Rece Davis Sounds Alarm on Heisman Contending QB Already Carrying Too Much

"This has come a little bit like a one-man offensive show, with help from his wide receivers," Davis said. "(Jaydn) Ott, will I'm sure, at some point, give them some great moments. But John Mateer sort of fits into that Oklahoma genre of quarterbacks. He's got some gunslinger to him. He's going to do some things this year that are going to go spectacularly wrong. He's going to throw some really bad interceptions. But it's going to be more than offset by the swashbuckling bravado of making big plays."

John Mateer’s Heisman Rise Fueled by Solo Performances

As Davis pointed out, the start of the season has been a solo effort. His 98 rushing yards and three touchdowns led the Sooners through their first two games. He will need support moving forward.

True freshman Tory Blaylock has shown promise, though he has dealt with some injuries this season. He has accumulated 66 rushing yards, averaging 3.9 yards per carry, along with one touchdown. Additionally, Ott was a significant transfer addition from the California Golden Bears. He earned All-American honors in 2023 after rushing for 1,315 yards and scoring 12 touchdowns.

In 2024 at Cal, he struggled with an ankle injury. Then, during the offseason at Oklahoma, he injured his shoulder. As a result, he has been limited in the first two games, rushing only five times for a total of six yards.

Joel Klatt Raises Durability Concerns for Oklahoma QB

Due to a lack of support in the running game, Fox Sports' Joel Klatt raised concerns about Oklahoma and Mateer's durability.

“The hard part is, if you are trying to go through that schedule and Mateer is getting 40 or 50 touches, 19 in the run game, another 30 throwing the football, he’s going to be exposed too much,” Klatt previously said.

In Week 2 against the No. 23 Michigan Wolverines, Mateer attempted 34 passes and was the leading rusher for the team, carrying the ball 19 times for 74 yards and scoring two touchdowns. Although this performance played a crucial role in Oklahoma's victory over the Wolverines, Klatt doubts that such a high level of play can be maintained.

If offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle can’t find balance, Mateer may keep climbing in the Heisman race, but at the cost of wearing down before November.