John Mateer will be returning to Norman for another season at Oklahoma, the program announced on Thursday. Mateer could have declared for the 2026 NFL Draft after playing one season for the Sooners. Instead, he comes back to run things back with head coach Brent Venables and offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle.
Oklahoma’s social media post on the development came with more than just news on Mateer, though. Linebacker Kip Lewis was a part of the announcement as well. Both Lewis and Mateer wear No. 10, making for a fun spin on the situation.
Mateer transfered to Oklahoma from Washington State last offseason, hoping to bring some stability to the quarterback position. While there was a thumb injury during the year, Mateer wound up playing in 12 of a possible 13 games for the Sooners.
He threw for 2,885 yards, 14 touchdowns, and interceptions. Arbuckle used Mateer’s legs quite often too, adding 431 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground due to 149 carries. Team success then followed, as Oklahoma went 10-2 in the regular season and earned a spot in the College Football Playoff.
But a lot of, if not most, of the credit for OU’s postseason appearance goes to the defense. Venables put together one of the best units in college football. Lewis figures to be the biggest retention of them all, also forgoing an opportunity to declare for the NFL Draft.
Linebacker is Venables’ specialty, meaning some more development is on the way. Which can only lead to positives for Lewis after recording 76 tackles, 10.5 tackles for a loss, and four sacks in 2025. All of those were career bests, by a large margin as well.
Oklahoma looking to take another step forward in 2026 season
Most of the attention of Thursday’s announcement will be placed on Mateer. Oklahoma has already done a nice job building around him for 2026, dipping into the NCAA transfer portal for some big-name wide receivers. Isaiah Sategna coming back for another year should help the continuity roll over from year-to-year.
A quality defense once again being put on the field is a safe bet under Venables. Mateer being able to take the next step is likely the path to success for Oklahoma. The journey will officially begin in September with the opener vs. UTEP. One week later brings a return trip to Ann Arbor, where OU will look to get another win over Michigan.