OPINION: Washington State Needs to Keep John Mateer As Transfer Portal Opens

Jared Miller | Dec 6, 2024

Oct 19, 2024; Pullman, Washington, USA; Washington State Cougars quarterback John Mateer (10) throws a pass against the Hawaii Warriors in the first half at Gesa Field at Martin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images / James Snook-Imagn Images

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The Cougs cannot afford to lose their star QB to the transfer portal.

December is here and, in the world of college football, that means transfer portal season is just starting to really heat up. As teams around the country start to see their seasons come to a close, players are hopping in the portal left and right. For Washington State, though, the 2024 campaign isn't quite done yet as a bowl game looms. When it's over, however, the Cougars will surely face the same worries most every team does when it comes to losing players to the portal.

This offseason, it's absolutely essential to make sure one of those players isn't quarterback John Mateer.

The sophomore signal-caller turned in a tremendous season in Pullman, throwing for 3,139 yards and running for 826 more. Mateer accounted for 44 total touchdowns, marking the most by any quarterback for Washington State since Anthony Gordon in 2019. The last time the team saw any player run for more than 800 yards in a season, quarterback or otherwise, was Max Borghi three years ago. Mateer is doing things that haven't been done with the program for a while.

Mateer's success has done wonders for the trajectory of the Cougars and it came at precisely the time they needed it most. With all the Pac-12 uncertainty that hovered over the program this year, especially early on, the offense shined and led Washington State to a bowl game, their first in two years. They won eight games, averaged over 36 points and 440 yards per contest all under Mateer's leadership. That's a catalyst that the team can ill afford to lose in the coming years, especially seeing as offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle just landed a gig in Oklahoma and the team's other leading rusher, Wayshawn Parker, just entered the portal himself.

Mateer staying would be just the veteran presence the offense might need next year in the face of all the upcoming change. But, because he is putting up the kind of production he is. he will surely be sought out by other schools during the next transfer cycle. Jake Dickert and company already went through the snafu of trying to replace an ultra talented QB last year when Cameron Ward left. They can save themselves the headache of having to do so again, at least for a few seasons as Mateer is only a redshirt sophomore, if they can find a way to retain him.

How do the Cougs and their donors go about holding onto #10? The same way any school tries to keep its stars; open the checkbook. Mateer's NIL earnings are currently reported at roughly $400,000 along with some additional perks. Another report confirms that Mateer may already have a $1 million offer on the table from an unnamed school elsewhere. Based on what he did for the team this last fall, though, Washington State ought to really think about it before they let him walk, if he choses to do so.

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