The Oklahoma Sooners have been chasing a return to the College Football Playoff since their last appearance in 2019. Back then, Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts led the charge, guiding the Sooners to a Big 12 title and a No. 4 seed in the postseason.
Now, with a new era unfolding, all eyes are on quarterback John Mateer to bring Oklahoma back to the national spotlight.
J.D. PicKell Predicts John Mateer’s Contribution to Oklahoma’s Offense
Since their last playoff appearance in 2019, the Sooners have struggled to reclaim their spot among college football’s elite. Their best shot came in 2021, but a heartbreaking loss to rival Oklahoma State in the Bedlam season finale crushed their Big 12 title hopes. Fast forward to 2024, and the Sooners weren’t even in the postseason conversation, falling far short of expectations.
Determined to end their playoff drought, the Sooners are making bold moves to revamp their offense ahead of the 2025 season. They’ve locked in new offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle, banking on his play-calling expertise to spark a resurgence.
Meanwhile, John Mateer, a dynamic quarterback transfer from Washington State, has committed to Oklahoma, adding firepower to the lineup. College football analyst J.D. PicKell has now weighed in, offering his take on what the future holds for the Sooners with Mateer at the helm.
However, now things are looking different, especially with the arrival of John Mateer. On3’s PicKell has mentioned that the Sooners might look to be more “aggressive” in their offense, as they have Ben Arbuckle and John Mateer combination in the 2025 season.
“It’s going to be aggressive. Last year, Washington State averaged 9.6 yards a pass. Number three in America,” PicKell said. “Translation, push the ball downfield a little bit. That’s a very stark contrast to what you weren’t able to do last year at Oklahoma. I totally get some of that is personnel driven, whether it be the receivers being dinged up as much as they were, or the offensive line, or the quarterback being consistent.”
“I get all that, but like to compare, Oklahoma was right around half of what Washington State was through the year. 5.8 yards a pass, scoring only 21 points a game. So Oklahoma now with Ben Arbuckle being able to, or at least in theory, trying to push the ball downfield,” he added.
Oklahoma’s offense w/ John Mateer running the show in a word? Aggressive. Improved vibes in Norman on the way.https://t.co/vKO9nkSoIN pic.twitter.com/8NrGDJv2nH
— J.D. PicKell (@jdpickell) February 11, 2025
PicKell envisions an explosive Sooners offense in 2025, built around Mateer’s ability to push the ball downfield and create space for his playmakers.
He sees Deion Burks thriving in open-field situations, making Oklahoma’s passing attack a nightmare for opposing defenses. If executed well, this strategy could be the key to reviving the Sooners’ playoff hopes.
“And quite frankly, it’ll just be more fun to watch, to see the aggression downfield from Mateer-Arbuckle in this offense here in 2025,” he stated.
Mateer Received a Call From the Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Before OU Transfer
Back in December, Mateer sat across from Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables when his phone buzzed with an unknown caller ID. Not thinking much of it, he let it roll to voicemail. Little did he know, it was none other than Buccaneers star quarterback and Sooners legend Baker Mayfield. The moment Mateer realized, he wasted no time calling him back.
In an interview with KREF, he revealed his conversation with Mayfield and mentioned how it helped him seal the deal with the Sooners.
“It was surreal,” Mateer said. “I was freaking out. I was like, ‘There is no way Baker Mayfield called me.’ I was sitting in Brent Venables’ office, the huge office, and I was like, ‘There is no way this is real.’ Super cool moment. Called him back, obviously, and he talked to me. He was a super humble, nice dude, and it really helped.”
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This call quickly became part of Oklahoma’s offseason lore, symbolizing one of the most climactic transfer portal moves of the year.
Landing Mateer wasn’t just a win—it was a statement. And with Venables doubling down on offensive firepower by bringing in Arbuckle, Mateer’s former coach at Washington, the Sooners are setting the stage for a major resurgence in 2025.
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