John Mateer's Injury Puts More Pressure on Oklahoma's Defense

 With John Mateer’s injury, which will keep him out for at least the Kent State game and potentially longer, much of the focus of Oklahoma’s bye week has been on the offense and Michael Hawkins Jr.

But now the Sooners’ defense must also carry a bigger load, because while Hawkins might be improved and the cast around him might be better, it’s hard to imagine the offense not taking a step back without Mateer — a Heisman candidate — behind center.

The good news for the Sooners is the defense, so far, has proved it can hold up to challenges.

Read More Oklahoma Football

• Oklahoma Lands Commitment from Another Local OL Star
• How Will Oklahoma Use Running Backs with John Mateer Absent?
• Oklahoma HC Brent Venables on John Mateer's Injury Timeline: 'Not Really Important'

In the third quarter of OU’s 24-13 win over Michigan on Sept. 6, the defense pinned the Wolverines back deep inside their own territory.

But a muffed punt by Isaiah Sategna gave Michigan the ball back at the OU 31.

The Sooners didn’t allow a first down, and the Wolverines had to settle for a field goal.

“To me, that was the killer moment for us,” OU linebacker Kobie McKinzie said on 107.7-FM The Franchise a few days after that win. “Bend, don’t break. We didn’t care. … I think that’s what’s going to make this defense great man. Nobody is ever tired of playing, nobody is ever tired of competing. … Put us on the 5-yard line and we feel like we’re going to stop you.”

That may be the case, but it’s going to be tested a lot more if OU is without Mateer in SEC play.

The Sooners will have to rely more on their depth late in close games.

That has caused some problems recently.

OU held the lead in five of its seven losses last season before letting the lead slip away.

That’s been a trend under Brent Venables.

In 12 of OU’s 17 losses under Venables, the Sooners have held the lead at some point.

Venables talked multiple times leading up to the season about the discrepancy between the offense and defense last season and how those pieces fit together.

“Really excited about the opportunity to get back and play the kind of offense that we need to continue to improve on defense and special teams,” Venables said in the spring.

While OU’s offense doesn’t figure to fall off quite as sharply as it did last season when the Sooners put up historically bad, the defense will have to carry more of the load.

OU’s offense has done plenty to help the defense, not only with the points it has posted but with five drives lasting five or more minutes already.

The Sooners had just three such drives in the first four games last season and though those numbers improved late, they had just five offensive drives lasting five or more minutes in the first seven games in 2024.

“It’s very chill on the sidelines,” safety Peyton Bowen said. “It’s not like, ‘third down, here we go, I got to get up, get ready to go. It’s just been three players and we had a whole 14-play drive or something. Now, it’s like I’m staying on my seat. I trust them. I trust that when I get a little more breathing room they’re going to go down there and get a field goal, score a touchdown, do something.”

The defensive depth could help OU hold onto those leads better.

The Sooners have had 235 defensive snaps so far, and only two players — cornerback Courtland Guillory and Bowen — have played more than 155 plays.

No linebacker has played more than 142 (Kendal Daniels), and no defensive lineman more than 137 (R Mason Thomas). No interior lineman has played more than 115 (Damonic Williams).