Will Oklahoma make a change at QB? Brent Venables weighs in
Brent Venables declines to announce a quarterback change as questions emerge about John Mateer.
The Oklahoma Sooners experienced a significant home loss to the South Carolina Gamecocks, falling 42-25. This loss was much more than the final score indicates, with the Sooners trailing 35-10 by the end of the third quarter. Their defense was the only bright spot, scoring the only touchdown of the game. Quarterback John Mateer's performance was inconsistent, completing 26-of-43 passes for 244 yards and two touchdowns, with the touchdowns coming in the fourth quarter.
Mateer also ran the ball 11 times for only 29 yards. While there has been speculation about replacing Mateer with either Whitt Newbauer or Bowe Bentley, head coach Brent Venables dismissed these discussions in his postgame press conference. Venables stated, "Right now, I'm not ready to say anything like that." This response leaves Mateer in a position to continue starting at quarterback for Oklahoma, but the pressure on the position is likely to remain.
The Sooners need more consistent production from their offense, and Mateer's struggles in this area over the past few weeks are causing concern. With Newbauer and Bentley eager to step up, the coaching staff will continue to face questions about whether a change could provide the offensive unit with a much-needed boost. Oklahoma now needs to regroup after another disappointing home performance.
The team's path forward will depend on finding answers on offense, protecting the football, and improving the quarterback position. While Venables may not be ready to make a change, the team's next performance will ultimately determine if that decision stays the same.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
