Oklahoma quarterback Cole Gonzales will not serve as the backup to Sooners’ starting quarterback John Mateer next season, leaving sophomore Michael Hawkins Jr. as the top reserve.
That’s because Gonzales, who committed to Oklahoma out of the transfer portal at Christmas, has re-entered the transfer portal, according to reports. A two-time Walter Payton Award finalist, Gonzales did not win the starting job during spring ball as Washington State transfer John Mateer handled things in his first spring in Norman.
Gonzales was a sought-after recruit in the portal for a former FCS player. The Walter Payton Award is the FCS equivalent of the Heisman Trophy at that level. Gonzales was leading all of NCAA football, including FBS, in passing last year through eight games before missing the final four games of the regular season with an injury.
Mateer won the job, as expected, during spring camp. Mateer threw for almost 3,200 yards with 29 touchdowns against seven interceptions with the Cougars last year. He also ran for 826 yards and 15 scores. With Gonzales having just one season of eligibility remaining, his entry into the portal Thursday was not unexpected.
Hawkins played in seven games last year as the primary backup to Jackson Arnold, who transferred to Auburn in December. His best individual game came after Arnold entered the portal in the Armed Forces Bowl. Against Navy, Hawkins completed 28 of 43 passes for 247 yards with two touchdowns. Hawkins came up big in the Sooners win over Auburn, running for a long touchdown and hitting wide receiver J.J. Hester for a big play to get Oklahoma back in the game.
With Gonzales on his way out the door, here’s a look at the quarterback depth chart for the Oklahoma Sooners.
StarterJohn MateerBackupMichael Hawkins Jr.QB3Jett Niu
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Publish date : 2025-04-25 00:00:00
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