Bill Belichick’s arrival at North Carolina sent shockwaves through the college football world. The legendary former Patriots coach wasted no time trying to reshape the Tar Heels through the transfer portal — and one of his top early targets was former Washington State quarterback John Mateer.
For a brief moment, it looked like Belichick might land him.
Mateer, fresh off a breakout season at Washington State where he tallied 3,965 total yards and 44 touchdowns, was one of the most coveted players in the winter portal cycle. Ranked the No. 2 quarterback behind Carson Beck and the No. 5 overall transfer by 247Sports, he was a centerpiece-level addition. North Carolina wanted in — and even had a visit scheduled with Mateer shortly after Belichick took the job in Chapel Hill.
But that visit never happened.
“It was a ‘you never know what’s going to happen’ kind of backup plan,” Mateer told CBS Sports’ Chris Hummer.
Instead, Mateer canceled the trip after Oklahoma emerged as the clear leader. The Sooners landed his former offensive coordinator at Washington State, Ben Arbuckle, and that connection proved too strong to ignore.
“Same offensive coordinator, close to home,” Mateer said. “It all came together really well. It was a no-brainer.”
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Still, North Carolina’s pursuit was real. Belichick and his staff managed to reel in the No. 9 ranked transfer portal class, according to 247Sports. The Tar Heels also brought in three-star quarterback Gio Lopez from South Alabama, a capable dual-threat who threw for over 2,500 yards and 18 touchdowns last season. Lopez may not have the hype of Mateer, but Belichick appears to be building patiently and pragmatically in Year 1.
As for Oklahoma, Mateer might be exactly what the program needs. The Sooners’ offense sputtered in 2024, ranking 97th nationally in scoring with just 24 points per game. Entering his fourth season, head coach Brent Venables is facing mounting pressure to deliver results, and Mateer — with a reported NIL valuation of $2.7 million, per On3 — could be the answer.
"Nobody is tippy-toeing around John Mateer being a dog," On3’s J.D. PicKell said. "Everyone in Norman is like, 'Yeah, he's a dude, man. He's an absolute baller.’”
Oklahoma may have won the sweepstakes, but it wasn’t without a serious challenge from Belichick. And if Mateer lives up to the buzz, it could be the defining moment of Brent Venables’ tenure — and a major what-if for UNC’s bold new era.