Oklahoma’s Eight Other Captains Believe in John Mateer, But Belief Isn't Enough

Column

Jake Maikkula said that he believes John Mateer to be "a great leader," following Oklahoma's 41-13 defeat at Georgia that featured a turnover festival by the starting quarterback. Maikkula said that he was "super proud of him," too.

David Stone, who played football after seeing his kneecap where it had no business being on Monday, told Mateer he was “the best quarterback I’ve ever had” and said his weekly preparation would eventually “click for him" on game days.

They are two of Oklahoma’s nine captains. Mateer is another, along with offensive linemen Eddy Pierre-Louis and Michael Fasusi and defenders Kip Lewis, Owen Heinecke, Peyton Bowen and Taylor Wein.

The captains’ collective support for Mateer has been consistent. So has his poor play in 2026 — to the point that Brent Venables is fielding questions about a change at quarterback. That belief matters, but it won’t mean much unless Mateer’s play improves drastically.

Showing confidence in a struggling teammate is a sign of a great culture. Football is a team sport, and Mateer needs that confidence (and actual help from the offensive captains) to play well. But they can't do the job for him — some of them have their own issues to deal with.

On defense, Wein, Lewis, Stone and Bowen — they've been as advertised. Heinecke has missed some tackles, but is still a positive force on the team.

The offensive captains have more of a direct influence in helping Mateer. They protect him.

Fasusi hasn't played since the first quarter of Oklahoma's season opener and there's no telling when or if he will return. Maikkula returned to action against Michigan and has been solid, but hasn't helped the unit overcome deficiencies. Pierre-Louis? He was benched for Heath Ozaeta at the start of the Georgia game before returning to right guard.

It may be difficult to help Mateer with his issues when half the captains are dealing with their own set of problems. But that's why they were voted captains. If the Sooners are to salvage their season, starting against No. 1 Texas in two weeks, then these captains have to overcome their own individual struggles.

But those struggles could be immaterial if the Sooners simply got better quarterback play, and that can only be because Mateer plays better. No matter the captain or their status, all have publicly defended Mateer, praised Mateer and shared a belief in Mateer.

They believed in him last season after his awful performance in the Cotton Bowl. OU continued to put faith in Mateer as he navigated a hand injury en route to a College Football Playoff. While Mateer never became a dynamic passer in 2025, Oklahoma's confidence in him was rewarded, somewhat.

With College Football Playoff hopes fading and even bowl eligibility in question in 2026, Oklahoma’s confidence in Mateer needs to translate into positive results quickly.

Encouragement alone will not fix the elephant in the room. Mateer must play better. It won't be because of the confidence around him, because this team has done nothing but back him from day one.

Rocky Beers may not be a captain, but his play suggests he should be. His confidence for his quarterback was to the point when he was asked heading into the New Mexico game. "He's our captain. We voted him captain. We believe in him. We love him. We're behind him."

Support is a positive force, but it also has its limits. The line must get healthy and give Mateer more help, and Oklahoma’s other captains have their own work to do. But none of them can make the decisions for him when the ball is in his hands.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook and X for the latest news.

Add us as a preferred source on Google