There’s apparently not much of a difference between a quarterback being considered a Heisman Trophy candidate and one whose fan base wishes there were a replacement.
The real difference might just be the offense itself.
The Oklahoma offense has been flat-out terrible the past two games, and quarterback John Mateer is getting a lot of the blame. South of the Red River, though, Arch Manning is contending for the Heisman Trophy while quarterbacking the No. 1 team in college football.
Yet, numbers don’t lie, and the numbers prove there hasn’t been much of a difference between Mateer and Manning through three games, despite drastically different standings among their fan bases and how they’re perceived by the rest of the college football world.
Side by side, you can’t tell which quarterback is after a Heisman and which one is more likely to end up on the bench than in New York City.
John Mateer | Arch Manning | |
|---|---|---|
Completion % | 62.7% (47-75) | 61.5 (59-96) |
Passing yards | 652 | 661 |
Passing TD | 6 | 7 |
Interceptions | 3 | 2 |
QBR | 65.1 | 71.0 |
Rushes | 26 | 21 |
Rushing yards | 69 | 83 |
Rushing TD | 0 | 0 |
Average rank of defense faced | 30 | 90 |
Right off the bat, the biggest knock on Mateer is his inaccuracy, but his completion percentage is actually better than Manning's, and he has only one more interception, which could have been the difference between beating Michigan and still being ranked at 3-0.
The only major difference from the table is that Mateer has obviously faced much tougher defenses. Outside of Ohio State, Manning hasn't been challenged by a defense ranked in the top 100 in total defense. Mateer hasn't faced any outside of the top 100.
But the Longhorns are putting up 37.7 points per game, which ranks 42nd in FBS. OU, though, even with similar QB play, is averaging only 25 points per game, which is 98th. If you exclude a 51-0 blowout against UTEP, the Sooners are scoring only 12 points a game in their last two outings.
Both programs also benefit from elite defenses, but, at least statistically, the Sooners have the better defense to rely on.
Most importantly, the Longhorns are 3-0 and sit atop national rankings after taking down Ohio State. The Sooners are nowhere to be found in the AP Top 25 Poll this week after two poor showings at 2-1 with a loss to Michigan.
Benching John Mateer won't fix Oklahoma's offense
So what's the point in this comparison, and what can we learn from it, other than what we already knew about Manning being overhyped?
Mateer is certainly a problem contributing to the Sooners' offensive struggles, but he's definitely not the problem. If anything, this shows that it doesn't matter who's QB1 for OU, this offense still wouldn't produce in its current state.
Even with all the hype about Manning, Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian, who calls plays for Texas, understands Manning can't shoulder an entire offense. Ben Arbuckle still hasn't figured that out about Mateer, who came with him from Washington State last year.
Sarkisian went and got Manning the best weapons money could buy at receiver this offseason. The Sooners returned top receiver Isaiah Sategna III, then went and found the best value in the transfer portal.
The Sooners also have the 123rd rushing offense in FBS that averages 110.33 yards per game and hasn't surpassed 100 yards in the past two weeks. That doesn't take any sort of pressure off Mateer. Texas averages 176 yards per game, which ranks 54th. There's at least something there for Manning.
Then there's the offensive line protecting these quarterbacks. Mateer has been sacked six times, meaning twice every game on average. Manning has been sacked four times, which is basically a whole game less than Mateer has gone down. Based on PFF grades, Texas has the best pass protection in college football.
It's a painful exercise to compare the two hated rivals, but the Longhorns are on top right now, and that's exactly where the Sooners want to be. It's also the best example that benching Mateer isn't what's going to fix Oklahoma.
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