When the Oklahoma Sooners kick off the 2026 season on Friday, a lot of the eyes will be on quarterback John Mateer. The former Washington State Cougar had an injury-riddled first season in Norman last year.
Due to that injury to his thumb, Mateer wasn't able to give Sooner fans what they had hoped to get out of the transfer portal. The first four games, he lived up to the hype and looked like a Heisman contender. In his last eight games, he looked like a guy who needed to come back and work on his game.
Despite the up-and-down performance, college football analyst Josh Pate revealed he's a believer in Mateer.
"I've locked into holding my John Mateer stock; may have even bought some more," Pate said on 'The Oklahoma Breakdown with Ikard and Lehman.'
"With that, I'm hitching my wagon to that, plus an improved ground game and who knows, maybe another playoff appearance."
That's an important endorsement considering how much uncertainty still surrounds Oklahoma's offense. The defense should once again be one of the team's biggest strengths. The run game has been a major offseason emphasis. That leaves Mateer as perhaps the biggest swing factor between Oklahoma simply making the playoff and actually becoming a team capable of making noise once it gets there.
Pate is betting on the Sooner quarterback to make that jump. Now Mateer gets the opportunity to prove that the player Oklahoma saw during those first four games last season wasn't a flash in the pan. If he can stay healthy and recapture that version of himself, the Sooners may have the final piece they need to turn a talented roster into a legitimate playoff threat.
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This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Josh Pate reveals he's hitching his wagon to John Mateer
