John Mateer Decides Brent Venables’ Fate

Image: OU Daily

By Aidan Sidoti

The temperature in Norman is hotter than hell right now and the seat under Brent Venables might be even hotter. 

After a second 6-7 season in three years and a second time not scoring a touchdown against Texas in the Red River Shootout (Yes, shootout), Brent Venables enters his second season in the SEC with more pressure than ever and fewer excuses than he’s had before. 

The Sooners offense was downright awful last season, ranking 97th in scoring offense and averaging just 24 points a game. 

Enter Washington State quarterback John Mateer, the dual-threat machine who might just be Venables’ last hope.

Mateer joins his former Washington State offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle in Norman with sky-high expectations after a breakout 2024 season in Pullman, where he led college football in total touchdowns with 29 passing and 15 rushing. 

Jackson Arnold is off to Auburn and sophomore quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. showed very little to be excited about last year after Venables benched Arnold. 

Now, it’s Mateer’s show and the stakes could not be higher. 

This isn’t the PAC-2 anymore, though. Mateer and the Sooners will have to face a gauntlet schedule that includes Michigan, Alabama, LSU, and Texas– four teams with playoff-level rosters. 

Oklahoma has given Brent Venables everything he needs to succeed. The offensive line has been retooled, the wide receiver room is finally healthy, and superstar Cal transfer running back Jadyn Ott gives the Sooners a real home-run threat in the backfield. 

Now, it’s up to Mateer to step-up and become a leader for this offense– and time for Venables to prove he can win in this conference.

If this doesn’t work? It’ll be the end of the Venables era and all but prove that the Sooners are the new Nebraska.