Fueled by childhood dreams and Oklahoma Football pride, Eddy Pierre-Louis details the fiery leadership and "juice" connecting the Sooners' current signal-caller to the legendary swagger of Baker Mayfield
TAMPA, Fla. - One of the cooler moments from SEC Media Days came when Oklahoma offensive guard Eddy Pierre-Louis opened up about his childhood as an OU fan and the quarterbacks who have meant something to him.
Pierre-Louis, who grew up in Tampa, Florida, talked about rooting for Baker Mayfield back in the day and how he sees a lot of the same qualities in current starter John Mateer.
Pierre-Louis has been an Oklahoma fan since he was a little kid. He made a video at age 7 saying he was going to play for the Sooners, and now here he is living that dream.
Getting to talk about Baker, who is now the starting quarterback for his hometown Tampa Bay Buccaneers, clearly meant something to him.
"The thing that I liked about Baker is really the way he comes out. He has good passion, good energy. That's something as well that John Mateer has as well, like him having that good energy, good juice is very -- that's good across the whole board because that brings me, too, and especially my offensive line group. That has us all being able to really go run through a wall for him as well, like, literally."
You can hear how much that fire means to Pierre-Louis. He wants a quarterback who brings energy every single day, and both Baker and Mateer have that in spades.
Pierre-Louis went on to explain more of what exactly what he sees in Mateer. "Just him coming out with good passion, energy, juice, each and every day, that's something that you need and what you want in your quarterback."
This is exactly the type of quarterback play that gets an offensive lineman like Pierre-Louis, fired up. When your quarterback is bringing that kind of passion and energy, it makes the big guys up front want to run through a wall for him. It creates a different level of buy-in across the offense.
This comparison feels right. Baker Mayfield was the ultimate competitor during his time in Norman. He played with swagger, never backed down, and had that dog mentality that lifted everyone around him.
Mateer has shown similar traits — especially early last season before the thumb injury. He’s got that moxie and isn’t afraid to lower his shoulder and make plays. If he can stay healthy and keep bringing that energy, it could rub off on the whole team just like Mayfield did.
For Pierre-Louis, having a quarterback with that juice is personal. As a guard, he’s one of the guys who has to open holes and protect the passer. When the quarterback is bringing that passion every day, it makes the job easier and more fun.
You can tell Pierre-Louis respects what both guys bring to the table. It’s also cool that Mayfield is now leading the Buccaneers down in Tampa. Pierre-Louis gets to root for his childhood hero while playing for the same school, a full-circle moment.
This speaks to the culture Brent Venables is building too. He wants tough, passionate players who love competing. Mateer seems to fit that mold perfectly, and having veterans like Pierre-Louis who recognize and appreciate that energy is a good sign for team chemistry.
Heading into the 2026 season, having a quarterback who brings that daily juice could be huge. The offensive line is looking to improve, the weapons are better, and the expectations are rising.
If Mateer can channel some of that Baker-like fire while cleaning up the little things (accuracy, decision-making, staying healthy), this offense has serious potential.
Eddy Pierre-Louis grew up watching Baker Mayfield light it up in the crimson and cream, and now he’s blocking for a guy he sees carrying some of those same traits.
Pierre-Louis is embracing his role as a leader on the offensive line, and part of that leadership is rallying behind the quarterback. If Mateer keeps bringing that passion and energy every single day, this team is going to be fun to watch.
