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One of the biggest storylines for the Oklahoma Sooners this offseason is the progress of quarterback John Mateer. The Sooners' starting quarterback came to Oklahoma as one of the top transfers in the 2025 cycle, following a strong 2024 season at Washington State.
He threw for 3,139 yards, 29 touchdowns and seven interceptions, while rushing for 826 yards and 15 touchdowns. Mateer elected to leave Washington State and follow his offensive coordinator, Ben Arbuckle, to Norman.
The year started strong with Mateer looking like a Heisman front-runner after just four games. However, he broke the thumb on his throwing hand in that fourth game and was never the same, finishing with 2,885 yards, 14 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, as his efficiency declined in conference play down the stretch.
The injury brought more attention to his funky, sidearm release. Mateer has discussed this, saying the thumb injury caused him to throw it more sidearm than before, as he was unable to grip the ball as well, which altered his mechanics on certain throws.
Still, according to SoonerScoops' George Stoia, Mateer has sought help from a quarterback guru who has worked with NFL star Josh Allen.
"He's looked at it this offseason," Stoia said on 'The Paul Finebaum Show.' "He's worked with several different high-profile quarterback trainers, including Josh Allen's quarterback trainer, Josh Hess, who does all sorts of biometrics and all this scientific stuff. It's supposed to fix John's throwing motion, make him a better passer, and get him back looking like the quarterback that he was before he broke his hand."
While this is great news for Oklahoma fans, the reality is that Mateer will likely have more of a sidearm release than the traditional look. The key for him is to fix his footwork and also his decision-making, rather than attempting a full mechanical overhaul mid-development.
While the thumb injury affected his throwing ability and likely affected his confidence, it wasn't the whole reason for the struggles. The thumb injury wasn't why he was throwing into double and triple coverages at times. Mateer even mentioned during the season that his eyes weren't seeing the game well, particularly under pressure and in post-snap reads.
Now, to his credit, he's been working with Brent Venables this offseason and going through film. All of this to say, if the work pays off, Mateer should have a special season in 2026, provided his decision-making and timing improve alongside his physical recovery.
Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X (formerly known as Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on X @jaronspor.
This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: John Mateer visits QB guru for crucial offseason transformation
Continue reading...
He threw for 3,139 yards, 29 touchdowns and seven interceptions, while rushing for 826 yards and 15 touchdowns. Mateer elected to leave Washington State and follow his offensive coordinator, Ben Arbuckle, to Norman.
The year started strong with Mateer looking like a Heisman front-runner after just four games. However, he broke the thumb on his throwing hand in that fourth game and was never the same, finishing with 2,885 yards, 14 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, as his efficiency declined in conference play down the stretch.
The injury brought more attention to his funky, sidearm release. Mateer has discussed this, saying the thumb injury caused him to throw it more sidearm than before, as he was unable to grip the ball as well, which altered his mechanics on certain throws.
Still, according to SoonerScoops' George Stoia, Mateer has sought help from a quarterback guru who has worked with NFL star Josh Allen.
"He's looked at it this offseason," Stoia said on 'The Paul Finebaum Show.' "He's worked with several different high-profile quarterback trainers, including Josh Allen's quarterback trainer, Josh Hess, who does all sorts of biometrics and all this scientific stuff. It's supposed to fix John's throwing motion, make him a better passer, and get him back looking like the quarterback that he was before he broke his hand."
While this is great news for Oklahoma fans, the reality is that Mateer will likely have more of a sidearm release than the traditional look. The key for him is to fix his footwork and also his decision-making, rather than attempting a full mechanical overhaul mid-development.
While the thumb injury affected his throwing ability and likely affected his confidence, it wasn't the whole reason for the struggles. The thumb injury wasn't why he was throwing into double and triple coverages at times. Mateer even mentioned during the season that his eyes weren't seeing the game well, particularly under pressure and in post-snap reads.
Now, to his credit, he's been working with Brent Venables this offseason and going through film. All of this to say, if the work pays off, Mateer should have a special season in 2026, provided his decision-making and timing improve alongside his physical recovery.
Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X (formerly known as Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on X @jaronspor.
This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: John Mateer visits QB guru for crucial offseason transformation
Continue reading...
