Oklahoma Offense Preview 2025: John Mateer Will Make the Sooners Elite

X CFN, Fiu | CFN Facebook | Bluesky Fiu, CFN

2025 Oklahoma Preview
Oklahoma Defense Breakdown
Season Prediction, Win Total, Keys to Season

- There might not have been a stronger, more important get by anyone in the transfer portal than Oklahoma's signing of Washington State quarterback John Mateer.

It just didn't work with Jackson Arnold, who's now at Auburn - it wasn't all his fault; more on that in a moment - and Michael Hawkins Jr. is still around as a solid No.2, but Mateer is a baller's baller.

He took over for Cam Ward in the Wazzu offense, threw for over 3,000 yards and 29 touchdowns, ran for 826 yards and 15 scores, and now ... game on. However ...

- To be totally fair to Arnold and the entire Oklahoma offense, the Sooners went through an insane run of wide receiver injuries.

And right on cue, OU had more bad luck this offseason when 6-3, 205-pound deep threat Javonnie Gibson (Arkansas-Pine Bluff) suffered a leg injury this offseason. He's expected to be back as the deep threat the attack desperately needs on the outside.

Deion Burks is a great veteran on the inside, but he missed most of last year hurt. Jayden Gibson averaged 27 yards per catch with five scores on his 14 grabs in 2023, but he missed the entire season. He's back, too.

Tight end Bauer Sharp led the team with 42 catches, but he's off to LSU. The portal is helping out here with Will Huggins (Pittsburg State) and Carson Kent (Kennesaw State) working with Kaden Helms to fill the role.

- Jaydn Ott isn't as big a portal signing as John Mateer, but he's a great one. Mateer will help with the ground attack, and leading rusher Jovantae Barnes is back after coming up with 577 yards and five scores, but Ott is a heart-and-soul type who got hurt and couldn't get going last year at Cal.

- The Sooner offensive line has to be better, and it will be. It struggled for the ground game and did nothing in pass protection, but again, the injury issues at receiver had something to do with that.

It was a relatively inexperienced group that was thrown into the fire, but now, almost everyone is back, and there's a world of depth thanks to a few fill-ins for injured parts.

Fabichi Nwaiwu should be set at one guard job, and star transfer Derek Simmons (Western Carolina) needs a spot at tackle. After that, there will be several good battles in fall camp, helped by transfers - and that's a good thing. Again, this bunch is deep.

Oklahoma Defense Breakdown
2025 Oklahoma Preview
Season Prediction, Win Total, Keys to Season