Transfer quarterback John Mateer laughed, paused and furrowed his brows after being asked what he thinks of the defense he’s been facing in spring practice.
“Yeah … they do a lot of different stuff,” Mateer said. “A lot of very good stuff that’s challenged me and makes me, the O-line and the center communicate a lot. It’s a lot of fun. Playing against good football is fun football.”
The 2025 Sooner team has the potential to be one of the more complete rosters that Oklahoma’s had in recent years. After years of discrepancies between the two sides of the ball, OU now has a top-20 defense and a new offensive scheme that was just top-5 in the nation.
The football program took a big leap going after Washington State’s young, up-and-coming Ben Arbuckle as its new offensive coordinator. But in doing so, it also gained a well-adjusted quarterback who knows Arbuckle’s system like the back of his hand. This relationship could add more to the offense than any one player or coach has since Venables’ arrival.
“It helps a lot, me being in my third year in this offense,” Mateer said at a media availability press conference. “There’s things the quarterback can do to really enhance it … I know how it’s supposed to look, and there’s film on how it’s supposed to look. I know exactly what game to go to to show a receiver what it’s supposed to look like.”
The leadership and experience that Mateer brings is a welcome trait that could help get the most out of Oklahoma’s freshmen and transfer receivers. Not to be overlooked, though, is how head coach Brent Venables’ SEC defense is going to sharpen Mateer and the offense.
While playing in a Pac-12 conference that was left decimated by conference realignment, the Cougars only faced one top-25 opponent during the 2024 regular season. Oklahoma, however, faced seven teams that finished in the top 25. No matter how impressive the statistics of the Arbuckle-Mateer duo might have been, they went up against a lower level of competition. Venables – who is now the lone defensive playcaller – can throw plenty of challenges at them this spring and summer to prepare them for the fall.
The defensive unit remains strong, retaining talents like senior defensive end R Mason Thomas and interior defensive linemen, senior Gracen Halton, sophomore Jayden Jackson and senior Damonic Williams.
“We’ve got some freak athletes on this defense from the interior to the (defensive backs). Everyone on the field is very good, very talented,” Mateer said. “So we can’t make mistakes. I can’t miss. If I miss a throw, it’s going the other way.
“You can’t make mistakes because this defense is gonna bite you in the butt … Coach Venables is screaming behind my ear all the time trying to get everybody right.”
Oklahoma will open 2025 conference play at home against Auburn on Sept. 20 when former quarterback Jackson Arnold will face off against OU’s new regime. From that point on, Mateer and the offense will be facing some of the top physical defenses in the country week in and week out, and the comfortability of Arbuckle’s systems will be put to the test.
But so far, it appears the adjustment period of spring ball is going just fine.
“Everybody’s having fun and playing full speed. We’d rather play at full speed right now and make a mistake than go half speed and try to do it right,” Mateer said. “Just being competitive and knowing that (the offense is) gonna come after you every day in every way is very important.
“Because if we’re not competitive, what are we out here to do? We’re out here to compete and win.”
This story was edited by Josh McDaniel.
