Football question

[hoopsaustin]

There have been several games Arbuckle has scripted very well early, only for Mateer to struggle down the stretch. Those first 20 minutes would have been impressive even for Baker. Absolutely beautiful offense. Those two touchdowns were executed to perfection.

Then we faded, and I feared the same thing was happening, but he rebounded later in the game and shredded them again. Nobody shreds this Alabama team for 4 straight quarters.

He had a very clean pocket early in the game, but eventually they started to bring a lot more pressure once they realized our run game was impotent. He got sacked 5 times, which was a less than it could have been, as he evaded pressure multiple times.

That's what gave me hope for next year. He's going to make some blunders, but he's also a gamer. He was making the plays he needed to late, which was the case in numerous games this year including LSU and Auburn. That's why I'm so eager to see what we do in the portal at TE. Up 10 in the 3Q, we could pretty much ice a game right there with a 12 play, 8 minute touchdown drive. He wouldn't even have to throw.

He cant throw a touch deep ball. That XRob drop, which was a great throw, might have been his longest all year. He just doesnt have touch bc his baseball delivery. His value is not even close to what we have to pay him.. unfortunately it'll be another year likely

 

[allday92]

Saw the wildest stat on twitter - last year's offense scored more touchdowns than this year's offense. 38 vs 35.

 

[Boom Soon]

He cant throw a touch deep ball. That XRob drop, which was a great throw, might have been his longest all year. He just doesnt have touch bc his baseball delivery. His value is not even close to what we have to pay him.. unfortunately it'll be another year likely

His mechanics are objectively awful. Nobody can dispute that.

 

[hoopsaustin]

His mechanics are objectively awful. Nobody can dispute that.

His footwork might be equally as bad

 

[Eielson]

Saw the wildest stat on twitter - last year's offense scored more touchdowns than this year's offense. 38 vs 35.

Oklahoma 59-14 Maine (Nov 2, 2024) Final Score - ESPN

Game summary of the Oklahoma Sooners vs. Maine Black Bears NCAAF game, final score 59-14, from November 2, 2024 on ESPN.

www.espn.com

 

[WichitaSooner]

What should the CFP value most? Plus, Jim Harbaugh and accountability in Mandel’s Mailbag

G5 blowouts in the CFP reignited debate over who truly deserves a spot; and how much blame should fall on Jim Harbaugh for Michigan’s mess?

www.nytimes.com

An outsider’s view on Mateer.

 

[Eielson]

"I’m more ambivalent about Mateer. For one thing, I know he was one of the highest-paid QBs in the country this season, making a reported $3 million. His performance did not come close to matching that. In his defense, he was off to a great start before his thumb injury, and could well get back there now that he has time to heal. Also, he was carrying the burden of serving as OU’s almost entire run game."

 

[SoonerDutch]

"I’m more ambivalent about Mateer. For one thing, I know he was one of the highest-paid QBs in the country this season, making a reported $3 million. His performance did not come close to matching that. In his defense, he was off to a great start before his thumb injury, and could well get back there now that he has time to heal. Also, he was carrying the burden of serving as OU’s almost entire run game."

I don’t think Mateer is elite by any means but considering the likely NIL resource allocation needed for an upgrade at QB, he’s likely the best option available for OU in 26.

There are way bigger upgrades potentially on the roster; elite WR and an entire TE room.

 

[allday92]

Oklahoma 59-14 Maine (Nov 2, 2024) Final Score - ESPN

Game summary of the Oklahoma Sooners vs. Maine Black Bears NCAAF game, final score 59-14, from November 2, 2024 on ESPN.

www.espn.com

Illinois St. this year is also an FCS opponent.

 

[WichitaSooner]

I don’t think Mateer is elite by any means but considering the likely NIL resource allocation needed for an upgrade at QB, he’s likely the best option available for OU in 26.

There are way bigger upgrades potentially on the roster; elite WR and an entire TE room.

If he truly was one of the highest paid QBs, we could/should definitely get bigger bang for our buck. Very hard to compete for titles if you’re wasting money at the most important position.

We have heard the same thing about TEs for what, three or four years now? It likely won’t change with JJF still around. But who says it’s an either/or choice? I know people like to pretend like we are poor, but there is no way we don’t have money to upgrade multiple spots. All sorts of teams do it. We are way more than one position away from being a good offense.

 

[SoonerDutch]

If he truly was one of the highest paid QBs, we could/should definitely get bigger bang for our buck. Very hard to compete for titles if you’re wasting money at the most important position.

We have heard the same thing about TEs for what, three or four years now? It likely won’t change with JJF still around. But who says it’s an either/or choice? I know people like to pretend like we are poor, but there is no way we don’t have money to upgrade multiple spots. All sorts of teams do it. We are way more than one position away from being a good offense.

If it were possible $-wise or with a likely alternative, would be all on board with your thinking but think the likely portal guys & $s getting thrown about make it really unlikely outside of roster wishcasting.

Mateer is serviceable and has intangibles I guess but is not an elite guy. Of the top end portal guys, who is a better bang for your buck?

I think Leavitt & the UNT kid are definitive steps up, the USF kid has put up way better stats too. They’d all be making an adjustment to an actual conference. But JM is comparable to or better than the other guys on that list.If it’s costing $4-5mm for Leavitt or Mestemaker vs $1.5mm to $2mm for Mateer, I’d save that and use on upgrading TE/WR/OL depth.

If OU has unlimited money, get Cam Coleman and an actual TE room before thinking about a QB upgrade. That will have a way better ROI than upgrading to Leavitt from Mateer IMO.

 

[WichitaSooner]

View attachment 2858

If it were possible $-wise or with a likely alternative, would be all on board with your thinking but think the likely portal guys & $s getting thrown about make it really unlikely outside of roster wishcasting.

Mateer is serviceable and has intangibles I guess but is not an elite guy. Of the top end portal guys, who is a better bang for your buck?

I think Leavitt & the UNT kid are definitive steps up, the USF kid has put up way better stats too. They’d all be making an adjustment to an actual conference. But JM is comparable to or better than the other guys on that list.If it’s costing $4-5mm for Leavitt or Mestemaker vs $1.5mm to $2mm for Mateer, I’d save that and use on upgrading TE/WR/OL depth.

If OU has unlimited money, get Cam Coleman and an actual TE room before thinking about a QB upgrade. That will have a way better ROI than upgrading to Leavitt from Mateer IMO.

Ideally, for the first time since Gabriel, we could rely on our coaching staff (and now Nagy) to identify someone who would be able to perform better than their price tag would suggest. The current Heisman winner came from Cal. Ole Miss is in the quarterfinals with a guy who came from a tiny school and only got his chance because the starter got hurt. The whole purpose of Nagy is to identify guys like that. He spends all year evaluating guys and that is supposed to be his strength. And then it is on coaches to develop guys. We haven’t done that with Arnold and Hawkins and Mateer.

My guess is next season, there will be a handful of really good quarterbacks around the country who are not exactly household names right now at the start of the portal process. Arnold and Mateer have been two massive disappointments in a row. Setting aside all the other issues with the offense, I don’t think you can realistically expect to compete for titles when your quarterback is below average.

 

[SoonerDutch]

Ideally, for the first time since Gabriel, we could rely on our coaching staff (and now Nagy) to identify someone who would be able to perform better than their price tag would suggest. The current Heisman winner came from Cal. Ole Miss is in the quarterfinals with a guy who came from a tiny school and only got his chance because the starter got hurt. The whole purpose of Nagy is to identify guys like that. He spends all year evaluating guys and that is supposed to be his strength. And then it is on coaches to develop guys. We haven’t done that with Arnold and Hawkins and Mateer.

My guess is next season, there will be a handful of really good quarterbacks around the country who are not exactly household names right now at the start of the portal process. Arnold and Mateer have been two massive disappointments in a row. Setting aside all the other issues with the offense, I don’t think you can realistically expect to compete for titles when your quarterback is below average.

The last two national champions have had pretty mediocre QBs so it’s possible although would concede it lowers margin for error.

You’re jumping around a lot beyond what I said but to try and catch everything beyond the main argument:
- Mendoza, in probably the weakest Heisman field in the last 25 years, was a fairly high profile target in the portal. Chambliss, sure although Kiffin is a better OC than Arbuckle.
- It’s disingenuous to lump Mateer & Arnold together but what were you expecting from Mateer? Better than this, sure but just because he was a high profile target doesn’t mean he’s going to be Baker/Kyler/Caleb like you mention earlier.

Regardless just saying that OU likely has limited (not “poor,” just unlimited) resources and it’s likely a better use of resources to get WR/TE/OL depth help than breaking the bank for a high profile QB target.

If Nagy & Co want to bring in a cheap target, that’s likely needed if Hawkins portals. Yes, I hope they make a fantastic eval too. Personally think you’re reading a bit too much on this “diamond in the rough” being their sole job responsibility but that’s not for me to argue.

 

[WichitaSooner]

The last two national champions have had pretty mediocre QBs so it’s possible although would concede it lowers margin for error.

You’re jumping around a lot beyond what I said but to try and catch everything beyond the main argument:
- Mendoza, in probably the weakest Heisman field in the last 25 years, was a fairly high profile target in the portal. Chambliss, sure although Kiffin is a better OC than Arbuckle.
- It’s disingenuous to lump Mateer & Arnold together but what were you expecting from Mateer? Better than this, sure but just because he was a high profile target doesn’t mean he’s going to be Baker/Kyler/Caleb like you mention earlier.

Regardless just saying that OU likely has limited (not “poor,” just unlimited) resources and it’s likely a better use of resources to get WR/TE/OL depth help than breaking the bank for a high profile QB target.

If Nagy & Co want to bring in a cheap target, that’s likely needed if Hawkins portals. Yes, I hope they make a fantastic eval too. Personally think you’re reading a bit too much on this “diamond in the rough” being their sole job responsibility but that’s not for me to argue.

Regarding Mateer, I never thought he would be close to our recent QBs. But if you go back to the spring and summer, almost every OU beat writer, and most the fans, expected him to be at least in the top third of the SEC. He wasn’t close to that.

Will Howard last year was a million times better than Mateer this year. And JJ McCarthy threw 22 TDs and four picks and was the 10th pick in the draft … nothing mediocre about that. Michigan had so much talent they didn’t need him to throw a ton but he was very good when he got the chance.

Bottom line: I don’t think you can win a title with Mateer. So I think his position shouldn’t be set in stone. I also know it is so it’s just me ranting.