Former five-star prospect and Oklahoma Sooners starting quarterback Jackson Arnold has a new home via the transfer portal, committing to the Auburn Tigers on Saturday morning, according to On3 Sports.
Arnold, who started 10 games for the Oklahoma Sooners, including the Alamo Bowl loss to Arizona in 2023, was the National Gatorade Player of the Year for 2022 and 2022 Elite 11 MVP coming out of high school. After sitting for a year behind 2024 Heisman finalist Dillon Gabriel, Arnold took the reigns of the Oklahoma offense.
Arnold and the Sooners offense struggled throughout the season due to injuries and inconsistent offensive line play. With limited experience, Arnold couldn’t overcome the instability around him. Turnovers against Tennessee forced him to the bench, but he stayed ready and came back against the South Carolina Gamecocks.
From that point on, Arnold kept the quarterback job. Arnold had some good moments over the second half of the season but still struggled with turnovers, including a costly fumble against the Missouri Tigers.
Arnold bounced back from the loss to Missouri with a solid performance against Maine. He then led OU to a win over Alabama with his ability to run the football. In the win over the Crimson Tide, Arnold carried the ball 25 times for 131 yards.
In 2024, Arnold completed 62.6% of his passes for 1,421 yards, 12 touchdowns and three interceptions. He also ran for 444 yards and three touchdowns.
With Ben Arbuckle as their new offensive coordinator, the Sooners opted to take a new approach on offense. Michael Hawkins Jr. will start the bowl game, and the Sooners are likely to pursue a veteran quarterback option via the transfer portal.
Arnold will head to Auburn to replace Payton Thorne as the Tigers’ starting quarterback and help the Tigers improve upon their 5-7 season in 2024. That continues the trend of Sooners heading to other SEC teams after Brenen Thompson landed with Mississippi State and Bauer Sharp committed to LSU on Friday.
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This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Former Oklahoma Sooners QB commits to Auburn Tigers
