SerpApi.Org
The Oklahoma Sooners took to the podium for the 2026 edition of SEC Media Days in Tampa, Florida on Monday. Joining head coach Brent Venables to represent OU were redshirt senior quarterback John Mateer, redshirt junior defensive lineman Taylor Wein, and redshirt sophomore offensive lineman Eddy Pierre-Louis.
While Mateer was at media days last year, it was the first time at the event for both Wein and Pierre-Louis. Naturally, both players were asked about their starting quarterback, and both gushed about what Mateer means to the program.
Wein has been going against Mateer in practice for the past couple of seasons, watching from the other side of the ball as Mateer leads the unit. It's been a period of rebuild for the offense after the 2024 disaster, but Wein believes in Mateer and in his ability.
"A very excellent quarterback," Wein said. "He plays very, very consistent. I know that he's very, very self-motivated, just like a lot of the guys on the team, and he does a good job just attacking his weaknesses. I've seen John completely elevate his game and completely transform as a player and his mentality, and it's only elevated the whole offense, and it's brought a huge pulse to the offense, and we're excited. We know John has a very good mindset and he's competitive, and it's actually really funny going against him at practice every day, he's the number one dude talking smack. We're going back and forth and whatnot. It's a really good thing. So, we're excited."
Pierre-Louis will now start alongside Mateer on the offensive side of the ball, and he will work to protect the star quarterback and help lead an offensive resurgence. Growing up in Tampa, Pierre-Louis was a fan of the Sooners, watching from hundreds of miles away during the Baker Mayfield era in Norman. He compared Mateer to Mayfield, who now quarterbacks the hometown Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
"The thing that I liked about Baker is really the way he comes out. He has good passion, good energy," Pierre-Louis said. "That's something as well that John Mateer has as well, like him having that good energy, good juice is very 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. 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."
Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Aaron on X@Aaron_Gelvin.
This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Wein, Pierre-Louis praise QB John Mateer at SEC Media Days
