After spending the weekend with his family, John Mateer has reportedly reached the decision to enter the transfer portal and leave WSU, according to CBS sports.
Mateer himself has not made any announcements, but according to reports this morning, it is expected that he will do so shortly.
WSU QB John Mateer surveying the SDSU defense in a WSU win at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, Calif.
Mateer has been the subject of transfer portal rumors for weeks, with reports claiming an unknown school offered him an NIL deal worth over a million dollars. After leading all NCAA FBS quarterbacks in total touchdowns, Mateer has established himself as a rising star.
Coach Jake Dickert and the Cougar Collective, meanwhile, made their pitch to Mateer on Tuesday, which reportedly included the largest NIL package in school history. Still, it was not enough for the school to convince their quarterback to stay.
Mateer would be the 19th Coug to enter the transfer portal, and the seventh starter to do so. Factoring in both the portal and graduations, nearly all of the Cougs’ starters will be gone in 2025.
There is speculation that Mateer will be joining his former offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle in Oklahoma, although there have been no reports of an official visit to the school so far.
Mateer will likely not play in the Holiday Bowl or continue to practice with the team. Redshirt freshman Jaxon Potter will likely get the start in San Diego. It is unclear if Syracuse quarterback Kyle McCord will play after his tenth-place finish in the Heisman Trophy voting.
WSU has Potter and senior Zevi Eckhaus, who redshirted the 2024 season and will be eligible to return in 2025. Steele Pizzella will also join the Cougs as a freshman in 2025. The Cougs could still search the portal for a transfer to compete for the starting job as well. Â They also continue to search for a new offensive coordinator, QB coach and RB coach.
