John Mateer, QB vs #15 Michigan 2025
Player: John Mateer, QB, Oklahoma
Height: 6’1”
Weight: 225 lbs
Class: Junior
Opponent: #15 Michigan
Year: 2025
Final Stat Line:
21/34, 270 Yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, Sacked Once
19 Carries, 74 Yards, 1 TD
Film Link: Watch on YouTube
Overview
Against #15 Michigan, John Mateer put the full pocket-to-playmaker spectrum on tape: climb, set, and drive when the pocket’s clean; calm answers when heat gets home; real off-script juice that turns pressure into explosives; and designed QB run value that cashes drives. The other side is between the hashes—one high miss from a stable base and a near giveaway that never respected the hook defender. The tape shows why his third-and-long operation and pressure answers translate, how his creation stays controlled, and where middle-of-field discipline and ball-type commitment must tighten to move from variance toward command.
Play 1) 14:26 1Q, 3rd & 9 — 30-yard midline strike
This is the value of climb, don’t drift. The interior starts to squeeze and Mateer steps up decisively to hitch depth, keeps his base stacked and eyes up, then fires on time down the middle. The velocity and timing beat the underneath depth and get it on the TE before the safety can arrive. Placement is a tick high—the TE has to extend and snatch it—but it’s still a winning ball because the process is right: pocket climb → balanced platform → decisive trigger. Flatten this six inches and it’s face-mask perfect; the movement and timing are already there.
On the Radar — Jaren Kanak, TE #12, Oklahoma
At 6'2", 233 lbs, the senior and recent LB→TE convert has real utility up the seam, and he put it on tape here with a one-handed snag on 3rd-and-9—strong hands, balance through contact, and enough stride speed to stress the safety. The position switch is notable because the baseline traits (play strength, competitive temperament) are already there; now you’re seeing functional receiving skills—catch radius, midline tracking, and willingness to work inside hash traffic—start to show. For dynasty, tight ends are a slow burn, but Kanak’s combination of size, new-role usage, and early impact makes him a legitimate monitor if Oklahoma continues to feature the seam and boot layers.
Play 2) 13:07 1Q, 3rd & 9 — 20-yard sideline vs free rusher
Michigan brings heat and has a free rusher; Mateer doesn’t flinch or bail. He replaces the blitz with the ball, taking the boundary as the built-in safe lane: quick set, compact stroke, and a ball that stays flat to deny an undercut while letting the receiver work the paint. This is repeatable pressure temperament—ID where the vacated space will be, keep your eyes up, and use the sideline as leverage so the defense pays for blitzing.
Play 3) 11:24 3Q, 3rd & 8 — 40-yard scramble-drill explosive
My favorite rep on the tape. A free blitzer wins early, but Mateer steps through the sack, rolls right with his shoulders squared, and keeps his eyes downfield. He re-platforms on the move and drives a deep sideline shot to a receiver who’s worked behind coverage, with enough pace to finish the idea. It’s creation with discipline: escape, maintain throwing mechanics, choose a firm ball type, and cash an extended play without inviting the late safety or a trailing undercut. This is the off-script club that translates to the next level.
Play 4) 10:18 3Q, 2nd & 7 — 10-yard TD run (designed)
Planned QB value shows up here. He presses the A/B gap to freeze second-level flow, then bounces with pace when the lane widens, accelerating to the goaline. The sequencing—press, bounce, accelerate—turns good blocking into six, and he does it without widening unnecessarily or surrendering his pads at contact. That’s red-zone utility you can call on: he reads blocks like a runner, not a quarterback freelancing.
Play 5) 5:41 3Q, 2nd & 4 — Near pick over the middle
While there’s a lot to like in this game, decision-making over the middle of the field is something I’ll be paying attention to in future game reviews—this play is just one example of misreading the defense. From a clean pocket, the hook defender sits under the route and nearly takes it away with tight trail arriving, too. I want to see better recognition and manipulation of that underneath presence, or a slide to the second window/use of the outlet so a routine down doesn’t turn into a turnover chance.
Final Thoughts
Against #15 Michigan, Mateer put starter-caliber stuff on tape: climb, set, rip on third-and-long; a calm, repeatable answer when a free rusher shows; my favorite rep of the day—an off-script 40-yard strike thrown on the move with intent, not panic; and designed QB run value that cashes drives. I left this game very impressed. The next step is tightening the middle-of-field discipline vs zone (recognize/manipulate the hook defender, pick the right window) and pairing it with firm ball-type commitment from clean pockets. If those sharpen while the pocket movement and controlled creation hold, he profiles as a big riser through conference play.
Strengths on Display
Pocket Movement: Consistently steps up to reset space and keep the full field alive, which preserves timing and throwing lanes.
Pressure Awareness: Identifies where the vacancy will be and gets the ball there without flinch—uses boundaries and landmarks to protect throws.
On-the-Move Mechanics: Re-platforms while rolling, keeps shoulders squared, and throws with intent rather than lobbing bailout balls.
Conversion & Situational Composure: Operates with down-and-distance awareness; cadence and eyes don’t speed up on “gotta have it” snaps.
Designed QB Utility: Vision and throttle control on called runs—press, bounce, accelerate—adds planned red-zone equity.
Areas for Improvement
MOF Zone ID & Manipulation: See and move the hook defender (eyes/shoulders) or work to the next window/checkdown so routine downs don’t become turnover chances.
Ball-Type Commitment from Clean Platforms: Choose it and throw it—drive or layer, don’t float—especially on inside and intermediate shots.
Front-Side/Trajectory Control on In-Breakers: Keep the base alive and the front shoulder down the line to avoid the occasional high sail.
