While Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables was obviously already familiar with Auburn’s quarterback as one of his former players, Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze has quickly learned all about OU quarterback John Mateer.
Auburn quarterback Jackson Arnold will return to Norman when the No. 11 Sooners host the No. 22 Tigers at 2:30 p.m. CT Saturday. Shortly after Arnold transferred to Auburn this offseason, Mateer followed his offensive coordinator, Ben Arbuckle, from Washington State to OU, where Mateer has emerged as an early Heisman Trophy favorite as a dual-threat weapon.
Auburn coach praises Mateer before playing Sooners
While preparing for one of the best players in college football before Saturday arrives, Freeze was asked specifically about Mateer during his weekly press conference.
“He is very talented,” Freeze said. “Runner, thrower, competitor, you can tell that team follows him, and he is their go-to guy in critical downs for whatever they need, and he has the ability to do it, and he's got good skill around him. Those receivers and the tight end (Jaren Kanak) are very talented, with a really good O-line and solid running backs.
“Again, if you watch the tape, you think this team is one of the special ones, and he's the large reason."
Entering both teams’ conference opener, Mateer leads the SEC with 944 passing yards through three games. He’s also second in the country in total yards with 368.3 a game, trailing only Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green. Arnold is 69th in total offense while averaging 231 total yards a game.
Freeze was definitely correct in stating that Mateer has been a key factor in propelling the Sooners among SEC frontrunners and as serious College Football Playoff contenders already. And unlike Arnold had last season as a Sooner, Mateer is also surrounded by weapons to take his game to a new level.
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