As a new staff took over at Oklahoma, the Sooners also landed the crown jewel in the transfer portal. Former Washington State quarterback John Mateer is preparing to take over the offense, providing continuity for new coordinator Ben Arbuckle. Mateer will look to replicate his success at Wazzu, and the schedule could be in his […]
As a new staff took over at Oklahoma, the Sooners also landed the crown jewel in the transfer portal. Former Washington State quarterback John Mateer is preparing to take over the offense, providing continuity for new coordinator Ben Arbuckle.
Mateer will look to replicate his success at Wazzu, and the schedule could be in his favor. In fact, he’s Josh Pate’s pick to win the 2025 Heisman Trophy.
Pate acknowledged the concerns about Mateer’s transition to the SEC after last year at Washington State, competing in a Pac-12 with just two teams and a scheduling agreement with the Mountain West. However, Pate isn’t doubting him, citing his potential as a “game-wrecker” in the SEC.
Pate also cited Oklahoma’s early opportunities as a reason he’s all-in on Mateer – which would set up a showdown with Arch Manning and Texas. That adds to the Heisman Trophy potential.
“I think that they – Oklahoma – I think they have a couple of early opportunities,” Pate said on Josh Pate’s College Football Show. “Michigan comes in town Week 2, Auburn comes in town a couple of weeks later. They’ve got great opportunities at home for him to shine. They got an opportunity to be 5-0 when they go play Texas. I think they will be 5-0 when they go play Texas – at which point the talk is no longer, ‘Brent Venables Hot Seat,’ or, ‘Will this Washington State transfer pan out? Who is Ben Arbuckle?’ You’ll know, that quarterback’s a stud, that offensive coordinator’s a stud, Brent Venables is holding it down on defense.
“And that leads us to the Red River Shootout … where you’ve got John Mateer against the Heisman Trophy favorite. And at that point, our balls are in his court. At that point, it’s up to him to show out that day. Now, it may be that they beat Texas, and at that point it’s a runaway train. It may be that they lose to Texas and get blown out and my ticket’s dead in the water. There could be like a 38-35 game where no one’s Heisman Trophy hopes are dead and instead, the talk is, ‘These teams could face off again.'”
Josh Pate on John Mateer: ‘He’s got it’
Last year at Washington State, John Mateer led the FBS with 44 total touchdowns – 29 passing and 15 rushing. For comparison, Cam Ward had 25 passing touchdowns and eight rushing scores in 2023 under Ben Arbuckle before he transferred to Miami.
That also speaks to Mateer’s potential as he makes the leap to the SEC. But if he puts up strong numbers in the first half of the year, Josh Pate said the conversation will shift toward honors for not just the quarterback, but also Brent Venables and Ben Arbuckle.
“I think he’s going to show out in the first half of the season,” Pate said. “That will make him part of a huge turnaround. People will be talking about Coach of the Year-type stuff. They’ll be talking about Broyles Award contention for Ben Arbuckle. They’ll be talking about Heisman contention and all the quarterback awards for John Mateer.
:”I think he’s got the intangibles – the stuff that they say you can’t coach, the stuff that you just got to be born with. The competitiveness, the fire, the juice, the ability to make a program in a room full of guys rally around you. He’s got it. I’m telling you, he’s got it. I’m telling you, he’s got the ability to not so much struggle adjusting to the league, but he’s got that kind of ability that makes the league adjust to him. I believe in him. I’m betting him to win the Heisman Trophy.”
Category: General Sports
