Brent Venables may have finally discovered the winning formula to spark the long-awaited resurgence in Norman—and he might’ve executed it more effectively than other programs also hoping for a major rebound.

The pivotal move? Bringing in quarterback John Mateer—alongside an offensive system he already knows like the back of his hand.

While many of the high-profile transfer QBs around the country will be busy learning brand-new schemes, Mateer enters Oklahoma with a huge head start. He’s already fluent in the offense being installed, which could give the Sooners a serious edge.

“People are completely undervaluing how critical John Mateer is to this Oklahoma team,” said JD PicKell of On3. “What he brings to the table can’t be emphasized enough. You’re not only getting a quarterback who put up 44 total touchdowns, but you’re also getting the exact same offensive system he excelled in at Washington State. That system, led by Ben Arbuckle and quarterback coach John Kuceyeski, is now in place in Norman with him.”

PicKell continued, “We expect Carson Beck to do well at Miami, and Jackson Arnold may thrive at Auburn—but both of them are starting from scratch with unfamiliar playbooks. That’s not the case for Mateer.”

The buzz around Venables’ decision to bring the former Washington State trio to Oklahoma has been building for months—but only now are people fully grasping just how big of a difference it might make.

Mateer could ultimately be the one who saves Venables’ job if he lives up to expectations. The pressure is certainly on, considering the head coach’s seat has been heating up after underwhelming seasons.

The bright side? Oklahoma’s 2025 schedule is favorable on paper, aside from a few tough conference matchups, giving the team a path to real success.