Some narratives just don’t age well. Like that weird one floating around about John Mateer pulling up to the SEC just to make a point like this was some revenge tour move. Nah, that myth is overcooked. Still, the truth is Mateer hasn’t forgotten. “I’m from the south, and all of these SEC teams recruit the south,” he said. “So I guess they all passed on me.” Even Oklahoma. In the SEC, this isn’t just football—it’s identity. And now? “It’s all on the schedule,” Mateer said. “There’s a couple (teams) here and there that really make me mad. I’m not over it.” But don’t get it twisted. The truth behind the so-called revenge is way less dramatic and way more calculated. And Brent Venables? Let’s just say… that clock’s ticking.

So here’s the juice: On April 4th, Oklahoma insiders John Williams and Jay Smith pulled up on the Locked In on Sooners podcast and hit the brakes on that wild myth. Jay didn’t mince words. “I saw some people that were upset about your points yesterday, John. I was kind of cracking up. It’s like, no, you’re not saying that, you know, his (John Mateer) goal was to get to the SEC to prove a point. He felt snubbed by the SEC even in high school. He’s out of Texas—that’s a common place for SEC schools to pull up on quarterbacks.”

He isn’t lying. Back in his Little Elm High School days, Mateer was a 3-star, buried at No. 119 in QB rankings, and SEC schools straight-up ghosted him. No offers, no visits. John Mateer was headed to the FCS with Central Arkansas before Wazzu tossed him a lifeline in January 2022. Fast-forward 2 years, and now he’s the hottest name in the portal, after cooking at Washington State with 3,100+ passing yards, 29 TDs through the air, and another 800+ yards and 15 scores on the ground. Yeah, that’s Madden franchise mode numbers.

Jay Smith put it plain: “He was overlooked there. Honestly, for the most part, he was overlooked when he went in the portal, besides the fact that it was either most schools probably said, ‘Ah, he’s going to Oklahoma if he doesn’t go to Miami.’ And Mateer chose arguably the smartest decision. Because why not go play for the dude that you, you know, played for the year before? And you understudy on a quarterback who threw for him the year before that.” So yeah, when he hit the portal, a few programs with a pulse tried to hit him up. Miami? Definitely wanted that Washington State magic again after Cam Ward blew up there.

But Mateer? He went chess move on them. John Mateer isn’t chasing smoke. He went with the smart money—linked back up with OC Ben Arbuckle at Oklahoma. That’s not proving a point; that’s making a business move. Let’s be real, it wasn’t about sticking it to the SEC. It was about fit, feel, and familiarity. Arbuckle and Mateer got that unspoken bond—the type of connection that gets you cooking on Saturdays. That isn’t revenge; that’s knowing your worth. That’s how you don’t just win games—you win careers. And with Oklahoma’s offense looking like a broken remote last year? They needed a spark bad.

Brent Venables’s 2025 offense can’t be worse—even without John Mateer

2024 was supposed to be Oklahoma’s big SEC debut. They showed up to the party with a fresh cut and a clean fit—and still got dunked on. Finished 6-7. SEC record? A measly 2-6. It was like trying to fight Mike Tyson with pool noodles. Outside of that beautiful 24-3 beatdown of Alabama, the season was just vibes and missed opportunities. Jackson Arnold? He had moments, but overall, the offense moved like it was running Windows 95. They averaged just 24 points a game. In the SEC, that doesn’t cut it. You need fireworks, not sparklers. And the defense? Not bad, held folks to 21 per. But you can’t win shootouts if your gun jams.

Enter John Mateer. Or… maybe not. Because let’s say the worst happens and Mateer tweaks something—guess what? Brent Venables isn’t left holding the bag this time. Michael Hawkins Jr. has that dawg in him. Threw him into the fire as a true frosh, and the kid didn’t flinch. Had a solid game vs. Auburn, became the first true freshman to start the Red River Rivalry, and balled out in the Armed Forces Bowl.

Jay Smith said it best: “Very little chance Oklahoma repeats the horrendous offensive performance they did last year. Even if Mateer goes down, Michael Hawkins will be ready.” John Williams backed him: “Yeah, he’ll be more prepared. He’s going to be in a system that’s going to take advantage of what he does well… he’s just a dynamic runner.”

The Arbuckle offense is tailor-made for guys like Hawkins and Mateer—quick reads, fast feet, and enough chaos to throw defenses off rhythm. It’s like replacing a busted-out VCR with a shiny new PS5. Oklahoma finally got the system, the staff, and the signal-callers to make noise again. And let’s not forget—Brent Venables is on the hot seat with jet fuel underneath it. 22-17 overall. 0-3 in bowls. Only one good season in three. You don’t survive long in the SEC with numbers like that unless your name is Nick or Kirby. Venables knew it. That’s why he went full GQ mode in the portal and landed a QB1 with wheels and an arm.

Now? The margin for error is razor-thin. If Oklahoma flames out again, it won’t just be SEC memes flooding X. It’ll be job boards lighting up. But the flip side? If Mateer balls out, or even if Hawkins holds it down, this offense is going to flip the script like a Netflix plot twist. So no, John Mateer isn’t on some petty ‘prove the SEC wrong’ mission. He’s out here making calculated boss moves, and Brent Venables is praying those moves pay off. One more dud, and it’s curtains. But if things click? Norman’s going to be louder than a frat house on game day.