John Mateer opens up on injury difficulty with Oklahoma Sooners

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At times during his career, Oklahoma Sooners' QB John Mateer has been all the rage in college football. At other times, he has been an afterthought, with his play on the field leaving much to be desired. Finding a middle ground between the two has been tough, but as he works back from a thumb injury that derailed what started as a promising 2025 season, Mateer hopes that the next year in Norman is everything he originally imagined.

In four games before undergoing thumb surgery a year ago, Mateer averaged 303.8 yards passing per game and threw six TDs with three INTs. He also ran for 190 yards and five touchdowns, becoming among the early favorites to win the Heisman Trophy.

Then the injury happened, and he had to change his throwing mechanics in an effort to get back on the field. While he accomplished that just three weeks post-op, the production never quite returned.

“You can get out there and play ball, but at this level, you got to know what’s going on,” Mateer said in an interview with On3. “And it’s not that I didn’t know, but with my thumb, I couldn’t really play ball the way that I normally did. It was different, which is OK, but I had to get better in other ways.”

In his 12 games played last year, Mateer threw for 2,885 yards, 14 TDs, and 11 INTs, while also rushing for 431 yards and eight touchdowns. Oklahoma went 10-3 on the year and 6-2 in the SEC, making it into the first round of the College Football Playoff, but never quite restored the confidence produced early in the year.

“I have no regrets in the challenge I put myself through," Mateer said. "Obviously, it didn’t work out. Like, it sucked. We all watched it. I’m not saying that. But it’s just the result. I learned a lot, and you learn that you can adapt, and then in the offseason, go back. So, I have no regret.”

Now, Mateer and the Sooners are focused on 2026, and using what they learned a year ago in their playoff appearance to try and get better. Finally healthy, don't be surprised if Oklahoma's QB can be back in the Heisman mix once again this season.

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This article originally appeared on College Sports Wire: John Mateer opens up on injury difficulty with Oklahoma Sooners

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