Oklahoma QB Michael Hawkins Jr. steps in and gives Ben Arbuckle a weapon he’s never had

If recruiting matters, then Oklahoma offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle is about to have the most talented quarterback he’s ever had leading his offense.

OU announced on Tuesday that starting quarterback John Mateer injured his throwing hand against Auburn on Saturday and will need surgery on Wednesday, sidelining the early Heisman Trophy favorite for about a month, based on multiple reports and timelines. In the meantime, sophomore Michael Hawkins Jr. will fill in for Mateer at quarterback.

Hawkins replacing injured John Mateer as Sooners QB

Hawkins started four games for the Sooners last season as a freshman after dethroning former five-star prospect Jackson Arnold, who transferred to Auburn this offseason to become the Tigers’ QB1. Arnold eventually got his job back, but the fact Hawkins competed with a five-star recruit who’s still a starter in the SEC already proves he’s one of the most reliable backups in college football.

The difference in 2025, though, is Arbuckle, who Venables hired from Washington State after firing OC Seth Littrell midseason in 2024.

Arbuckle ultimately brought Mateer with him. Mateer led the FBS with 44 total TDs last season in his first year as a starter in Arbuckle’s system at Washington State. He had emerged as a Heisman favorite in the first four weeks this season while being second in the country with 351.2 total yards a game as a dual-threat weapon, like Hawkins also is.

Mateer committed to Washington State as a three-star recruit in the 2022 class with only two FBS offers from the Cougars and New Mexico State. Once at Washington State, Mateer eventually replaced Cam Ward, an unrated and unranked prospect who started his college career at Incarnate Ward.

Ward was the starter in Arbuckle’s first season as an OC in 2023. He was in the top 15 in the FBS in passing yards and total yards before transferring to Miami for his final season and becoming the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Even before Ward, Arbuckle mentored Bailey Zappe in various roles between Houston Baptist and Western Kentucky. In 2021, Zappe broke the FBS record for passing yards and touchdowns in a season. Like Ward, Zappe was also an unrated and unranked recruit out of high school.

Stars obviously don’t define a career, especially with Arbuckle in control, but unlike every other quarterback Arbuckle has developed to be one of the best in the country, Hawkins has always had those expectations.

Hawkins signed with the Sooners as a four-star recruit in 2024 over the likes of Alabama, Michigan and more. He was the No. 20 QB in the class, according to the 247Sports Composite. For comparison, Mateer, the only other ranked QB that’s ever started for Arbuckle, was No. 119.

After just a few months in Norman, Hawkins showed enough promise that Venables and OU’s 2024 staff thought it was worth promoting him to QB1 over Arnold, who was one of the highest-rated recruits to ever sign with the Sooners. In seven appearances, including four starts, Hawkins had 987 total yards and four TDs.

Hawkins accomplished what he did in what was really a broken system. Arbuckle’s system hasn’t failed yet, though. Hawkin’s best performance last season actually came with Arbuckle on the sidelines in the bowl game, when Hawkins threw for a career-high 247 yards and two TDs, plus had 61 rushing yards.

There’s obviously something special about Mateer and no one ever wanted him to get hurt, but Hawkins taking over at least briefly not only gives a glimpse of the heir to the Sooners’ offense, but will also be the first time Arbuckle has a weapon of this caliber in his arsenal.

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