One of the biggest storylines of the 2026 college football offseason has been the revamped throwing motion of Oklahoma Sooners star quarterback John Mateer. Last season, Mateer struggled after a strong start that earned him Heisman buzz. He threw for 2,885 yards, 14 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, but the biggest critique of his performance was how he threw the ball. Mateer had an almost exclusive sidearm delivery. This led many to believe that was the cause of his inconsistent play. So, this offseason, Mateer has said he is adopting a more over-the-top motion to help improve his play. Mateer showed off this delivery at Manning Passing Academy. It's earned a lot of buzz around the Sooner gunslinger. However, Mateer revealed that the buzz is overblown. It's not that he is changing his throwing motion; it's that he's getting back to what he was once comfortable with before the injury to his throwing hand. "I said it to the media, and if you say something to the media, it's going to become- it's just what it is in my position," Mateer said on 'See Ball Get Ball with David Pollack.' "It was true. It was really because when I broke my thumb, I had to adapt to another way. It was just getting back to where I was before. So, it was the pattern my body already knew. My brain already knew. It was just getting back to it. It's in a good spot." That's encouraging news for the Sooners, especially considering how much pressure is on Mateer to lead an offensive turnaround. Oklahoma's defense should once again be one of the best in the country, but the offense has to improve if the Sooners want to move from simply making the College Football Playoff to actually competing once they get there. If Mateer is healthy and comfortable with his throwing motion again, Oklahoma could get a much better version of its quarterback in 2026. The biggest change may not be a brand-new delivery at all; it may simply be Mateer getting back to the quarterback he was before the injury.
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