Live from Fort Worth, I’m here at the Armed Forces Bowl press conference where Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables and Navy coach Brian Newberry are fielding questions. While the focus should be on tomorrow’s game, the talk has quickly shifted to the future of the Oklahoma quarterback position.
Venables confirmed that true freshman Michael Hawkins will start at quarterback for the Sooners in their 11 a.m. kickoff at TCU’s Amon G. Carter Stadium. However, with Oklahoma wrapping up a disappointing 6-6 season, everyone’s already looking ahead to the arrival of John Mateer, the transfer from Washington State. Mateer will be reunited with his former offensive coordinator, Ben Arbuckle, when spring practice begins in March.
Venables spoke briefly about Mateer, saying, “Excited about John. I’ll try to keep this to the game that’s in front of us right now, but John’s a leader. He’s experienced. He’s got great arm talent. Really good instincts. He’ll make us better.”
He was later pressed for more details about Mateer—specifically, the moment he committed to Oklahoma and what it means for the program. Venables responded, “I’ll keep it brief…John, he grew up here in the Dallas area and is very familiar with Oklahoma. Certainly, Coach Arbuckle coming, there’s a great familiarity and comfort for him, but we’re incredibly thankful he chose to be a Sooner. It’s a very competitive space, as everybody knows. I appreciate the coaching staff for what they are able to do in convincing him to come and just improving that room. We had to really start over in that room, and it’s in a much different space now than what it was just a couple weeks ago, as we know.” He emphasized the competitiveness of the transfer portal and the importance of landing Mateer.
But let’s bring the focus back to the present. Hawkins will be making his fourth career start against a tough Navy defense known for its complex schemes, pressure packages, and experienced players.
Venables expressed confidence in Hawkins, referencing his comments from two weeks ago about wanting to stay at Oklahoma. The coach believes this game experience, good or bad, will be valuable for Hawkins’ development. “No doubt, the more you play, the better you get,” Venables stated. “You go through the good and the bad, everything that you got to go through in order to develop. Mike’s taken it like a pro. He’s the same guy every day. He’s a quiet leader, but he’s ultra-consistent, very competitive, focused and locked in. He’s got a maturity about him that is priceless, and he values practice reps…He understands that you play the game well before the game happens. I appreciate that mindset he possesses, and that bleeds over into the other guys around him as well. We do have some veterans that have really helped him and embraced him. I think the defensive players as a group have also really helped with his growth and maturation and his confidence along the way. I think the staff has done a really nice job at supporting Mike and helping him grow up.”
Linebacker Kobie McKinzie also spoke about Hawkins’ preparation and professionalism, noting his resilience throughout a season that saw him win the starting job, lose it to Jackson Arnold, and now reclaim it.1 “His energy and passion,” McKinzie said. “Man, for what that guy has gone through this year? Just getting battered and keeps showing up…It’s just infectious out there.”
McKinzie also offered some insightful thoughts on the quarterback competition, saying, “everything’s a mind game,” especially at that position. He praised Hawkins’ mindset, stating, “Mike’s always been a guy who’s felt like he has to prove nothing. That’s what I love about him. A lot of quarterbacks you see that they like all of the sudden get this chip on their shoulder, they’ve got to be somebody that they’ve never been, and Mike’s never been that guy.” McKinzie’s comments also looked ahead to the future quarterback competition, adding, “One thing that I would tell Mike and I would tell John, which I’m excited for both of them, is competition brings out the best of everybody…Either the best or the worst. It doesn’t matter who you are. If Tom Brady was in the NFL today, they’d bring somebody in to replace him. That’s literally the name of the game. Every year they’re supposed to do that, and so I’m excited for both of them, honestly…I want the best quarterback, whoever that is.”
So, while the focus is on the Armed Forces Bowl tomorrow, the quarterback situation at Oklahoma is clearly a major storyline, both now and for the future.
