A few weeks out from the start of the season, the Sooners will be walking into 2025 in an underdog role after being left out of the US LBM Coaches Poll on Monday. But it’s a group that’s hungry and motivated to rewrite the story of Oklahoma football. One of the players leading the charge is new to the program, quarterback John Mateer.
Since arriving in Norman for winter workouts back in January, Mateer has been hard at work to get his guys on the offensive side of the ball on the same page.
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The Oklahoma Sooners have been at it for eight months installing Ben Arbuckle’s offense. It’s helped having John Mateer lead the way from a player perspective. It’s helped ease the transition from whatever it was Oklahoma was trying to do last year to the scheme Arbuckle brought with him from Washington State.
“A lot of installing and a lot of walkthroughs in the summer, and then even now, every other day, guys are staying after with me and we’re walking through a lot of stuff,” Mateer said Monday after practice via The Oklahoman. “So we’re in a really good spot. I’m very pleased with how everybody’s doing. Everybody’s having a lot of fun.”
Mateer is expected to lead a resurgent season for Oklahoma’s offense, a unit that averaged just 13 points per game in SEC play when you take out the defensive scores. But much of the Sooners’ success in 2025 will depend on what happens with the guys in front of Mateer.
When Arbuckle met with the media last week, the Sooners’ new offensive coordinator praised the offensive line for the work they’ve done this offseason, in particular the amount of time they’ve spent in the film room.
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Mateer mentioned after Monday’s practice that he’s trying to do everything he can for the Oklahoma offensive line. Because he knows they’re going to be giving everything they can to help keep him upright and to pave ways for running back Jaydn Ott. Mateer also understands the challenge of an offensive line getting on the same page.
“I’m fascinated by O-line play,” Mateer said. “Honestly, if you sit there and watch it, those five dudes have to be all as one, and to get five people to do one thing is very impressive. I love O-line play. They’re doing a really good job.”
The Oklahoma o-line struggled last season to find much consistency. Some of it was due to injuries and at other times, inexperience. But they’re healthier, more talented, deeper, and more experienced this fall camp than they were a year ago. Though a lot of the expectations sit on the shoulders of Mateer, it’s the offensive line that has to pave the way for Oklahoma’s offensive success.
If they’re better than what they were a year ago, the Sooners will have a chance to do some big things behind their big guys up front.
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This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: John Mateer pleased with the development of Oklahoma Sooners offense
