While the 2026 College Football Season is months away, teams are getting ready through spring practice. Oklahoma has returned to the field at spring practice, and John Mateer has returned to the field as well, after foregoing the NFL Draft.
Now, as Mateer is looking forward to another season with the Sooners, he is speaking about his return, according to George Stoia of On3.
“It’s been fun coming back and leading a new team, new group of guys, building relationships and making old ones better,” Mateer said on Wednesday after Oklahoma’s first spring practice. “Staying here, being at OU is a blessing. In the end, it was pretty obvious — I need to be better, need to come back and develop another year, and this place is awesome.”
Mateer started the 2025 season strong for Oklahoma, but a thumb injury sidelined him, and when he returned, he was not the same player. Still, Mateer was able to lead the Sooners to a College Football Playoff berth, falling to Alabama in the first round. In order to move further in the playoffs this upcoming season, Mateer is focused on getting better.
“I think I’ve been a good football player. I’m a good football player,” Mateer said. “But playing quarterback, you know, learning and playing in a system and playing with more anticipation and more knowledge of the defense and stuff like that. And just that’s how I phrase it, playing better quarterback and doing things that’ll help at the next level.”
Mateer has also been spending time in the film room looking to improve. He threw 11 interceptions last year, including four in his last two games, and one against Alabama in the playoffs. This has led him to work with coach Brent Venables on reading defenses.
“Yeah, he’s obviously really smart, knows a lot about defenses,” Mateer said. “Just being able to recognize things quicker — the more you see it, the more football you watch, you get more familiar with things. You can spot them quicker and see the leverage quicker.”
The Sooners kick off their 2026 campaign on September 5, hosting UTEP.
