Why Youth Prevailed Over Experience at QB for Oklahoma

Sophomore Jackson Arnold and freshman Michael Hawkins Jr. are at the top of the depth chart for the Sooners at QB, ahead of redshirt senior Casey Thompson.

Oklahoma QB Michael Hawkins Jr. / NATHAN J. FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK

The top two quarterbacks on Oklahoma’s depth chart have a combined one full game of experience between them. 

OU on Sunday released its first three-deep depth chart of the 2024 season. To no one’s surprise, sophomore Jackson Arnold was listed as QB1. But what wasn’t guaranteed was true freshman Michael Hawkins Jr. getting the backup spot behind Arnold. Hawkins beat out seventh-year senior Casey Thompson for the position. 

“Mike has shown us a lot of things,” said OU head coach Brent Venables on Monday at his first weekly press conference. “But a tremendous playmaker, really focused and locked in, fundamentally sound. He's got a big arm. He's a quick decision maker. He can improvise and keep his eyes down the field. He can beat you with his legs. As I said, there's not a route that he can't excel in. Can throw the ball over the top and does a nice job of getting it out underneath.

“Got a lot to learn. At times (during fall camp) was outstanding, and at times was dreadful, like all young players he shares, he's in a long line there. But really felt like the combination of all of it, getting him ready, we don't have to have a refined package, so to speak, for Mike, and I think that went into it.” 

Hawkins had mixed reviews coming out of Emerson High School in Dallas. On3, ESPN and Rivals listed him as a 4-star recruit in the 2024 class, while 247Sports had him as a 3-star prospect. Rivals was the highest on Hawkins of the major recruiting services, ranking him as the No. 3 dual-threat quarterback in the entire class and No. 168 player overall. However, 247Sports listed him as low as the No. 35 QB in the class. 

Using both his arm and legs, Hawkins totaled 4,211 all-purpose yards and 55 touchdowns compared to only three interceptions in his final preps season. Hawkins was impressive enough to get attention and offers from the likes of Alabama, Arkansas, Michigan and more. A legacy Sooner, though, whose father played cornerback for Bob Stoops, Hawkins chose to follow the same path. 

Hawkins came to OU early in January and is now listed at 6-foot-1 and 204 pounds after an entire offseason in the Sooners’ weight room. That extra time to impress was a factor in him surpassing Thomspon on the depth chart. 

Thompson is the outlier in the Sooners’ quarterback room. While Arnold has started only one game and Hawkins is as fresh as they come, Thompson is entering his seventh year of college football. For comparison, Hawkins was in the sixth grade when Thompson first stepped onto a college campus in 2018. 

Quite the journeyman, Thompson started his career at Texas, where he spent a redshirt year and played three seasons. He then transferred to Nebraska for a year before playing at Florida Atlantic last season. In total, Thompson has appeared in 32 games for three different programs compared to Arnold, who has thrown a pass in four games. 

Much of Thompson’s career has been derailed by injuries, though, missing a chunk of 2022 and 2023 because of injury. He played in only three games for Florida Atlantic last year before a season-ending injury. Venables said at SEC Media Days, though, that Thompson did not have any limitations by that point so he was able to be a full participant during fall camp. 

“When (Thompson) got an opportunity to get in, he did a nice job,” Venables said. “I think some of the things that are really fast for Mike are slow for Casey, but the totality of all of it, we just felt like Mike was our next best option for the reasons that I just said. He has really high-level playmaking ability and a guy that, again, shows up every day putting the work in and is really mature for his age, like Casey.

“Casey's the consummate professional. He's made those two guys better with his mentorship. He's just incredibly helpful for a lot of guys on offense. He's got a different lens, as you would expect playing as much college football that he has, so he's really helped both Mike and Jackson mature and get ready for the season.”

The Sooners will kick off the 2024 season against Temple at 6 p.m. Friday. Considering the talent level of Temple, Hawkins should get a chance to relieve Arnold on Friday night and make his college football debut at Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.