Danny Stutsman: Oklahoma QB Jackson Arnold has 'Won Over the Locker Room' This Offseason

Sooners linebacker Danny Stutsman said he's proud of the growth of OU's young quarterback ahead of Jackson Arnold's first full season as a starter.

Jackson Arnold (11) runs drills during an Oklahoma football practice in Norman, Okla., on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024. / NATHAN J. FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK

Jackson Arnold may have spent all of spring and fall camp in the blue no-contact jersey, but his experience every day at practice has been far from comfortable. 

Oklahoma coach Brent Venables has held nothing back to get his quarterback ready for his first year as a starter, throwing every look in the book at Arnold to prepare him mentally for the tough grind ahead. 

Coming off an up-and-down start against Arizona in the Alamo Bowl, the first of Arnold’s collegiate career, OU linebacker Danny Stutsman says he's been proud of how his quarterback has responded. 

“I think last year obviously that bowl game was really rough for everyone,” Stutsman said Monday during a weekly interview on the Franchise Morning Show on 107.7 The Franchise. “But Jackson really took — it’s tough on a young quarterback to go through that adversity but he’s handled it phenomenally. He was — right away he’s in the film room studying what he did wrong, where to improve upon his mistakes and that’s what you want to see from a young quarterback.”

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Stutsman has seen plenty of Arnold in action, as the Sooners frequently ran the first-string defense against the first-team offense in practice throughout the spring and early fall. 

“I think that’s how you gotta get guys ready,” Venables said last week. 

Though growth isn’t linear, Stutsman said he’s seen Arnold take leaps forward throughout the offseason. 

“I think he used the summertime and the spring to really gain confidence,” Stutsman said. “Really understand, really get the timing down with the receivers. And every single day he’s just trying to be a leader, get better one percent every single day and that’s what he’s done.”

Prior to the Alamo Bowl, Arnold really only had been thrust into action for two quarters of meaningful football. 

He got into the game late in blowouts over Arkansas State and Tulsa, but Dillon Gabriel was knocked out of OU’s contest against BYU just before halftime, handing the game over to the freshman. 

Arnold had to deal with poor field position and a conservative game plan. In the end, he completed 5-of-9 passes for 33 yards, but had a pair of massive third-down conversions to Jalil Farooq late to seal the win.

Jackson Arnold was called into action against BYU after Dillon Gabriel exited the game with a head injury just before halftime. / Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

Then newly appointed co-offensive coordinator Seth Littrell turned the keys over to the freshman against Arizona. 

Arnold completed 26-of-45 passes against the Wildcats in San Antonio for 361 yards and two scores while also throwing three interceptions.

Arnold is putting in the work behind the scenes to accelerate his mental growth, though Venables and Stutsman have done everything they can to confound the young gunslinger at practice. 

“We tell him, 'Look, we’re throwing it all at you, man, because that’s what it takes,' ” Stutsman said. “Especially because it’s tough for a young quarterback to go out there and he has probably no clue what we’re in because everything we run, we kind of try and make it all look the same. So it’s definitely challenging. It’s hard for that o-line as well, especially having a young group in there. 

“But he’s handled it great. You can tell there’s improvement. You can tell he’s more comfortable in the pocket and the reads he's making, the throws he’s able to make, it’s one of one. I’m really excited to see how the offense does.”

Stutsman hasn’t been the only one pleased with Arnold’s progress ahead of OU’s Aug. 30 season-opener with Temple. 

“Jackson’s doing good,” Venables said. “Again, from a leadership standpoint, showing up every day. He’s been consistent, he’s been challenged and the guys he’s been going up against every day I think is making not only him, but the offense better. 

“All three levels of that defense, you’ve got guys that can play for most programs in the country, if not all. I don’t like to anoint people, I think that we’ll see how they play this year, but we have experience at all three levels to have an awfully good group. And that’s what they’re facing, Jackson is facing, every single day.”

As Oklahoma turns the page from fall camp and starts to dig into game planning for the non-conference slate, Arnold now has the full backing of Stutsman and the team. 

“I think he’s kind of won over the locker room,” Stutsman said. “Just everyone can really trust him and say 'We’ve got our guy.' And I think without a doubt in my mind he’s going to lead us to everything we want to do.”