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Washington State QB John Mateer Pens Goodbye Letter to Cougar Nation

Mateer is widely expected to transfer to Oklahoma, where he'll be reunited with WSU offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle.

John E. Hoover

John Mateer
John Mateer / John Mateer via Instagram
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Whether he’s headed to Oklahoma, as expected, or somewhere else like Miami, leaving Washington State was not John Mateer’s favorite thing in the world.

Mateer, the Cougars’ prolific quarterback this season, wrote a goodbye letter to Wazzu fans on Instagram on Tuesday night, and described how difficult it has been to leave.

“An Instagram caption won’t be able to capture how grateful I am to have been apart of this University and Football team,” Mateer wrote. “Pullman gifted me with the opportunity to learn and grow into the man I have become. The past 2.5 years have been a blessing that has gone better than I ever imagined. 

John Mateer Oklahoma Sooners
John Mateer via Instagram

“The support within the football building & the community created confidence in me that was tough to find. The Quarterback fraternity is a group that I’m honored to be apart of, building relationships with men that have been in my position led me to play at the highest level possible. The landscape of college football has changed and created opportunities for me that can’t be ignored. Thank you, Pullman, Coach (Jake) Dickert, & all the Coug fans that have supported this team.

“Go Gougs!!”

Mateer leads the nation in total touchdowns (44) this season and ranks among the college football leaders in both passing and rushing in leading Washington State to an 8-4 record.

The third-year sophomore entered the NCAA Transfer Portal on Monday and by Tuesday was reported to be already in Norman. Miami is also said to be in pursuit of Mateer. Last year the Hurricanes landed Mateer’s predecessor in Pullman — 2024 Heisman finalist Cam Ward — and speculation has them making a late push for Mateer’s services.

But Mateer grew up in North Texas and played high school football in the DFW suburb of Little Elm, where he was an unheralded prospect despite starting all four years in high school. Being close to family and reuniting with his offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, Ben Arbuckle — now Brent Venables’ OC at Oklahoma — would be tough for any school to match.

It’s anticipated that Mateer’s official announcement could come as early as Wednesday.

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John E. Hoover
JOHN E. HOOVER

John is an award-winning journalist whose work spans five decades in Oklahoma, with multiple state, regional and national awards as a sportswriter at various newspapers. During his newspaper career, John covered the Dallas Cowboys, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Oklahoma Sooners, the Oklahoma State Cowboys, the Arkansas Razorbacks and much more. In 2016, John changed careers, migrating into radio and launching a YouTube channel, and has built a successful independent media company, DanCam Media. From there, John has written under the banners of Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Fan Nation and a handful of local and national magazines while hosting daily sports talk radio shows in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and statewide. John has also spoken on Capitol Hill in Oklahoma City in a successful effort to put more certified athletic trainers in Oklahoma public high schools. Among the dozens of awards he has won, John most cherishes his national "Beat Writer of the Year" from the Associated Press Sports Editors, Oklahoma's "Best Sports Column" from the Society of Professional Journalists, and Two "Excellence in Sports Medicine Reporting" Awards from the National Athletic Trainers Association. John holds a bachelor's degree in Mass Communications from East Central University in Ada, OK. Born and raised in North Pole, Alaska, John played football and wrote for the school paper at Ada High School in Ada, OK. He enjoys books, movies and travel, and lives in Broken Arrow, OK, with his wife and two kids.

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