Former Washington State quarterback John Mateer, The Athletic’s No. 1 quarterback in the transfer portal, announced on Wednesday that he has committed to Oklahoma
Mateer, who started all 12 games for the Cougars this season, will reunite with his former offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle, who left Wazzu to take the same job at Oklahoma. The pair will be expected to revive an offense that ranked 15th among 16 SEC teams in scoring and last in the league in passing yards.
In 2024, Mateer threw for 3,139 yards and 29 touchdowns with seven interceptions and ran for 826 yards and 15 touchdowns. He accounted for an average 330.4 total yards per game, ranking fifth in the FBS.
Mateer, from Little Elm, Texas, has two years of eligibility remaining. The Sooners sought a quarterback after Jackson Arnold transferred to Auburn. Arnold started nine games but was benched four games into the season for true freshman Michael Hawkins Jr., before the Sooners went back to Arnold for the rest of the season.
Washington State tried to retain Mateer, and former coach Jake Dickert told reporters this week that the Coug Collective offer to Mateer was seven figures. But Mateer entered the portal on Monday and Dickert accepted the Wake Forest job on Wednesday.
Mateer is the fourth player to join the Sooners in the portal this month, and the third offensive player, along with receivers and Javonnie Gibson (Arkansas-Pine Bluff) and Keontez Lewis (Southern Illinois). Oklahoma has had 24 of its players enter the portal, according to On3.
The offensive boost Mateer and Arbuckle are expected to give the Sooners is much needed as the program enters its fourth year under head coach Brent Venables. Oklahoma is 22-16 under Venables with two six-win seasons and are 6-6 this year. The Sooners will play Navy in the Armed Forces Bowl on Dec. 27.
Required reading
- College football transfer portal QB rankings: Fernando Mendoza, Maalik Murphy lead best available
- Washington State dual-threat QB John Mateer enters transfer portal
(Photo: Alika Jenner / Getty Images)
