Oklahoma’s offense next season could look drastically different. Two days after the Sooners hired Washington State offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle to lead their offense, starting quarterback Jackson Arnold likely won’t be around to be the orchestrator of it.
On Wednesday, the former five-star quarterback announced he is entering the transfer portal, a source confirmed to The Athletic. ESPN was the first to report.
The 6-foot-1, 211-pound sophomore entered the year as the starter after former Oklahoma quarterback Dillon Gabriel transferred to Oregon last offseason. After leading the Sooners to a 3-0 start, Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables benched Arnold in the 25-15 home loss to Tennessee in late September. Backup freshman Michael Hawkins Jr. started the ensuing two games before Venables went back to Arnold for the duration of the season.
After Oklahoma (6-6, 2-6 SEC) lost its regular-season finale 37-17 at LSU, Arnold was asked by reporters if there was a chance he’d be back in Norman in 2025. “Only God knows what’s going to happen in the future, man,” he said. “This next week, I’ll meet the new OC, see who we hire and take it day by day. But there’s nothing making me want to leave or nothing making me want to waver from being here.”
Arnold accounted for 1,865 total yards and 15 touchdowns in 2024. If his time in Sooner crimson and cream are indeed done, his lasting highlight will be his performance rushing the ball in the massive 24-3 upset over then No. 7-ranked Alabama on Nov. 23. Arnold rushed for 131 yards on 25 carries but only threw for 68 yards on nine completions in the stunning result.
“I don’t think he lacked focus prior, but his ability to stay focused and to stay positive in his own mind and just go to work, that’s what he chose to do that helped him to continue to improve and get better again,” Venables said in early November of Arnold. “This is a young player that, again, has only started a handful of games in college, and so the development piece requires that you continue to stay consistent in your process.”
Oklahoma has consistently been one of the most dynamic offensive programs in the country the last decade. But in 2024, the Sooners hit the skids on that side of the ball. Oklahoma ranked 121st in total offense and was 122nd in passing offense in large part due to the rash of injuries that beset the wide receivers. Venables eventually fired former OC Seth Littrell on Oct. 20.
Venables is banking on Arbuckle to reverse their offensive fortunes in a hurry. Industry sources said during Oklahoma’s offensive coordinator search that the Sooners were also looking for a quarterback to potentially come as well. That door is open now, though it’s unknown if Washington State QB John Mateer could follow Arbuckle to Norman. Mateer accounted for 44 total touchdowns in 2024 (29 passing, 15 rushing) and threw for 3,139 yards.
Chris Vannini contributed reporting.
(Photo: Aaron M. Sprecher / Getty Images)
