Why Oklahoma QB Jackson Arnold Felt 'Free' in His Return to the Lineup

The Sooners went back to Jackson Arnold after Michael Hawkins Jr. committed turnovers on the first three drives against South Carolina.

Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Jackson Arnold throws as South Carolina Gamecocks defensive back Vicari Swain rushes during the second half at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

NORMAN — For the second straight home game, Oklahoma made a quarterback change. 

True freshman Michael Hawkins Jr. turned the ball on each of the opening three possessions, immediately putting OU into a 21-0 hole. 

He was inserted into the loss against Tennessee after Jackson Arnold’s third turnover. 

Saturday, it was Arnold who replaced Hawkins. 

The former 5-star didn’t turn the tide, as Oklahoma was still embarrassed 35-9 by the unranked Gamecocks, but he took care of the ball and was able to try and operate the offense under duress. 

“Three straight drives turnovers, that's a pretty easy decision,” OU coach Brent Venables said of the change after the game. 

Neither Arnold or Hawkins had much time to drop back and pick apart the defense. 

South Carolina sacked the two Oklahoma quarterbacks nine times, which was the most sacks the Sooners have allowed since the NCAA started tracking the stat in 2000, but Arnold still finished 18-of-36 passing for 225 yards and a score. He was the first OU quarterback to pass for 200 yards in a game this year.

Entering down 21-0, Arnold said he was able to just let things rip for the first time this year. 

"In a way, honestly I felt a lot more free,” Arnold said after the game. “I don't have anything to lose, just went out there, had fun with it."

Getting benched five starts into your career for a true freshman isn’t how a prospect as highly-touted as Arnold ever imagined the season going. 

The last few weeks have tested Arnold in ways he said he’s never been pushed mentally. 

"It was probably the hardest few weeks of my life,” he said. “A lot of soul searching, a lot of diving into what I really care about, what I really care for. I leaned heavily on my relationships: family, friends, God and all the above. Like I said, it was the hardest couple weeks of my life but it's character building, that's what I see it as. I trust the plan that God has for me, just going out there preparing the same way."

The Tennessee game was the fourth contest of the year, meaning Arnold could still redshirt if he didn’t feature the rest of the year. 

Arnold disclosed how the conversation between him and his head coach went following Hawkins getting the start against Auburn, but it was never a barrier to him getting back on the field in Norman. 

"I told Coach V that if things were going to continue to go how they were, I didn't want to take pointless snaps and burn a redshirt if it would be better for me to keep,” Arnold said. “But I also told him that if you need me to come in and win a game I was going to do that. I've invested so much in the team and I was going to be there for them regardless."

With a few weeks out of the line of fire, Arnold said he was able to see the game through a “different lens.”

He admitted the pressure of stepping in as QB1 at Oklahoma was tough, and that he was unburdened by those expectations against South Carolina. 

"(That's) just how it is playing at this university," he said. "A lot of high expectations, maybe even unrealistic expectations put on me, and it really did weigh me down. But at the same time, I don’t want to use that as an excuse. I honestly am grateful.

"... I think it’s just staying level-headed through the ups and downs. Temple, obviously,  really good first game. Really really high up there. To Tennessee, lowest of lows. Just trusting in my guys, trusting in myself and my ability was big these last couple of weeks."

The path ahead for Oklahoma’s quarterbacks is once again muddy. Venables declined to name a starting quarterback during the postgame press conference, just as he did in the aftermath of the loss to the Volunteers. 

“We'll talk about that when we figure that out as far as moving forward,” he said. 

Last time, Venables announced Hawkins as the starter the following Monday. 

It will be a pivotal decision in Venables’ tenure. Whatever is made of the offense headed into 2025, it would be helpful for this staff or the next group building the scheme to have a quarterback in place — especially one who has gone through the growing pains of a first-year starter. 

Arnold will get the chance to show that he’s still the man to lead OU going forward as he competes in practice and throughout the final five games on Oklahoma’s schedule. 

Regardless of what the timeline is this week, Arnold will be ready to battle to keep his job. 

"Just playing free still. Again, you got nothing else to lose," he siad. "We’re 4-3 now, just lost two big games. Got nothing to lose, just go out and give our all these next couple of weeks. Great test this week. Nothing better than us going on the road and getting a win."