Sometimes all it takes is one spark to flip the whole script. And for Brent Venables and Oklahoma, that spark might’ve just landed in Norman wearing No. 10. After a bumpy 6-7 season, Oklahoma looked like a program without a pulse. The offense? Lost, inconsistent, and straight-up boring. One of the worst statistical showings in program history. But if 2024 was the crash, 2025 could be the comeback. Why? Two words: John Mateer.

This isn’t just another transfer portal QB story. Mateer, the playmaker who torched defenses at Washington State, has arrived with offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle—the same coach who helped him thrive. The duo didn’t just make noise last season—they broke the volume knob. The Cougars finished 6th in the nation in scoring, with Mateer ranking 8th in yards per attempt and 13th in touchdown passes. Safe to say, they’re not here to dink-and-dunk.

Meanwhile, Oklahoma’s 2024 offense was ranked 126th in total yards per game and 110th in scoring offense. That’s not just bad—that’s panic-button worthy. But the Mateer-Arbuckle combo is here to change that fast. And nationally, the buzz is already cooking. On3’s Ari Wasserman placed Mateer No. 4 in his Top 10 QBs list—right behind Arch Manning. Andy Staples had him at No. 6. And on April 22nd, J.D. PicKell went all-in on the Sooners’ new signal-caller.

“John Mateer, I think with all that he does as a playmaker, he gets the comps, you know, to Baker Mayfield, and some of that’s fair. He gets so much conversation around what he does off-script and off-schedule. He’s a real-deal quarterback. He can absolutely spin it,” Pickell said. Mateer isn’t just flashy—he’s a stat monster. He racked up 3139 total yards, threw for 29 touchdowns, and broke school records with ease. He was a Manning Award finalist and Davey O’Brien semifinalist.

Even in early spring practice, he’s already turning heads. Strong arm. Smooth mechanics. Accuracy on the run. Multiple observers noted how he showed poise and precision, slinging it all over the field like he’s been there for years.

Mateer didn’t just walk into the locker room—he walked into a team starving for a reset. And he felt that right away: “They’re hungry for it. It wasn’t successful last year and they don’t like that. Nobody likes that. I mean everybody is competitive. They want it really bad so it’s not hard to get it out of them.”

That urgency? That edge? It’s real. And with Ben Arbuckle calling the plays and Mateer running the show, things are finally trending up for Brent Venables. Even J.D. PicKell doubled down on the offense’s ceiling: “Not going to be a gimmicky offense here under Ben Arbuckle… Deion Burks too, being unlocked in this offense would be absolutely huge. Now, he was hurt last year a lot—I understand that—but if he’s able to be maximized in this offense, they’re going to be scoring a lot of points in Norman. And that’s the thing.”

With Burks healthy again, Mateer under center, and Arbuckle on the headset, the Sooners are locked, loaded, and ready to fire. And Pickell didn’t stop hyping Mateer either: “Oklahoma averaged 5.8 yards of pass last year… If you can’t get fired up around John Mateer ripping a C to D on Burks 7 on 7 give me a break dude.” Then came the mic drop moment…..

Pickell played a Mateer highlight and casually compared him to Jaxson Dart and Bryce Young. “I don’t care about the rush, I don’t care about the situation. I don’t care about the 11 on 11 or 7 on 7. He’s got it.”

At this point, Mateer is more than a transfer win—he’s the heartbeat of the 2025 turnaround plan. And with a defense that brings back experience and physicality, Oklahoma might just have the balance to compete in Year 2 of the SEC era. But while the offense is finding rhythm, there’s still one lingering concern—and it comes from someone who knows the SEC inside-out.

A tough blow awaits Brent Venables

Just as hope was starting to build in Norman, former ESPN analyst David Pollack delivered a reality check—and it was hard to ignore. “Let’s be honest. They got screwed. Whether you like it or not, they got screwed coming into the SEC,” Pollack said on his podcast.

He wasn’t sugarcoating anything. In fact, he pointed to the Sooners’ grueling 2024 schedule—which ranked second toughest in the country—and warned that things aren’t getting any easier in 2025.

Oklahoma has got the absolute toughest in the country next year, which makes Year 4 for Coach Venables a seriously big deal. Just look at who they’re playing: Auburn, Texas, South Carolina, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Alabama, Missouri, and LSU. And get this—they only managed to snag two wins out of those eight teams last season. Meanwhile, Texas skated through a cupcake slate last year. And Pollack didn’t hesitate to highlight the disparity. “Texas’ schedule was laughable last year, and they got the worst schedule ever. It stinks.”

Pollack’s point? Oklahoma got thrown into the deep end without a life vest. The transition to the SEC has been anything but smooth, and the numbers back that up. Since Lincoln Riley left, Brent Venables owns a 22-17 record across three seasons—far from the juggernaut the Sooners were from 2012 to 2021, when they went 107-22.

And while nobody expects an overnight SEC domination, it’s clear the pressure is rising. Venables isn’t just coaching a team anymore—he’s coaching for long-term credibility. Because let’s be real, patience in Norman wears thin. Especially when Texas is grabbing headlines and easy wins.

Still, amid all the chaos, John Mateer gives Oklahoma something they haven’t had in a while—stability and hope at the quarterback position. The national analysts see it. The coaches feel it. And the locker room? It’s buying in, fast. Well, what’s louder than a bounce-back year in the SEC with a QB who can spin magic?