Sooners should have made a pre-game decision that would have had the same result vs. Texas, but a better case to the playoff committee

Sooners should have made the decision to go with Michael Hawkins Jr. over Mateer

Oklahoma feels like it may have rushed Mateer to get back for this game, 17 days after having thumb surgery. However, if you ask me, they would have been better off going with backup quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. They lost this game badly, embarrassingly, with Mateer. If they were going to do that, they should have just played Hawkins Jr.

Obviously, hindsight is 20-20, as we already know the outcome of this game. However, it would have made more sense to play Hawkins Jr.. If they lose with Hawkins Jr., it looks much better to the College Football Playoff Committee at the end of the year, if the Sooners are in contention for the CFP. Losing a rivalry game with your backup quarterback looks much better than losing a rivalry game with your starting quarterback, who, albeit, obviously wasn't himself.

Mateer said post-game that his thumb wasn't an issue, but he's supposed to say that because he's a competitor. He's not going to flat-out say that his thumb bothered him, but it's clear it did. There were so many times he overthrew, underthrew, or threw to the side of a receiver, which is an obvious sign that his thumb was hindering his throwing. Not to mention, there were plenty of times he grabbed his thumb or shook it like it hurt after a play.

Mateer's preparation mentally was not where it needed to be, either, and that's likely because of all of the rehab he had to do with his thumb, because we have seen him ultra-ready for games prior to this one. Hawkins didn't have to worry about a thumb coming in, and he didn't have to worry about it hindering his throwing ability. Not to mention, the run game is much better with Hawkins in the game.

Who says they don't put up more than six points with Hawkins rather than Mateer, who wasn't 100%?

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