Jackson Arnold returns to starting lineup for Oklahoma Sooners in Week 8 against South Carolina
You wouldn't have been able to write up a worse start for the Oklahoma Sooners against the South Carolina Gamecocks today. Quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. turned the ball over three times in the first five minutes, one of them a pick-six and the other a fumble that was scooped and scored. Oklahoma's defense allowed just […]
You wouldn't have been able to write up a worse start for the Oklahoma Sooners against the South Carolina Gamecocks today.
Quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. turned the ball over three times in the first five minutes, one of them a pick-six and the other a fumble that was scooped and scored.
Oklahoma's defense allowed just 69 yards in the first quarter, but the team was down 21-0 in a flash.
So it comes as no surprise that Jackson Arnold returned to the starting lineup not even halfway through the first quarter.
Arnold was benched in the second quarter of Oklahoma's loss to the Tennessee Volunteers in Week 4 after committing three turnovers himself.
Hawkins had assumed the starting job from that point, starting against Auburn, Texas, and South Carolina.
However, the offense struggled to move the ball in his starts, having to secure a pick-six to win the game against Auburn and only scoring three in the first quarter against Texas.
Oklahoma Sooners HC Brent Venables praises efficiency of offense, wants more explosives. ‘Have to pull the trigger’
Oklahoma, efficiency-wise, didn't have a bad game last Saturday. There were plenty of positive things on film to take away from that game, even if it doesn't feel like it based on the results of that game. The Sooners' offense actually had more successful plays than Texas did in that game. The difference, ultimately, came […]
Then, of course, the disastrous start against South Carolina ultimately doomed the offense into a 24-0 start.
Arnold threw more touchdowns in his three-and-a-quarter games than Hawkins had accumulated in his three starts.
The issue for the Sooners now is juggling the quarterback situation for the rest of the season.
It feels obvious that they can't simply go back to Hawkins as the starting quarterback, but what happens if Arnold's earlier turnover problems keep becoming a thing? Do they just bite the bullet and live with what feels like a lost season and aim for 2025?
What happens in the offseason? They've benched both promising quarterbacks this season and neither seems like an obvious solution long-term. While they both have high upside and admittedly neither played in the best of situations, how comfortable can they be moving forward with either as the starter in 2025?
Can they even keep both? They both were benched, and pride might want them to leave and seek a fresh start.
Things are pretty bleak.
