Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer seeks redemption after worst start of his career

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer is coming off the worst start of his career.

He barely completed 50% of his passes for just 202 yards and threw three interceptions in a 23-6 loss to Texas last Saturday that sent the Sooners (5-1, 1-1 SEC) tumbling to No. 14 in the AP Top 25. Now, for the first time since transferring from Washington State, Mateer is forced to try to bounce back from a loss.

Oklahoma coach Brent Venables said Tuesday that Mateer has handled the aftermath of the Texas game well so far, though he might be taking too much of the blame.

“I’ve got even more respect for him,” Venables said. “You want to carry all the weight for all your guys, but you can’t do that. … He wants to take the whole team on his back and that’s not fair to him at all. So (I) try to help him with his perspective.”

Mateer said after Saturday’s game that the pain in his right (throwing) hand that he played with against Texas less than three weeks after surgery was not a factor. Oklahoma offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle, who came from Washington State with Mateer, said his quarterback’s mindset was the bigger issue, and that needs to be fixed.

“It’s a mental reset,” Arbuckle said. “Do I trust John Mateer? Absolutely, I do. But I wouldn’t be doing my job as a coach if I just sat back and said, ‘I’m going to just trust that he’s going to get it right.’ So it’s a mental reset. It’s back to the basics.”

Arbuckle said Mateer, who had not thrown more than two interceptions in a college game before Saturday, pressed too hard.

“He’s his harshest critic,” Arbuckle said. “And he knows that stuff he did on last Saturday wasn’t what winning requires. He does a really good job of resetting his mind, whether it’s footwork or his reads, and really honing in on that and cleaning that up, making sure he’s very intentional with that in practice.”

Venables said Mateer has done a good job of picking up the team while trying to absorb the Texas result.

“He’s a humble guy that likes to work,” Venables said. “He doesn’t live in La-La Land. He knows what’s good and what isn’t good and what’s good enough and what ain’t good enough, so he’ll go right back to work, and did. The guys really respect that. That helps everybody step back in line.”

Mateer has moved on, and he sees an opportunity in Saturday’s game at South Carolina (3-3, 1-3).

“First road SEC game, so I’m excited,” he said. “If your confidence is fragile in this league and in this game, you don’t have a chance. So being a man, I mean, it (losing to Texas) was tough … But you’ve got to step up and find a way, and I will.”

Just a few weeks ago, Mateer was considered a frontrunner for the Heisman Trophy. He still has plenty of opportunities to regain that status. Either way, Arbuckle said Mateer needs to focus on the little things.

“Stay true to who you are.,” Arbuckle said. “Stay true to the process that has gotten you to where you have been in life and as a player. Don’t listen to the outside noise because that’s nothing pertaining to you.”

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