needed too. The five touchdowns and 190 rushing yards are a nice bonus for Mateer.