John Mateer deletes social media, embraces expectations, challenges at Oklahoma

As he gets ready to take over as Oklahoma’s starting quarterback, John Mateer deleted his social media apps to block out the outside noise. He also is embracing both the expectations and challenges at OU.

Mateer said he removed X (formerly Twitter) from his phone and doesn’t check his account more than a few times per week. In fact, he found a setting on his phone that will limit the amount of time he spends looking at the screen.

In fact, shortly after Mateer found that feature, he received messages about Todd McShay’s breakdown of his film. However, he still didn’t want to watch because he’s trying to block out some of that outside noise.

“I deleted Twitter – or I, like, removed it,” Mateer said at the Manning Passing Academy in Thibodaux, La. “I check it like once every four days. I was really, really bad with that stuff and looking at what people said about me. I do the best I can do discipline myself and not look at any of it. Because the good is cool, but the good is good until I suck and then the good is horrible and those same people, they hate me. Not actually, but on the field.

“So actually, I added a screen time limit to my social media just to get ready and get off my phone more because there’s a lot of signs behind it and I was like being a zombie here and there, looking at my phone. So I tried to get off of it. Even more recently, when that came out is right when I started screen time [limits]. So I didn’t look at it, people sent it to me, and I tried to not look at it because it don’t matter.”

Mateer arrived at Oklahoma as the No. 3 overall player to enter the transfer portal, according to the On3 Industry Transfer Rankings. That came after a monster year at Washington State as he threw for 3,139 yards and 29 touchdowns while adding 826 rushing yards and 15 scores on the ground.

Expectations are high for John Mateer, who could become a hot name in NFL Draft circles if he takes another leap forward. But he’s not focusing on what people outside the building are saying. Instead, he wants to meet – and exceed – his own goals.

“I love it,” Mateer said. “Not because it’s other people’s expectations. I have my own. … Throwing yesterday, I don’t want to say too much, but it gave me a little confidence that it could happen. I fit right in with these dudes.

“Growing up, I thought they were Superman. All these dudes. They’re so freaking good. Now, I throw with them and I’m right there. But to the expectations, I embrace them because I set them. Not because anyone else sets them.”