The keys to Oklahoma’s offense are officially in the hands of Jackson Arnold.
He’s felt the pressure that’s come with that since former Oklahoma quarterback Dillon Gabriel transferred to Oregon on Dec. 9. In the same vein, adversity struck Arnold after he threw three interceptions and fumbled once in OU’s 38-24 loss to Arizona in the Alamo Bowl.
The freshman quarterback’s disappointing performance was much less than what he and Sooners’ fans wanted it to be. That outing, however, is in Arnold's rearview mirror. He’s deleted social media in response to angry posts.
He has spent hours watching video from 2023 with Oklahoma co-offensive coordinator Seth Littrell. He’s now focused on the future, the SEC and leading an offense with plenty of talent but questions surrounding its offensive line.
#Sooners starting quarterback Jackson Arnold discusses his new leadership role, preparing for the SEC: pic.twitter.com/hssjCvC2Hk
— Jason Batacao (@J_batacao) March 26, 2024
“I don't put a lot of stock (into the Alamo Bowl),” Jackson’s dad, Todd, told the OU Daily. “I think he played really well at times. On the flip side of that … You had a team that wasn't complete. You take the kids that are there and you go and compete to the best of your ability.
“He's gonna take care of those things. He's gonna watch the film. There's not much that I can help him with other than his attitude … He has great coaches in college and they know what they're doing. It's easy as an armchair quarterback for people to second guess stuff like that, but they forget (the coaches) know more about football than we ever do.”
The pressure isn’t new to Jackson. He was thrown into the fire as a freshman in high school after Eli Stowers suffered an ACL tear vs. Austin Westlake in the Texas 6A Division 2 state championship in 2019. Jackson, once again, faced a similar situation last season after Gabriel suffered a concussion and he led OU to a narrow 31-24 win over BYU on the road.
Junior linebacker Danny Stutsman and freshman quarterback Jackson Arnold after the game against Arizona on Dec. 28.
Those moments have prepared Arnold for the pressures of being OU’s starting quarterback in 2024. Todd is often disconnected from the freshman quarterback for weeks at a time because he’s solely focused on football.
Todd describes Jackson as quiet and laid back. Jackson noted on Tuesday he’s learning to become a vocal leader, while getting bigger and stronger. He even looked more calm and comfortable answering questions in his first media appearance since last season. Those subtleties signal he’s ready for the moment once OU takes the field in 2024.
“To kind of step into that leadership role. I had to admit my mistakes,” Jackson said after Monday’s practice. “To further connect with the dudes in the team, I had to tell these guys, ‘Hey, I messed up but going forward like this year is over. Now it's time to go to the SEC.’ I'd like to collectively push the game behind us and grow together as a team.”
He wants to get the ball out quicker. His pocket presence needs fine tuning. Todd thinks those attributes will come with time, given Jackson’s developmental curve in high school and first season on the Sooners. While sitting behind Gabriel was good for his development, Jackson struggled not seeing the field.
“I love DG to death — that's my guy — but it sucks being a backup,” Jackson said. “It sucks to be on the sideline and watch somebody else play.”
On Monday’s practice, he was leading the pack of quarterbacks that included Casey Thompson, General Booty and Michael Hawkins. He’s the bonafide starter and his teammates corroborate that.
He’s developing a strong relationship with Littrell, who — much like him — is reserved and observant. When Littrell joined the Sooners as an offensive analyst in 2023 before taking over for former OU offensive coordinator and now-Mississippi State head coach Jeff Lebby, he was also learning the Sooners’ playbook alongside Arnold.
Now, the pair have developed an even stronger bond since Littrell took over OU’s play calling duties following Lebby’s departure.
“There’s a really good comfort level with coach Littrell,” Todd said. “I think coach Littrell is probably more like Jackson. When it comes to his temperament, I would say he's very similar.”
That bodes well for Oklahoma, as it looks to carry over its offensive success from a season ago. The Sooners ranked third in total offense nationally and first in the Big 12, scoring an average of just over 41 points per game last season.
Jackson has all the arm strength, intangibles and more that could make him a successful quarterback in the SEC and beyond. For now, it’s about chiseling the finer things, as noted by Todd, to find success.
To those around Jackson, there’s no doubt that he will find success, even after struggling during his first start. After the Alamo Bowl, Jackson replayed the game for two hours and has since worked to correct the issues that led to OU’s loss with Littrell.
Now, it's about showcasing that improvement when he hits the field for the first time this spring and later in the fall.
“It's easy to go out there and give lip service to something,” Todd said. “It’s a whole lot tougher to go out there and back that up, especially in a place that has a pretty rich history of quarterbacks over a multitude of years. The expectations are pretty astronomical at Oklahoma.
“I will tell you the one good thing about him: he's very observant. He was the toughest critic. He puts a lot of pressure on himself. … As long as that translates to this level, I think his temperament and attitude will serve him well.”
This story was edited by Louis Raser and copy edited by Grayson Blalock.
