Oklahoma Sooners football coach Brent Venables revealed John Mateer won’t likely be suiting up for the Red River Rivalry matchup with the Texas Longhorns next Saturday. Mateer injured his hand during a 24-17 win over the Auburn Tigers.
Venables and first-year offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle will turn to Michael Hawkins Jr., just as they did in a 44-0 win over the Kent State Golden Flashes on Saturday. Hawkins had 162 passing yards and three passing touchdowns, with an extra 33 rushing yards and a touchdown with his legs.
“He’s going to push the limits on everything when it comes to his rehab and getting back,” Venables said earlier this week, per George Stoia of Sooner Scoop. “At the same time, I told him, ‘you’re not going to defy the odds… You need to let those things heal.’”
“I'm assuming he can't. [Mateer next week]. He [Hawkins] had some experience playing there last year. Mindset was no different today. I feel great about Mike.
“Thought Mike (Hawkins) did a lot of great things. … We were 100% in the red zone. … Lot to learn from the (drives) where we had to settle for field goals.”
Regarding the Red River Rivalry, Venables shared his excitement for what will be his fourth matchup with the Longhorns during his current head coaching stint in Norman. Venables was with OU from 1994 to 2011 as an assistant, so he’s well-versed in this rivalry.
“The emotion that goes into that game, the intensity, the environment… our guys are looking forward to the challenge,” Venables said.
The 2025 Red River Rivalry takes place at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas, next Saturday at 2:30 C.T.