When the Oklahoma Sooners go into Week 6 of the college football season, they’ll be without Heisman Trophy favorite quarterback John Mateer. Luckily, the No. 5 Sooners had a bye the previous week and will pick back up against nonconference opponent Kent State on October 4.
Mateer will still be recovering from surgery to fix a broken bone in his throwing hand suffered against Auburn in Week 4 when the Sooners take the field against the Golden Flashes. But it sounds like Mateer wishes he could be suiting up, and that might be worrying Oklahoma coach Brent Venables, according to George Stoia III at Sooners Scoop.
“He’s going to push the limits on everything when it comes to his rehab and getting back,” Venables said. “At the same time, I told him, you’re not going to defy the odds… You need to let those things heal.”
For Mateer, missing against 1-3 Kent State is no biggie. It’s missing the Sooners’ biggest game of the year the following week that’s a problem. In Week 7, the annual Red River Rivalry will take place inside the Cotton Bowl with Oklahoma facing No. 9 Texas.
John Mateer Could Miss First and Only Game Against Texas
When it was reported that Mateer would be going under the knife, the timeline was said to be “about a month.” That’s obviously vague, but Sooners fans were sending their prayers and good vibes to Dr. Steven Shin, Mateer’s surgeon, hoping he could perform his greatest and best work.
While nothing has been confirmed, it’s clear by Venables’ comments that Mateer has a goal in mind: Texas. But that just may not be realistic.
“He’s definitely told some people he will be,” Stoia wrote on whether Mateer will be back for the Longhorns game. “But will he actually? I’m not so sure. I do know the surgery went as well as it could have and there is some thought he could play on October 11. But I don’t think we’re going to truly know until the week of the game. We have to see how he does in practice and if he gets his grip back to full strength or close to full strength.”
John Mateer’s Injury Could Severely Impact Draft Stock
Missing the game against Texas would obviously be a huge blow to Mateer and Sooners fans, especially since this might be his only chance to play in the rivalry. That said, Mateer is a redshirt junior, so there’s a chance he could come back for another season — but only if his draft projection drops.
ESPN’s Jordan Reid mentioned that he had Mateer as his No. 4 quarterback on the board for the 2025 NFL Draft but that scouts are viewing him as an “early-Day 2” pick. But his injury could not only cost him games, it could impact his performance, which in turn affects his draft stock.
“Now, missing a month could keep Mateer outside the top 50 picks,” Reid continued. “Returning for a late-season stretch of games against ranked opponents — including Alabama, Missouri and LSU — could help him salvage his Round 1 potential. Evaluators are taking a wait-and-see approach following his injury.”
Brent Venables Cautions Oklahoma QB John Mateer Over Injury Return