Washington State coach Jake Dickert addresses future of QB John Mateer with Cougars

The future of John Mateer has been a fascinating question reverberating throughout Pullman ahead of Washington State’s Holiday Bowl showdown with Syracuse.

While Mateer has been a huge part of the Cougars’ success since his arrival to the program, Brent Venables and the Oklahoma Sooners threw a wrench into things earlier in December, when they hired Ben Arbuckle to lead their offense. The now-former Washington State offensive coordinator inked a three-year deal to move to Norman, and many are theorizing Mateer could follow.

Evidently, the Cougars quarterback is more focused on playing in the Holiday Bowl than anything at the moment. As for the questions about his future, Washington State head coach Jake Dickert stated that he’ll figure that out next week, evaluating all options, per Sydney Berger 4 News Now in Washington.

“WSU HC Jake Dickert says QB John Mateer is still practicing with the team ahead of the Holiday Bowl this morning,” Berger reported. “He says Mateer will take some time with family this week to decide on whether or not he’s staying at WSU.”

Mateer had a strong 2024 with Arbuckle calling the shots. All in all, he passed for 3,139 yards, 29 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

As a whole, Arbuckle and Washington State had a strong year on offense in 2024, as well. The Cougars finished with an 8-4 record and ranked No. 12 nationally in scoring offense at 36.8 points per game. Washington State also ranked No. 22 nationally in total offense, averaging 440.4 yards per game.

If Mateer did make the move to Oklahoma, it could help solidify their team as a contender in 2024. This past season, they had a solid defense, as the Sooners allowed only 318 yards per game, which ranked No. 22 nationally. However, Oklahoma was No. 121 nationally in total offense at 322.5.

Time will tell what Mateer chooses. He’s there for his teammates right now though, and he’ll certainly be missed in Pullman if he jumps ship.