Oklahoma stands by John Mateer as turnovers pile up and former Sooners QBs thrive elsewhere

Oklahoma's quarterback situation is under renewed scrutiny after John Mateer matched a career high with three interceptions in a 21-13 home loss to No. 12 Kentucky on Saturday night, and two of the passers who left the Sooners' program are putting up big numbers elsewhere.

Mateer is responsible for nine of Oklahoma's 14 turnovers this season, including seven interceptions. The defeat to Kentucky came one week after a turnover-free performance in which two late throws set up a game-ending field goal in a 27-24 upset of No. 1 Texas. Against the Wildcats, he completed 24 of 40 passes for 270 yards and a touchdown, but two of his interceptions came in the final 16 minutes, and both were turned into touchdowns by Kentucky.

Despite the mistakes, offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle said Tuesday that the staff remains behind Mateer, who followed Arbuckle from Washington State to Oklahoma and helped the Sooners reach the College Football Playoff last season after accounting for 44 touchdowns with the Cougars in 2024. Arbuckle also took responsibility for the errors, saying the play-calling and design ultimately fall on him.

Everything that he's done, the player that he is, the preparation that he has, we believe that John Mateer gives us the best chance to win. Like I've said multiple times, we have to eliminate backbreaking errors, catastrophic errors. For all the good that he does, we have to eliminate those, and he's not alone in that.

— Oklahoma offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle

Mateer has completed 114 of 175 passes (65.1%) for 1,308 yards and nine touchdowns this season, after throwing 14 touchdowns against 11 interceptions a year ago. He has played much of the season behind a banged-up offensive line; three regulars missed the Kentucky game with injuries, and lineman Ryan Fodje suffered an ankle injury late in the third quarter. Coach Brent Venables said after the loss that he saw improvement from his quarterback.

Former Sooners quarterbacks flourishing

Meanwhile, two former Oklahoma quarterbacks are thriving at their new schools. Sophomore Michael Hawkins, who served as Mateer's backup last season after appearing in 2024 with the Sooners, passed for 464 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 77 yards and two more scores in West Virginia's 45-42 win over Cincinnati last week, leading a closing drive that set up the game-winning field goal. He has thrown for 1,519 yards and 10 touchdowns with one interception this season and rushed for 749 yards and 14 scores, leading the nation in rushing touchdowns. The Mountaineers are 4-3.

Jackson Arnold, the former five-star recruit who started at Oklahoma in 2024 before losing the job to Hawkins and later spending a season at Auburn, has found his footing at UNLV. He has passed for 1,386 yards and 10 touchdowns with two interceptions while adding 408 yards and six scores on the ground, and last week he threw for 246 yards and two touchdowns in a 41-31 win over Air Force. Oklahoma, 3-3 and 1-2 in the SEC, plays Saturday at Mississippi State (4-2, 2-2).