Offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle sees flashes of the way John Mateer interacted with Cam Ward at Washington State in the way Michael Hawkins Jr. has interacted with Mateer so far this season at Oklahoma.

Hawkins will make his first start of the season Saturday when the No. 5 Sooners (4-0) take on nonconference opponent Kent State (1-3) in Norman, Okla.

Mateer is out after sustaining a broken hand in the first quarter of a Sept. 20 win over then-No. 22 Auburn. While serving as Ward's backup with the Cougars in 2023, Mateer learned the importance of having a well-prepared replacement ready to roll.

"I think that stuck with John," said Arbuckle, the OC at Washington State from 2023-24. "I think John knows, ‘it's not all about me, you know. I've got to make sure that I'm making everyone b

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