Gabe Ikard Reveals: The Sooners’ Building Is ALL-IN On John Mateer

Former Oklahoma Sooners offensive lineman and current Sooner Radio Network analyst Gabe Ikard went on the On3 Sports podcast “Crain & Cone” recently to preview the 2026 season, and his comments about John Mateer were very telling.

When asked about the quarterback, Ikard didn’t hold back on the confidence level inside the program: "I'd say the best way to describe it is everyone in that building completely believes in that guy," Ikard said.

"... Ultimately, I'm not worried about John Mateer. I'm not. I think the guy's talented. I think he's he's got the stuff you want your leader to have. He's got the stuff you want your starting quarterback to have. If the other 10 guys around him on the field do their job at a high level, Mateer's going to be fine."

That’s strong stuff coming from a guy who played at a high level and is around the program regularly. Ikard isn’t just blowing smoke, he’s saying the entire organization is locked in behind Mateer.

This makes complete sense when you watch how Mateer plays. He has that edge and moxie that’s easy for teammates and fans to rally around.

He reminds me a lot us of Baker Mayfield in that way. He’s got swagger, he’s competitive as can be, and he’s not afraid to put the team on his back. That kind of personality is infectious in a locker room.

I also like the way Ikard framed it. Mateer isn’t going to overcome a bunch of mistakes from the guys around him, but if everyone does their job, he’s going to make plays.

It reminds me of former NASCAR driver Jeff Burton. If you give him a car that’s assembled properly with no issues, he’s going to drive it to the front. But if the car has problems, there’s only so much even a great driver can do.

Same thing with Mateer. Get him protection, give him weapons who are executing, and he’ll take this offense where it needs to go.

Reading between the lines, it sounds like the belief inside the building is that the hand injury last year was the main thing that derailed Mateer after he looked like a legitimate Heisman contender in September.

He was balling out early, then the injury happened, and he was never quite the same. After a full healthy offseason and another year in Ben Arbuckle’s system, it appears the program believes he’s going to return to that early 2025 form.

That’s a great sign. When your former players who are around the team daily say the entire building believes in the quarterback, that carries weight. It shows the leadership, the preparation, and the confidence are all there.

Mateer has the physical tools, the toughness, and now another year of experience in the SEC. The weapons around him are better than last year with additions like Parker Livingstone, Trell Harris, and others.

If the offensive line improves like we expect, this could be a really fun offense to watch.

Gabe Ikard’s comments didn’t surprise me, but they were reassuring. Oklahoma has invested a lot in Mateer, and it sounds like it’s paying off behind the scenes. If he plays like the guy we saw before the injury, this team has serious potential in 2026.

The Sooners are entering a big year. With Venables’ defense humming and the offense showing real promise, everything seems to be pointing in the right direction.

Hearing that the entire building is all-in on Mateer just adds to the excitement.