Oklahoma QB Mateer back at full strength from hand injury - ESPN

TAMPA, Fla. — Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer said that the mental toll he suffered after a hand injury temporarily derailed his season last year was «the hardest thing» he has ever faced but that he's now at full strength and has returned to his pre-injury throwing motion.

Mateer, who spoke to ESPN on Monday at SEC media days, said he recently scored a 150 on a grip strength test, which is a drastic improvement from the 90 he scored post-surgery last fall after he was cleared to play and his hand was still weak.

«It was not strong,» said Mateer, who is entering his second season as the Sooners' starter. «And the range of motion, I had to change how I held the ball.

»In the offseason you put in the work to be prepared, and I had a belief because of the work, and the work it didn't matter," he said. «I don't want to say it got taken away from me, but physically it wasn't the same.»

With Mateer averaging over 300 passing yards and nearly 50 rushing yards per game through Oklahoma's 4-0 start last year, he quickly became the Heisman favorite by late September. He broke a bone in his throwing hand in OU's win against Auburn, though, that hindered him for the next month. Oklahoma went 2-2 in October, with losses to Texas and Ole Miss, as Mateer completed just 58% of his passes while barely rushing the ball (36 yards on 35 carries).

As his health improved, the Sooners finished the regular season on a four-game win streak to earn a home game in the first round of the College Football Playoff. While Mateer didn't put up the same numbers he managed in non-conference play, he did average nearly 200 passing and 50 rushing yards in November.

Mateer, who should again be a Heisman contender if he stays healthy, said he's less focused