In the three years since head coach Lincoln Riley left campus for the lights of Los Angeles, the Oklahoma Sooners have found themselves mired in mediocrity. Two 6-7 seasons were interrupted by a promising 10-3 campaign in 2023, but Brent Venables is under pressure to pull away from Riley’s shadow and establish a new era of Oklahoma football.
Venables hopes to develop talent on his defense. Offensively, the Sooners have turned to the transfer portal.
In acquiring running back Jaydn Ott and quarterback John Mateer, Oklahoma has set the bar high for 2025. As both prospects look to boost their NFL Draft stocks, the hype has only continued to grow.
Mateer earns high praise after transfer to Norman
Every quarterback that steps into Oklahoma will be measured against Baker Mayfield, whose meteoric rise earned him a Heisman, the No. 1 pick, and a spot in the College Football Playoff.
Kyler Murray, the first pick in 2019, met that expectation. Jalen Hurts continued to develop in Norman, and Caleb Williams flashed greatness before following Riley to USC. Spencer Rattler and Dillon Gabriel found more success elsewhere, and Jackson Arnold fell short in 2024.
Now, it’s Mateer’s turn. Matching Mayfield’s production is a challenge, but few Sooners offer a skill set as similar to the 2017 Heisman winner.
Former Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy invoked Mayfield’s name when previewing Mateer’s impact on Oklahoma.
“When I watch this young man, he reminds me a lot, frankly, of Baker Mayfield,” McElroy said at the SEC Media Days on ESPN (h/t Willie Gillespie). “He runs like Baker Mayfield. He’s more powerful, I think, as a runner than he is a guy that’s gonna finesse his way to big carries. But his legs make all the difference, man, and he’s got great comfort with the system. He also has an outstanding supporting…
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Publish date : 2025-07-15 23:29:00
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