After transferring to Oklahoma from Washington State in the offseason, quarterback John Mateer was viewed as a sneaky Heisman pick by some analysts. To start the season, Mateer proved those analysts right, emerging as one of the early Heisman candidates. However, it was reported on Tuesday that he will miss about a month after suffering a broken bone in his throwing hand in the game against Auburn.
On Tuesday, insider Joel Klatt spoke about the Mateer injury and how he feels bad for the young QB. He also spoke about how he is worried that Oklahoma could struggle without Mateer if their defense does not step up in a big way.
“John Mateer out indefinitely, probably for about a month after hand surgery. Reportedly hurt it in that Auburn game. They think it’s gonna be about a month after this hand surgery and I’m totally bummed for this guy because he was playing as well as anybody in the country,” Joel Klatt said. “I think all of us know that. That’s facts. They don’t beat Michigan without John Mateer. They don’t beat Auburn without John Mateer.
“In so many ways he was Oklahoma. Now, I don’t want to take anything away from their defense. I think their defense has been sensational. Up front they’ve been terrific. 10 sacks against Auburn and Jackson Arnold last weekend. They were terrific on the defensive side and now that defense is gonna have to be even better. They’re gonna need to be even more dominant and control the entire pace and tempo of the game because without Mateer, they’re gonna have an inability to do that with their offense.”
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John Mateer’s Injury Likely Means the End of His Heisman Candidacy
Before his injury, John Mateer was one of the favorites to win the Heisman Trophy. However, now that he is expected to miss a month, he will likely miss at least four games. While players can sometimes overcome missing a game or two, missing a month means Mateer is unlikely to be a serious Heisman candidate, even if he plays at an elite level when he returns.
Mateer’s Heisman odds have dropped significantly with the injury news. According to FanDuel, his odds of winning are now at +10,000.
Read More:
- ‘This Is Insane’ – OU QB John Mateer Opens Up on Overwhelming Reality of Red River Debut
- Who Are John Mateer’s Parents? A Look at the Oklahoma’s QB’s NFL Lineage
- John Mateer Surgery: Oklahoma Quarterback Faces Three-Week Absence After Thumb Injury
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