NORMAN — There's a huge checklist for John Mateer when spring football is over and the summer offseason arrives.
But with Mateer heading into a pivotal offseason — and his arrival in Oklahoma bringing a massive step up in both competition and attention — how does he plan to attack it and improve his game?
"A lot of golf," Mateer joked after last week's Crimson Combine.
There is some excitement for Mateer to be able to take some time away from the game. But there's a real sense of urgency this offseason, too.
"Watching film, breaking down spring ball," Mateer told OUInsider. "We have cutups about every completion, every incompletion, every interception, and we’ll just go through that and see what my mistakes are. So that will be the first thing. Then we have a bunch of exit meetings, so get in there and see what the coaches think of me, how I did. And then in the summer is a lot of player meetings and getting to know (everyone). Because Deion (Burks) only had a couple practices. People like that coming back from things.
"I’m just getting to know the rapport of the receivers and just learning like normal."
Establishing rapport with the receivers is going to be key.
The spring was critical for Mateer and new offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle to install the Sooners' new offense. But that process had some ups and downs, particularly due to injury. Deion Burks was in and out of practices as he recovers from an injury. Jayden Gibson continues to be sidelined as he rehabs from last season's knee injury. Javonnie Gibson suffered a serious leg injury towards the end of spring practices.
In addition to those injuries, the Sooners have several new faces on the receiving corps. OU added Isaiah Sategna, Keontez Lewis, Josiah Martin and Gibson out of the winter portal, and then added Manny Choice and Elijah Thomas in the 2025 freshman class. The Sooners added another receiver, Jer'Michael Carter, from McNeese State in the spring portal last month.
Mateer spent part of spring break working with both Javonnie Gibson and Burks, and there's likely to be more of that during the offseason.
"It’s great if you can get away from football and hang around your teammates," Mateer said. "I love football, and I love everything that comes with it. So I don’t need to fully get away and just forget about it. Some people do. Because some people are just wired that way. Not because they don’t love it, but because they need a break. And that’s OK.
"I might take some time, just chilling. But my mind won’t be chilling. Like, my body will get a rest. There’s always something, you know? That’s how I go with it, but everybody’s different."
The offseason will basically be an extension of the last few months for Mateer, who had already started the process of working with receivers before spring practices began.
“Just the way he is, he’s a natural-born winner," Lewis said back in March. "He wants to win. Everything he does is with intent, and even just him throwing or anything like that, training sessions outside, it’s intent. Even when we’re by ourselves — one day he called us up to the facility late at night, at like 9, coming in we’re working. Everything he does is just work. So, that’s a great thing about him.”
And the other good thing? Mateer is a natural extension of Arbuckle. The duo spent the last two seasons at Washington State, and their chemistry has been evident since both arrived on campus.
That'll be helpful as the Sooners go through the next few weeks, and the new players continue to find a rhythm in the offense.
"The biggest thing that we always try to instill in the QB room is football IQ," Arbuckle said. "And the biggest part of football IQ No. 1 is learning the offense, right? Well, John's been in it now for two and a half years... He knows what I'm thinking, he knows where I'm at on plays, and he understands whenever we may be in a bad situation on a play call.
"He's able to ultimately put us in a better situation just from film study experiences that he's had, Whether playing games or going against Coach BV's defense in the spring, he's able to get us in a lot better situation. And so it just comes with time and constant football IQ."
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