“Battle of the QBs: How John Mateer and Devon Dampier Could Rewrite the Playbook on Dual-Threat Dominance”

As we gear up for Saturday’s clash between the New Mexico Lobos and the No. 19 Washington State Cougars, the spotlight inevitably falls on two first-year quarterbacks whose stories have captivated fans and analysts alike. On one side, you have John Mateer, a dynamic force for Washington State, boasting impressive stats that make him a top contender nationally. His performances have not only caught the eye of scouts but also stirred rumors of huge transfer offers. But let’s not overlook the Lobos’ own Devon Dampier, whose dual-threat capabilities allow him to create magic on the field as well. His statistics closely match those of Mateer, making this matchup potentially one of the best quarterback showdowns of the week! Both young guns represent a journey riddled with challenges, yet here they stand, ready to showcase their talents in a crucial game. Can the Lobos’ defense rise to the occasion to contain the sheer talent that is John Mateer? Only time will tell! For more details, check out the full article here to LEARN MORE.

But for this week, Mateer amounts to a total offensive threat UNM just hasn’t seen this year.But few shine on the ground quite like the former two-star recruit from Little Elm, Texas. Per Pro Football Focus, Mateer has 317 rushing yards off scrambles and 573 yards after contact — the best marks of any quarterback this season. Where Dampier runs with a touch more wiggle, Mateer brings a more power, checking would-be tacklers on the run.With that in mind, UNM’s home finale against No. 19 Washington State might just be the best quarterback matchup of the week.Will UNM have one for Mateer?”We’re gonna need every single bit of that.”Consider: Washington State’s John Mateer is fifth nationally with 329.1 yards of total offense per game. The 6-foot-1, 219-pound strong-armed Texan has thrown for 2,332 yards, 22 touchdowns and six touchdowns, and added 630 yards and 11 scores on the ground. He has allegedly received a seven-figure offer to transfer with the season still ongoing. Watch him as of late and it makes sense.Nov. 14—If he doesn’t outright avoid them, Bronco Mendenhall often notes that comparisons aren’t accurate. “Nor fair,” New Mexico’s head coach said Monday.Mateer is the only quarterback in the country with 20-plus passing and 10-plus rushing touchdowns. Dickert’s case for Mateer as the best quarterback on the west coast might fall on deaf ears in a year where Oregon’s Dillion Gabriel is among the favorites to win the Heisman Trophy.”A quarterback that’s able to create and able to run challenges your defensive numbers,” Mendenhall said. “Anytime you want to play zone or man free, or have anyone extra, that’s a challenge when the quarterback’s a runner. Because that means now, every other defensive player will have to beat a block to make a play.Both are first-year starters. Both can extend plays to occasionally comical extents. Neither were highly recruited out of high school, and now represent two of the most dynamic signal callers in all of college football.UNM’s Devon Dampier is literally a tick behind Mateer with 329.0 yards of total offense per game. The 5-11, 198-pound sophomore has passed for 2,418 yards, 11 touchdowns and a nagging 12 interceptions, turnovers he’s made up for with a team-high 872 rushing yards and 13 scores. Whether he’s received an offer to transfer is unknown.”We’re going to be ready,” Williams said, “but it’s definitely going to be a challenge. But, you know, I think our secondary and defense as a whole is up for it.””Devon’s one of the best I’ve ever seen at it,” Williams added. “Just in terms of keeping a play alive, extending a play, making something out of nothing. And as we’ve seen throughout the season, all year, defenses don’t really have an answer for him.”If Dampier’s production doesn’t have a market price yet, UNM would probably consider it invaluable.” … That forces matchups that sometimes aren’t in your favor. Sometimes you have to be more aggressive. Sometimes you’re less aggressive, but that has to be a moving target.””So, shout-out to him for doing good. And we’ll see how this game goes.””We’ve had to go against Devon,” safety Christian Ellis said. “We’re not spooked or scared of anybody that they have.””He’s a great player as well,” Dampier said. “It’s very exciting to play against another guy (like that) on the opposite side to keep the game competitive. That’s all I could ask for.And has one end of the comparison paid much attention to the other?Entering Saturday, UNM has faced only one true dual-threat quarterback: Montana State’s Tommy Mellott, who put up three total touchdowns in the Lobos’ 35-31 season-opening loss. Mendenhall agreed that Mateer represents the second, albeit without some of the schematic support a player with that label usually works with.Against Mateer, the challenge up front is pushing the pocket and trying to contain him “to give our back-end guys a chance,” Lopez said. If players rush past Mateer and he ends up breaking contain, or if he just breaks contain anyway, defensive backs have to “plaster on” and cover longer, nickelback Nigel Williams added.”We (know) if we could stop him,” Lopez added, “we’ll have a good chance to win this football game.””While there isn’t much, there’s some zone read,” Mendenhall said. “While there’s not much option, etcetera, there are certainly quarterback-designed runs. And, yeah, he’s confident — he’s earned the right to be confident through how he runs and how he throws.”At that point, it doesn’t matter if the defense made the perfect call. “It’s just all about strain,” Williams said. “It’s all about people going the extra mile, giving the extra effort.”This quarterback is a problem,” Washington State head coach Jake Dickert told The Spokesman-Review.As a passer, Mateer is just outside the top 15 nationally with a passer rating of 158.83, the highest of any quarterback UNM has faced this year. He’s the second-most accurate quarterback (62.4% completion percentage) the Lobos have faced. Also, no other passer on the Lobos’ schedule has attempted more deep shots (48) than Mateer.”He’s an amazing player,” UNM edge rusher Gabe Lopez said Tuesday.When it comes to the quarterbacks taking the field Saturday, one might be unavoidable.This week, the Lobos’ scout team quarterback has been Emery Floyd, a dual-threat College of the Canyons transfer. But to a man, those on UNM defense said going against Dampier in the spring and summer helped prepare them for Saturday.