Two weeks ago, John Mateer endured a rough night in Oklahoma’s football team 23-6 loss to Texas, throwing three interceptions with no touchdowns while completing 20 of 38 for 202 yards and rushing 14 times for five yards.
Per ESPN Insights, those three picks tied the most by a Sooners quarterback against an unranked opponent since Landry Jones (2009), Cody Thomas (2014), Spencer Rattler (2020), and Dillon Gabriel (2022). Oklahoma led 6-3 at halftime before the Longhorns scored 20 unanswered behind Arch Manning.
After the Ole Miss game, the conversation shifted to what the film would reveal. “Yeah, we’ll have to wait and go back and look at the tape. I told him, ‘There’s gonna be, you’re gonna hate what you see on tape, because of some missed opportunities.’ Not talking about having to go make a play, I’m just doing the basics a little cleaner. And so, we’re all gonna have some regret watching the tape.” The evaluation came with a reminder that some issues were routine, fixable details rather than hero-ball moments, per 247Sports.
Asked if Mateer looked more comfortable pushing the ball downfield, the response was measured: “Yeah, we made some good plays down the field. And at times had really good command, and then some other times where maybe we got a little bit rushed.”
The staff also addressed Mateer’s health: “I don’t know. Have to ask him. He’s practiced well, he’s thrown with good accuracy, and he’s made good decisions. I do think that’s still a process of getting completely and fully healed. But I’m not sure if he has the limitations or not. Again, his velocity is good, his accuracy has been really good. So I haven’t seen the limitations at practice.” As for a full return to 100%: “Everybody’s injury heals differently.” All per 247Sports.
Player safety has also been in focus around the program. Following Keontez Lewis’ headfirst collision into an unpadded brick wall during the 44-0 win over Kent State on Oct. 4, the Oklahoma football team installed padding around the end-zone walls and near the benches ahead of its next home date. OU Daily first reported the upgrades, and coaches said discussions began within days of the incident.
The big-picture takeaway remains steady: clean up the basics on film, get healthier, and finish drives — the kind of corrections that can flip a narrative swiftly.
