NORMAN, Okla. (AP) 鈥� Alabama鈥檚 Ty Simpson and Oklahoma鈥檚 John Mateer will bring contrasting styles to their matchup on Friday.
Simpson, considered a Heisman Trophy candidate for much of the season, is . He has 26 touchdown passes to just five interceptions. He doesn’t run much, preferring to distribute the ball and let his receivers do the playmaking.
Mateer leans toward being . The Washington State transfer has thrown 12 touchdown passes to 10 interceptions. He makes spectacular plays with his legs, having rushed for 416 yards and seven touchdowns this season. He can throw an interception on one possession, shake it off and making a game-changing play with his arms or his legs on the next.
Mateer passed for just 138 yards and ran for 23 in the regular-season meeting last month at Alabama, .
Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack said the stats are deceptive. He said Oklahoma’s offense spreads the field well, and Mateer鈥檚 running ability makes the Sooners dangerous.
鈥淯ltimately, you have to find creative ways to defend lateral space and still care for a one-plus quarterback system,鈥� Wommack said. 鈥淭hat, to me, is probably what they鈥檝e done a really good job of. They just stretch you laterally with all 11 bodies. You have to be able to defend their one-plus quarterback runs. That will be a great challenge for us on Friday.鈥�
Mateer got off to a strong start this season before injuring his right throwing hand against Auburn. He had surgery and missed a game before returning and struggling against Texas. He got back on track and threw just one interception in wins over ranked opponents Tennessee, Alabama and that put the Sooners in position to reach the playoff.
He showed the gamut of what makes him exciting in the regular-season finale against LSU. He passed for 318 yards, but he also threw three interceptions that almost cost the Sooners their playoff spot. He saved himself with a 58-yard touchdown pass to Isaiah Sategna III in the fourth quarter .
Oklahoma offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle said Mateer’s approach to ball security has been a focus in recent weeks.
鈥淚 think it comes down to just taking your layups,鈥� Arbuckle said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a basketball reference for you. I mean just taking the layups, taking the easy stuff whenever it鈥檚 there. Not trying to make something if it鈥檚 not there, just making your smart decisions whether it鈥檚 in the run game, the RPO game or the drop-back pass game, maybe trying not to force something, find a checkdown, something of that sort.鈥�
Still, Arbuckle doesn鈥檛 want to take Mateer鈥檚 playmaking away. In addition to the late touchdown pass against LSU, Mateer scored the game-winning touchdown on a and scored the decisive touchdown on a 1-yard run at Tennessee with less than two minutes remaining.
Arbuckle, Mateer’s offensive coordinator at Washington State last season, has learned to trust his quarterback in those clutch situations.
鈥淓veryone knows there鈥檚 moments in the football game where you have to go make a play,鈥� Arbuckle said. 鈥淪ometimes it鈥檚 not there. Well, you have to go make it; you have to do whatever you can to execute in that moment and in that situation.鈥�
Simpson, an , passed for 326 yards in the first meeting with Oklahoma.
鈥淗e played pretty good against us,鈥� Oklahoma coach Brent Venables said. 鈥淭hrew for over 300 yards, the first half had a lot of success. He climbs the pocket, he鈥檚 patient, got great confidence, he鈥檚 got tremendous arm talent, a fantastic athlete, great competitor. He鈥檚 got a natural leadership ability. He鈥檚 a guy that doesn鈥檛 flinch very easy.鈥�
Simpson also had an interception returned for a touchdown in the first half and was held to 80 yards passing in the second. Oklahoma sacked him four times.
Simpson also struggled in the Southeastern Conference title game against Georgia, completing just 19 of 39 passes for 212 yards with a touchdown and an interception . He believes the Crimson Tide has taken the right steps to get back in synch.
鈥淚 think it goes back to just one, communication, in general,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou know, just one-word calls in the huddle or on the line of scrimmage. Two, the little details. Whether it鈥檚 in the routes, our footwork, my footwork and honestly, just doing our jobs.鈥�
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