Oklahoma QB John Mateer Previews UTEP
Mateer met with the media to preview OU's first game against UTEP.
Video Transcript
John, you ready to play somebody else?
Yeah, I am.
I'm so excited.
I was out there hooting and hollering today.
You've been going to get your own defense for a while.
What do you expect to see Saturday from your opponent?
Uh, I expect to see a good opponent, you know, they play, they do a lot of different things, and, uh, and they play hard.
They got a lot of guys coming back, and, uh, we're excited.
John, what's it been like working with Ryan at center?
That's obviously a position he's not used to.
What, what's that, that, that chemistry been?
It's been really good, you know, like I say about.
All these guys, we have a good relationship off the field, so it just translates and us being able to communicate.
We were just staying out after practice today, you know, just getting it, you know, communicating other stuff, and, but it's been really good.
He's doing a great job and props to him learning so many different positions, you know, his versatility is huge for himself and his team, you know, and it shouldn't be, it shouldn't go unspoken.
How much is it just practic him practicing snapping the football, whether it's under center or shotgun?
Uh, I mean, you mean what we practice or him repping that?
Yeah, it's reps, you know, like anything and just doing it over and over now.
I don't know about snapping it coming off the ball, you know, and he has to make all the calls, so it's like a whole, it's, it's a hard position to learn, but he's doing a great job.
John, from a quarterback standpoint, is, is it more difficult adapting to a new center than like most people would think?
Um, maybe, you know, most of the time the snaps are pretty universal, you know, they get back, there's some different speeds and, um.
A different spot, different spin, you know, maybe, but it's all the same.
Really under center is the only thing you got to just teach, you know, the quarterbacks put their hands in different spots, you know, it's all again like the same, but it's a little different and the pressure and the field and stuff, but, um, but we're doing a good job.
John, it seems like come Friday night, Lord Devant is a guy that's going to be on the field quite a bit.
What's enabled him to leave the impression that he has since getting?
I think just his consistency.
He's done a great job every day and, uh, he's set the tone, you know, if, if we need somebody to go hit somebody, well, he's gonna do it.
You know, and then we got a lot of good backs, you know, obviously a lot of depth, and they're all doing a great job.
They really are.
Um, Lloyd's, Louie's also doing a good job.
John, how, how far has Elijah Thomas come from this time maybe last year to now?
He's come really far, you know, learning, and he's so willing to learn.
He asks questions and, um, he looks coaches in the eyes and has great respect, and he wants to learn.
He's not, you know, some.
Um, they're, he's not stuck up about his ways or anything, and he wants to learn how to, you know, and Isaiah and Trell and the older guys have done a great job, you know, leading him, mentoring him, and, and he plays fast because when he plays fast, he's, he's very fast, you know, so, uh, it's, it's, it's a weapon.
It's a feeling of anticipation that goes into this week when you work 9 months and then you get like 12 Saturdays a year.
Yeah, uh, it's awesome.
I mean, there's nothing like it.
You gotta, I have to stay, you know, on this Sunday, you know, treat it like a Monday.
So I was about to say Monday, but treat it, you know, stay on this Sunday, but all I can think about is Friday, so discipline, but I'm so excited.
I really am, and we all are.
We've done a great job, worked super hard.
Uh props to the coaches and the players, and we're ready to go.
Does it feel like you guys are almost debuting something?
You got so many new guys over there , especially at the wide receiver position like Elijah, like Trell Parker.
Uh, for me, no.
I mean, I've taken so many snaps with them.
And it's just like we're just doing it on the stage on a Friday, uh, Friday night with a bunch of people in the stands, you know, but to me I don't think, you know, it's not a debut.
Spring ball is a debut, you know, those uh, those, um, things we do in the winter are a debut.
It's gonna mean seeing the stadium packed out Friday night with Oklahoma fans chanting Boomer sooner.
Yeah, it's gonna be awesome.
Uh, I, I try to, you know, last year being younger and, you know, I try to, you know, make sure I'm, you know, dialed in, and I'm not, I'll be dialed in, of course, you know, you have to be to play the game, but.
Taking in the moment, you know, it was my last year and understanding how grateful I am to be in this situation.
You know, all these great fans come to watch us play and um some of them are gonna wear my jersey, which is crazy.
You know, I'm honored to be in the position I'm in and so maybe I'll look around a little bit, you know, before the game, pregame, and just take it in and, and appreciate, you know, where I am.
Hayden mentioned that it's important for the team to not put any weaknesses on film.
I mean, how important is it for you guys to.
Start early, go, be efficient , all those things.
Yeah, play football, you know, just, uh, play up to our standard, um, the nameless, faceless opponent.
You know, we play to the standard that we play at.
You know , we don't play depending on who we're playing, um, but playing clean football, that was the message, that's been the message and just play football the way we know how.
What it'll be like, uh, not playing a game with a broken thumb.
Yeah, I'm, I'm pretty excited for that one, you know.
You know, I practice like, like you said, I'm not debuting anything to myself, but I guess, you know, to the fans I am, I'm, I'm very excited for that.
Not to make an excuse, but it's, it's, you know, I feel really good because of, you know, the whole offseason and I feel strong, it feels good, and, um, yeah, I'm really excited.
Do you feel like you have something to prove nationally just because of how fast you started and the broken thumb just whenever, and you're obviously good, but just.
People have their perceptions.
No, I understand it, and I didn't play that well towards the end of the year.
I, I don't think I did.
I'm motivated not because of the outside, you know, how people view it, you know, I'm not motivated by the perception.
I'm motivated by the way I play in the film, you know, the film doesn't lie, and I, and I cringe when I watch the film, you know, last year it was just true.
Um, so I get an opportunity to go out and play my best football, but, give it everything I got, and that's what y'all are gonna get.
What has Trell brought to this offense since he's gotten back?
Uh, a lot of leadership, you know, like a presence.
He's going to do the right things and he's going to teach and he's going to be in the right spots and communicate with me and I appreciate that and how he's done.
He cares so much about this team and his opportunity within this team, and he's done a great job.
He's obviously really fast.
Um, which is, is very friendly.
He's a, he's, he's a great, great dude and, and a great receiver.
Is it noticeable with Trell and even Isaiah that they played a ton of football ?
Those guys are veteran wide receivers.
It definitely is, and they see things and it's like sometimes we don't even talk about it, you know, we just go play because we've played so many snaps, uh, all of us, and it's separate, but football is football, you know, and you get to the same zones and see it and talk about it and it's, it's been, been very good.
What have you seen from just the tight end room and even a guy like Trinity Washington, a young guy that's Just played not a lot, but he's got a lot of talent, a lot of athleticism.
Yeah, they've all done a great job elevating themselves, elevating the room, and Coach Whitten, you know, he has a standard, and he's, he's really smart, you know, as everybody knows, if you talk to him, he's very smart, so he gives them the juice and gives them the words that they need and, and they go out and perform it.
So props to all of them, the whole room included.
They're doing a great job.
John, obviously, the defense was extremely good last year, but just this camp going against it, does it feel like it has a chance to be even better than it was last year?
Yeah, I mean, the guys coming back, the leadership they have over there, I think they're in a really good spot.
Uh, they've been challenged.
They've been challenged, and they challenge us, you know, so I, I do believe so.
They're all really good and And uh they're doing a great job.
I'm excited to watch them play somebody else, you know, as you can imagine.
Uh, odd question.
I mean, you said that you, you guys were wanting to play clean football, but I mean any defensive player we talked to has just been talking about how important it's been for them to basically rep getting turnovers, considering that was a problem until what week 5 last year.
I mean, how hard is it to play clean football, rep clean football in practice when you're going up against defense where that's kind of their mission.
Oh, it's a challenge, you know, it's not impossible, um, but it's good for us because they're gonna go after it, you know, and that's what it should be on defense in my opinion.
And so they do a great job.
So I have to be very, um, meticulous about where I put the ball and the timing and, and, and then when the people, you know, holding and running the ball and protecting the football and so it makes everybody better.
So we appreciate them on the offensive side.
I do as a quarterback.
Like if I'm If I missed by an inch, you know, it's a game of inches, but seriously, if I miss by an inch, incompletion, tip pick, you know, um, so it's gotta be good.
And so it's, it's been really good by then.
Well, specifically with like a guy like Cortland coming into year 2.
I mean, have you noticed that I, I could have made that throw against him last year, now, maybe not so much.
Uh, yeah, I mean, his lateral quickness, you know, he'll play the zones really well, and he'll, he'll try to bait me in and get to it and it's, it's very impressive and it's fun for me.
You know, I learned practice to practice.
He's got me a couple of times, I'll be honest, I just because of who he is and what he is and him and Eli, man, they, they're so smart and I can tell they're coached well, you know, by, by everybody involved, and they love the game and they, and they stay and they do it.
So it's good for me, good for the offense because of how good they are.
Obviously the physical aspect is very important, but how much do you focus on the mental side of the game?
Oh, a lot.
I mean, it's like the offseason, you know, you build the physical and, but you're also building the mental, you know, getting, getting to where I want to be.
So I'm, I'm way smarter , you know, than I am, than I was last year.
Uh, but it's all pretty much all mental, you know, you go out and practice and you do it, and if I miss a throw, I stay after and I still want it on point, but I mean, I'm, I'm here all day, you know, we all are, we've been challenged as quarterbacks, so.
Um, Coach, Coach Crew said it.
He said, you know, it's 20 hours a week of film, which is like, whoa.
But, you know, you know, if that's how you look at it, it's like, that's a lot, you know, and I've, I've been, you know, I had different resources, but it's not about, you know, getting to 20, it's not a performative 20 hours.
It's a, you know, when do I understand it?
So if that's 20 hours, if that's 25, if that's 17, you know, when I feel good, and I know what that is, only, you know, us within know what that is, um, but, It was all mental, really playing quarterback is all mental, and it should be, you know, it'll be easier on my body.
Sean, with all the SEC experience that Hayden Hansen has, how big of an impact has that had on the offense as a whole?
Yeah, it's been huge.
You know, he makes great plays and he's super smart and he gets to the zones that he needs, and his presence as a blocker is huge, you know, seeing, communicating and, and getting it done.
He's been doing a great job.
