# John Mateer bounces back after rough Michigan loss

> Oklahoma's quarterback struggled against Michigan but coaches say he's responding well with tough games ahead.
- Title: John Mateer bounces back after rough Michigan loss | Shortify
- Summary: Oklahoma's quarterback struggled against Michigan but coaches say he's responding well with tough games ahead. Mateer's poor performance against Michigan…
- Keywords: john mateer, oklahoma sooners, brent venables, ben arbuckle, michigan, college football, quarterback, sec, georgia, new mexico, sports, John
- Source: Oklahoma Sooners On SI — https://si.com/college/oklahoma/football/oklahoma-qb-john-mateer-in-a-great-head-space-after-rough-showing-vs-michigan-01m2k87e74y9
- Published: 2026-09-15T20:00:01+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: john mateer, oklahoma sooners, brent venables, ben arbuckle, michigan, college football, quarterback, sec, georgia, new mexico, sports
## Mateer struggles in Michigan loss
The Oklahoma quarterback completed just 17 of 33 passes for 189 yards in a 17-10 defeat. His fourth quarter interception set up Michigan's go-ahead score.
## Coach says he's in great headspace
Brent Venables praised Mateer's response to the loss. The team took accountability and supported their quarterback in the days after.

> I feel like he's in a great head space and the team did a great job of taking accountability and supporting him.
## Performance was uneven, not all his fault
Offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle said some overthrown passes came from a disconnect between him and Mateer. The struggles weren't entirely on the quarterback.
## Mateer owns his poor showing
Arbuckle says the quarterback will be first to admit he didn't play well. He's experienced enough to not dwell on one bad game.

> He's old enough, he's played enough football, he's been around long enough. He doesn't have time to dwell on that.
## Echoes of late 2025 struggles
Mateer threw three picks against both Texas and LSU last season. He also tossed a game-changing pick-six against Alabama in the playoff.
## Hard conversations fuel growth
Arbuckle hopes the sting from Saturday's loss will push Mateer to reach his potential. The staff had tough talks with him about what needs to improve.

> We had hard conversations about it because that's what you have to have in order to grow.
## No time to mope with Georgia looming
Oklahoma faces New Mexico this week, then opens SEC play at Georgia in 10 days. The schedule demands Mateer move on quickly.
## Time to flush and move forward
Arbuckle wants Mateer to learn from film but not dwell on mistakes. With tough games ahead, the quarterback needs to reset fast.

> What I mean by flushing the game is, 'Hey guys, there's corrections and stuff that we have to make and take and learn from this film.'
## Key takeaway

Mateer's poor performance against Michigan mirrors his late 2025 struggles, but coaches believe hard conversations and accountability will help him improve quickly.