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Sources: OU quarterback John Mateer suffers hand injury

headshotby: George Stoia9 hours agoGeorgeStoia
John Mateer
Oklahoma QB John Mateer under pressure as he releases his pass. Photo - Carey Murdock/SoonerScoop

OU quarterback and Heisman hopeful John Mateer has suffered a right hand injury on his throwing hand and could miss three or more weeks, according to SoonerScoop.com sources.

Mateer injured his right hand during the first quarter of the Auburn game on Saturday, but remained in the game. This may come as a surprise, as Mateer went 24 of 36 for 271 yards and one touchdown, helping the Sooners beat the Tigers with a fourth-quarter game-winning drive.

OU and its medical staff have been working to find the best course of treatment to ensure Mateer returns healthy and in a timely fashion. The university confirmed the injury and announced Mateer will undergo surgery on Wednesday.

“After consulting with medical experts, it became clear that surgery is the best option for John and his short- and long-term future,” coach Brent Venables said in a statement. “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.”

If Mateer is to miss the next three weeks, he could potentially miss the Red River Rivalry game against No. 10 Texas on October 11. In his absence, sophomore Michael Hawkins Jr. will take over the Oklahoma offense and start against Kent State on Oct. 4. Hawkins played seven games for the Sooners last season, totaling 783 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. He also rushed for 204 yards and one touchdown. OU is currently on a bye week, giving the Sooners more time to prepare Hawkins for the offense.

“We have all the confidence in the world in Michael and are excited for his opportunity to lead our offense while John recovers,” Venables said. “He had some big moments for us last season as a true freshman and has just gotten better and better. I’m proud of the work Michael’s put in and the progress he’s made, and know he will attack this opportunity to help lead our football team.”

If Mateer misses significant time, this would obviously be a big blow for No. 7 OU, as he has been one of the best quarterbacks in the country through four games. Mateer has thrown for 1,215 yards, 6 touchdowns and three interceptions while also rushing for 190 yards and five touchdowns.

Stay tuned to SoonerScoop.com as this story develops.

Carey Murdock and Eddie Radosevich contributed to this report.

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