Brent Venables Says There Have Been Discussion to Redshirt Oklahoma QB Jackson Arnold

Arnold, a sophomore, started four games this season at quarterback before being replaced by freshman Michael Hawkins Jr.

Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Jackson Arnold (11) walks away from a huddle before the fourth quarter in a college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Tennessee Volunteers at Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. / BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

This was supposed to be the season Jackson Arnold took over as Oklahoma’s starting quarterback, but instead, it might be the year he redshirts. 

Arnold, a sophomore, began the season as the Sooners’ QB1 as a prized 5-star recruit who made his first career start against Arizona in the Alamo Bowl last year. But during his fifth career start, a loss to Tennessee in Week 4, Arnold was benched and replaced by Michael Hawkins Jr., another highly touted freshman like Arnold was the season before. Hawkins has started both games since, and even after a rocky performance last week against Texas, OU coach Brent Venables has assured he still plans to stick with Hawkins at quarterback. 

Not seeing the field since being benched, Arnold has appeared in only four games this season, meaning if he didn’t trot out there again this season, he could redshirt. And Venables on Tuesday during his weekly press conference admitted that was a possibility for the young quarterback. 

“It's been discussed between us,” Venables said. “What was told to Jackson, ‘We put you in, it's because we need you to help us go win.’ And we're certainly sensitive to everything. We're not sitting here with our head in the sand or naive to what it is. But, man, he's a great teammate. He wants to be the starting quarterback at the University of Oklahoma. His focus and his priority is with the team, where he is right now. He's practiced extremely well the last couple of weeks. 

“I feel that it's only right to give Mike the opportunity to be the quarterback and to have, again, a body of work that says he's either is or isn't the right guy. And what he learned from his past mistakes every week is a season of its own, as we know, every opponent is going to present different issues and problems every week that you play, offense or defense, the kicking game, there's always a different, there's some DNA that you're going to do that is always going to be the same, things that you can hang your hat on, and then there's always you got a game plan and so you want to give guys an opportunity to show how well they can, quickly they can pick up those things and execute them on game day, things of that nature.”

Arnold was 3-1 in his four starts this season, completing 60% of his passes for 538 yards and seven touchdowns compared to three interceptions. He also rushed for 138 yards and a pair of TDs. He arrived at OU as the headline of the 2022 class. Arnold was a top-25 recruit in the country out of Denton Guyer (TX). 

Last season as a freshman, Arnold appeared in five regular-season games, plus the start in the bowl game after Dillon Gabriel entered the transfer portal. He threw passes in only four games, going 11-for-11 in his debut against Arkansas State, but still burned his redshirt after entering for the fifth time against BYU when Gabriel was ruled out of the game at halftime.  

Arnold was ultimately benched in the second quarter in OU’s SEC opener against Tennessee after the Sooners struggled offensively throughout their nonconference schedule. 

“Jackson's been fantastic, all things considered,” Venables said. “He’s taken it in a really tough-minded way, and he's ready to play, and if he wasn't, he wouldn't still be here every day.”

Read More About OU's Quarterback Situation

Why Brent Venables is Sticking with Michael Hawkins as Oklahoma's Starting QB

As Michael Hawkins Adjusts to His New Role at Oklahoma, So Does Jackson Arnold

Brent Venables Says Oklahoma Has 'a Small Army' to Coach Quarterbacks