Mason Young
Tulsa World OU Sports Reporter
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NORMAN — John Mateer isn’t quite the partier that former Texas A&M Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel was known to be in college.
“I’m going to church in the morning,” Mateer said Saturday night.
But the Oklahoma quarterback does think it’s nice that people are starting to call him “Money Mateer,” in the mold of “Money Manziel.”
“It’s cool to have a nickname, to have something that people can root for, and I’m honored to have it,” Mateer said.
The Washington State transfer earned it Saturday in his Southeastern Conference debut, as he steered the Sooners to a 24-17 win over Auburn. Mateer wasn’t perfect, but he was money when it mattered most, epitomizing what OU will need to be throughout the rest of its Southeastern Conference slate, if it wants to reach all its goals.
Mateer wasn’t sharp early. At halftime, he was just 8-for-16 for 104 yards. Auburn quarterback Jackson Arnold (12-for-18, 162 yards), the former Sooner, was actually outplaying Mateer.
In the second half, however, Mateer completed 16 of his final 17 passes. He finished 24-for-36 with 271 yards and commandeered a game winning drive when the Sooners had to have it.
“I think I just settled in,” Mateer said. “…I really hit the flow and started understanding what they were doing and what was good, and we all got in the groove. Coach (Ben) Arbuckle and the O-line and the receivers, and we all just started clicking.”
Auburn took a 17-16 lead with 7:09 remaining, putting the Sooners behind for the first time this season. Mateer only needed six plays to answer.
His best throw of the night — perhaps of the first four games — he dropped in the bucket to Isaiah Sategna for a 31-yard completion.
Then, Mateer ran nine yards for the go-ahead touchdown. The Sooners’ offense could’ve milked the clock and kicked a field goal, but that wasn’t the first instinct.
“You can only write that story so many times,” Mateer said. “As a quarterback, to be able to do that two-minute drill or game-winning drive, that’s what you dream about, and doing it in your first SEC game is pretty cool.”
Teammates past and present have raved about the confidence Mateer carries, and that shined through as he delivered in the clutch.
“I didn’t have a choice, we had to score,” Mateer said. “I don’t want to lose this game, nobody wants to lose this game. When it comes down to it, we had to make it happen. But, it didn’t matter, we weren’t thinking about how we weren’t successful in the past, we were thinking about the next play and our job on the next play and that’s why we were able to succeed.”
Offensive coordinator Arbuckle prefers sticking to what he had called Mateer the past two years at Washington State: Johnny Boy. That said, Arbuckle knew Mateer would deliver on the money when it came time for payment.
“I have all the trust in the world in John Mateer, and there’s a few things in the first half he wishes he could have back,” Arbuckle said. “But it was just a good, subtle reminder at halftime to relax. Everything we want is there, just relax, deliver the ball like you have all week in practice. And that’s what he did.
“He was great there in the second half for us, as were a lot of different people. There were some big catches being made. It was just the guys’ trust and everything, going back on their training and making the play when it came their way.”
That game winning drive is one last year’s OU offense, with a shaky Arnold, offensive line and receiver corps, likely wouldn’t have completed. For the offensive rejuvenation Mateer and Arbuckle have brought, head coach Brent Venables is very thankful.
“That just tells you a lot about who they are, who’s in the huddle, Coach Arbuckle and the rest of the offensive coaches, to get our guys to put the drive together when we needed to,” Venables said. “…The toughness that it takes — to put everything else that maybe didn’t go our way… behind and go put it together… man, it was something else.”
Venables had said after OU beat Michigan in Week 2 that the Sooners didn’t have to play perfect to win. He told the Sooners at halftime versus Auburn to forget everything that had happened in the first half.
There was a lot that didn’t go right Saturday. OU rushed for a season-low 32 yards, its fewest in a win since 2005. Auburn star receiver Cam Coleman got behind the Sooners’ secondary for 88 yards and a touchdown. Yet, all ended well when R Mason Thomas delivered OU’s record-tying ninth sack for game-closing safety.
“These are moments where you learn a lot about yourself,” Venables said. “… Even through failure along the way you gain some confidence. … So many (players), naturally, want to carry all this burden of pressure and having to be perfect. … This is another example of, you don’t have to play perfect or have this amazing four-quarter game, you just need to be good at the right moments.”
After seeing his players answer the bell at just the right time versus two good teams (Michigan and Auburn), what has Venables learned about the 131st team in program history?
“The sum of all of our parts gives us an opportunity to have a pretty dang good football team,” Venables said. “… There was plenty of bad on the field today but that’s how you get better. You’ve got to get exposed on game day and thankful for victory through all of that. Now the challenge is going into a bye week, comes at a great time. We’ve got to get some guys healthy.”
Starting offensive linemen Jake Maikkula and Febechi Nwaiwu gutted it out through ankle injuries against Auburn. Freshman left tackle Michael Fasusi gave it a go but couldn’t finish. A restful bye week ought to serve him well.
OU has also been without All-American cornerback Eli Bowen and ballyhooed transfer receiver Javonnie Gibson so far this season. The Sooners are hoping to have both back from injury when they continue their journey Oct. 4 against Kent State.
“We’re going to get some other guys back for our next game provided there’s no setbacks,” Venables said. “So I’m really looking forward to getting … them back on the team, because they can help us win.”
And what will winning continue to require? Not perfection, but being money when it matters.
mason.young@tulsaworld.com
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Mason Young
Tulsa World OU Sports Reporter
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