Former Sooners starter is now headed in a direction he probably didn’t see coming two seasons ago
Brent Venables and the Sooners likely wish Jackson Arnold the best as he moved forward.
Just two seasons ago, former Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Jackson Arnold had it all. He was a five-star quarterback, a Gatorade National Player of the Year, and the recipient of a ton of other extremely impressive accolades. Not to mention, he was being handed the keys to the offense for the 2024 season. That obviously didn’t go well. He transferred to the Auburn Tigers, and that didn’t go well.
Arnold is now set to enter the transfer portal again after being benched by Hugh Freeze for Ashton Daniels. Even after Freeze was fired, Arnold was rarely seen on the field again. This is a completely different direction than what he likely expected he’d be heading two years ago.
What’s the best option for Arnold at this stage of his career?
When the 2024 fiasco happened, not everyone blamed Arnold. And when people did, most knew it wasn’t all his fault. Yes, Arnold played pretty badly at times. However, that offensive scheme was terrible, and the injuries the Sooners had on the offensive line and in the wide receiver room were pretty bizarre. So, when he entered the portal, he was a hot commodity.
This time around, it may not be the same way, but it could be. His failures at Auburn weren’t all his fault, once again. The team was unable to get any downfield passing game going with Arnold at quarterback. He also took a ton of sacks because he wouldn’t get rid of the ball in time. That, or Arnold would escape the pocket too early and run into sacks. When the offense was predicated on the QB’s run game, he was very good. But you need your quarterback to be able to throw, and he couldn’t deliver time and time again.
The next step for Arnold is simple: see who is offering him a starting position. The question is: will someone offer him one, whether that’s a Group of Five team or a lower Power Four team? With teams like North Texas, near where he’s from, likely to need a new quarterback, Arnold may explore a G5 stop there.
Or, and I mean this in the nicest way possible – no disrespect at all – Arnold may want to consider a position change. He can run, and he can create with the ball in his hands. He has the size to be a pretty decent tight end. If guys like former linebacker Jaren Kanak can turn into a great pass-catching tight end, maybe Arnold can, too. Most Sooners fans are happy Arnold is gone, but it’s not right to pray on his downfall. Hopefully, Arnold, who’s so talented, can find his next step in his career.
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