Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley named Redshirt newbie Spencer Rattler as the Sooners’ starting quarterback on Tuesday.
After Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray and Jalen Hurts, who were all transfers previously started for other schools, he will be the fourth starting quarterback for the Sooners for the past four seasons.
“Spencer played very well and certainly deserved it,” said Riley of the quarterback competition with Redshirt runner-up Tanner Mordecai. “I just felt like there was just enough separation.”
Riley said he offered Rattler a scholarship during his freshman year earlier than he usually likes. Rattler was ESPN’s No. 1 double threat quarterback in the country and No. 29 on the 2019 ESPN 300. At Pinnacle High School in Phoenix, he set a record in Arizona at 11,083 yards and threw 116 TD passes. In his high school career he ran more than 1,000 meters with 14 roaring TDs.
Rattler made three games for Oklahoma last year, going 7v11 for 81 yards and a three-carry touchdown for 23 yards.
Mordecai sustained an injury during fall practice and missed some time as he battled for a place on the grid.
“He ended up missing about 70 to 75% of the fall camp, which obviously severely limited his real ability to play and shoot at his best ball. But that’s football,” said Riley.
Mayfield and Murray each won a Heisman Trophy and were number 1 in the NFL draft. Last year, Hurts finished runner-up at Heisman and was drafted for a 2020 Philadelphia Eagles second-round selection.
Riley said that coaching a young player like Rattler, who has never been a college starter, doesn’t affect how he approaches the position.
“I always train differently,” said Riley, noting that he is pleased with the depth of the quarterback with Mordecai, newcomer Chandler Morris and senior Tanner Schafer. “Boys learn differently, boys need different things and have different strengths and weaknesses. These guys are more than capable of carrying out this offense and playing the position as we expect. I think we have some good players around them and our expectations of how they play and how our offense plays certainly haven’t changed. “
Riley said it was difficult to compare Rattler and Murray, Mayfield or Hurts.
“There are a few little things of all,” said Riley. “He’s definitely different from Jalen. Probably a little more sociable, maybe somewhere between Kyler and Baker. But he has a natural confidence and kind of charisma about himself. He always seems to have a lot of confidence regardless of the situation he’s in is what I believe is vital to anyone in this position. “
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