OU football transfer quarterback debuts before John Mateer | Sports

OU’s tradition of transfer quarterback debuts looms large as redshirt junior John Mateer prepares for his first start.

Mateer is set to become the latest transfer quarterback to debut for Oklahoma, continuing a trend that has shaped the program for the better part of a decade. The Sooners have become known as a landing spot for quarterbacks seeking a fresh start, and those debuts often turn into defining moments.

Josh Heupel vs. Indiana State Sept. 11, 1999

Before he was a national-championship-winning quarterback or head coach at Tennessee, Josh Heupel arrived in Norman as a junior college transfer from Snow College. Heupel was Bob Stoops’ first quarterback at OU and the foundation of a new era.

Against Indiana State, Heupel threw for 341 yards and five touchdowns in a 49-0 victory, marking Bob Stoops’ first game in charge with a resounding win. Heupel went 31-of-40 passing with one interception, breaking Cale Gundy’s record of 25 completions set in 1991 and tying Gundy’s single-game passing yardage record of 341 from 1992. He distributed the ball to 12 different receivers, with each of his five touchdown throws going to a different target. The performance immediately signaled a turning point for a program coming off a 12-22 stretch under John Blake, its worst three-year run in school history.

Heupel opened his final season with 274 yards and two touchdowns in a 55-14 victory over UTEP, claiming the first of 13 consecutive wins during OU’s 2000 national championship run. That season, he threw for more than 3,600 yards with 20 touchdowns, completing 64.6% of his attempts for a 136.4 passer rating, while finishing second in Heisman Trophy voting.

The South Dakota native became a program pioneer, establishing himself as OU’s first consensus All-American quarterback and surpassing 7,000 career passing yards. His 20-5 record over two seasons helped put OU back on the national map. Heupel later returned to Norman as a quarterbacks coach before launching a successful head coaching career, currently leading Tennessee.

Read the OU Daily’s 1999 coverage of his debut.

Nate Hybl vs. North Carolina Aug. 25, 2001

Nate Hybl stepped into the spotlight following Heupel’s national championship season, making his first start at OU against North Carolina on Aug. 25, 2001. The Sooners won 41-27 in a game where Stoops was absent while attending to his daughter in the hospital in Iowa City, Iowa. Hybl, however, managed the offense effectively, completing 20 of 29 passes for 152 yards with one interception. Though he didn’t throw a touchdown, his calm handling of the game set a steady tone for the season.

Over the course of the year, Hybl threw for 2,234 yards with 14 touchdowns and 13 interceptions, completing 222 of 380 passes (58.4%) across 11 games despite a brief injury. In 2002, he elevated his performance, tossing 2,538 yards with a 24–8 touchdown-to-interception ratio and completing 57.6% of his passes, guiding the Sooners to a Rose Bowl victory and earning MVP honors. By the end of his career, Hybl had amassed over 4,900 passing yards, 40 touchdowns and 23 interceptions with a 58% completion rate. His debut against the Tar Heels marked the first step in a steady and accomplished tenure at OU.

Read the OU Daily’s 2001 coverage of his debut.

Baker Mayfield vs. Akron Sept. 5, 2015

After being a walk-on starter at Texas Tech, Mayfield later lost his place on the team. However, he transferred to OU and walked on again, eventually winning a quarterback battle against Trevor Knight and current professional baseball player Cody Thomas.

In his first start, Mayfield threw for 388 yards and three touchdowns on 23 of 33 passing in a 41-3 victory over Akron on Sept. 5, 2015.

The 41-3 final score represented a dominant team performance, but Mayfield’s individual statistics grabbed headlines across the college football landscape. For a player who had walked on at two different schools, the debut represented validation of his belief in his own abilities and OU’s faith in an unconventional recruitment story.

Beyond the numbers, Mayfield’s debut signaled a shift in the Sooners’ offense. Lincoln Riley had just been hired as offensive coordinator, and the Air Raid principles he brought meshed well with Mayfield’s improvisational style. 

Mayfield won OU’s sixth Heisman Trophy, finished in the top four for the award in all three seasons and earned unanimous first-team All-American honors. He led the Sooners to two College Football Playoff appearances and a Sugar Bowl victory before becoming the No. 1 overall NFL draft pick in 2018.

Read the OU Daily’s 2015 coverage of his debut.

Kyler Murray vs. Florida Atlantic Sept. 1, 2018

Kyler Murray transferred from Texas A&M in 2016 after sitting behind Trevor Knight and Kyle Allen. After backing up Mayfield during his junior year, Murray made his first start as Oklahoma’s primary quarterback on Sept. 1, 2018, against Florida Atlantic University.

The junior, who had been selected as a first-round MLB draft pick but chose to return to school, delivered a masterful performance in leading No. 7 OU to a 63-14 victory over the Owls.

Murray completed 9 of 11 passes for 209 yards and two touchdowns in just under one half of action, showcasing the pinpoint accuracy that would define his Heisman Trophy-winning season. His two touchdown passes helped the Sooners build a commanding 42-0 halftime lead, the most points OU had scored in a first half since 2008. He also contributed 23 rushing yards on four carries.

Murray’s 2018 Heisman Trophy cemented him as the second consecutive OU transfer quarterback to claim college football’s most prestigious individual award. His career passing efficiency rating of 203.3 remains a school record, and he was selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft.

Read the OU Daily’s 2018 coverage of his debut.

Jalen Hurts vs. Houston Sept. 2, 2019

Jalen Hurts arrived from Alabama in 2019 after losing his starting job to current Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. His OU debut against Houston on Sept. 1, 2019, established new benchmarks for individual performance in a Sooner debut.

Hurts completed 20 of 23 passes for 332 yards and three touchdowns while adding 16 carries for 176 rushing yards and three more scores on the ground in a 49-31 victory. The dual-threat quarterback’s 508 yards of total offense shattered the previous OU debut record of 396 yards set by Mayfield. The Alabama transfer’s rushing performance was particularly dominant, accumulating 128 yards on the ground in the first half alone and matching a school record for rushing yards in a half. His ability to consistently break tackles and find open space showcased the physical running style that made him successful in the Southeastern Conference. Hurts’ six total touchdowns — three passing and three rushing — represented a career high and tied for second in school history behind only the seven-touchdown performances by Mayfield and Murray.

This record-setting debut was only the beginning of Hurts’ final college season, as he would go on to become a Heisman Trophy finalist and lead OU to another successful campaign.

Read the OU Daily’s 2019 coverage of his debut.

Dillon Gabriel vs. UTEP Sept. 3, 2022

Dillon Gabriel transferred from UCF in 2022 and made his OU debut, along with head coach Brent Venables, in a 45-13 victory over UTEP on Sept. 3, 2022.

The UCF transfer completed 15 of 23 passes for 233 yards and two touchdowns while adding another score on the ground, providing steady leadership during a significant transition period for the program. Gabriel’s efficient performance — a 65.2% completion rate — offered stability as both he and Venables began new chapters in Norman.

The debut represented the culmination of a challenging journey for the quarterback, who had lost most of his 2021 season at UCF due to injury. His return to full health and successful transition to OU demonstrated both his resilience and the program’s continued ability to identify and develop transfer talent.

Gabriel’s three total touchdowns in the season opener helped establish an early offensive rhythm for a team adjusting to new leadership on both sides of the ball. His veteran presence and game management skills proved valuable assets during OU’s coaching transition from current University of Southern California head coach Lincoln Riley to Venables.

The success of transfer quarterbacks has established OU as a destination program in the modern transfer portal era. Three transfer quarterbacks — Mayfield, Murray and Hurts — have won or been finalists for the Heisman Trophy after arriving in Norman, a success that speaks to both the program’s player development and scheme fit. The Sooners’ track record of developing signal-callers, combined with high-powered offensive schemes and championship aspirations, continues to attract elite talent.

The legacy of transfer quarterback success at OU will face its next test at 5 p.m. when Mateer makes his debut against Illinois State. The Washington State University transfer carries the weight of history, as he attempts to join the ranks of Mayfield, Murray, Hurts and others who have thrived after arriving in Norman.

For Mateer, the debut represents an opportunity and a challenge — the chance to continue OU’s remarkable run of transfer quarterback success while helping guide the program through its continuation in SEC competition. The precedent set by his predecessors suggests the potential for greatness, but each quarterback must ultimately write his own story in the crimson and cream.

This story was edited by Josh McDaniel.