Jackson Arnold – Syndication Server

Oklahoma Sooners QB makes big impression on new offensive coordinator

Offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle had high praise for Michael Hawkins Jr.

The Oklahoma Sooners are once again undergoing a remodel at the quarterback position.

Last year, it was the exits of Jeff Lebby and Dillon Gabriel leading to the promotion of Seth Littrell and Jackson Arnold. That didn’t go as planned. Littrell was fired after seven games, and Arnold is now an Auburn Tiger.

2025’s remodel will primarily feature new offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach [autotag]Ben Arbuckle[/autotag], assistant quarterbacks coach John Kuceyeski, and incoming transfer portal quarterback [autotag]John Mateer[/autotag].

But at least one player from the 2024 room will still be in Norman next season. True freshman [autotag]Michael Hawkins Jr.[/autotag] started three games for head coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] this season, mixing in some good and some bad. He’s decided not to follow Arnold out the door and will instead stay at OU.

As Arbuckle has been observing bowl practices, the play of Hawkins has caught his eye. He did an interview with SoonerScoop.com’s “The Family Business” this week, where he raved about Hawkins’ growth in recent practices.

“Talking about Michael Hawkins, that kid in just five practices, I’ve seen him get so much better,” Arbuckle told “The Family Business” after he was asked about the talent already on the roster. “He is so talented, and he’s gonna be such a dang good player. So he’s someone that I’m really, really excited to like get to work with and put my hands around and get to mold and everything, cause he’s uber-talented.”

Arbuckle went on to praise OU’s returning offensive linemen, running backs and wide receiver Deion Burks, saying that he’s excited for what the Sooners can be on offense next year.

In addition to the transfer portal departures of Arnold and Brendan Zurbrugg, senior Casey Thompson will be out of eligibility after this week’s game. Now, Arbuckle is reloading the QB room on the fly. Mateer’s commitment was huge, as was Hawkins’ decision to stay put. Arbuckle added Jett Niu in recruiting earlier this month and last year’s fifth-string quarterback, walk-on Steele Wasel could still return to OU as well.

The Oklahoma Sooners need a significantly better offensive performance in 2025 and that all starts with the offensive coordinator and the quarterback.

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Auburn adds LSU transfer LB Xavier Atkins

Atkins played in five games at LSU during the 2024 season.

Auburn boosted its roster Wednesday by adding a linebacker with SEC experience.

[autotag]Xavier Atkins[/autotag], a linebacker from Humble, Texas, announced his commitment to Auburn on Wednesday after spending his true freshman season at LSU. Atkins signed with LSU as the No. 25 linebacker from the 2024 class according to 247Sports composite rankings, choosing the Bayou Bengals over Texas A&M.

In his debut season in Baton Rouge, Atkins appeared in five games where he logged 31 snaps, mostly at middle linebacker. Atkins recorded three tackles with two quarterback pressures.

Atkins is the 10th transfer player to commit to Auburn since the winter transfer portal window opened on Dec. 6. He is the fourth defensive player to commit to the Tigers this cycle, joining cornerback [autotag]Raion Strader[/autotag] (Miami University), defensive lineman Dallas Walker (Western Kentucky), and safety [autotag]Taye Seymore[/autotag] (Georgia Tech).

According to 247Sports, Atkins is Auburn’s No. 8 incoming transfer. Virginia Tech offensive line transfer [autotag]Xavier Chaplin[/autotag] takes the top spot, followed by USC OL transfer [autotag]Mason Murphy[/autotag], Miami (Ohio) cornerback Raidon Strader, and Oklahoma quarterback [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag].

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Former Tiger Camden Brown commits to Georgia Southern

Brown finished his Tiger career with 26 receptions, 289 receiving yards, and three touchdowns

One of the longest-tenured Tigers on Auburn’s offesnse will be departing for another school next season. Junior wide receiver [autotag]Camden Brown[/autotag] announced he would be taking his talents to Georgia Southern on Wednesday.

A contributor on the Auburn offense since 2022, Brown finished his Tiger career with 26 receptions, 289 receiving yards, and a trio of scores. Unfortunately most of that production came in his first two seasons on the Plains, as Brown had just 7 receptions for 61 yards in 2024 playing behind Auburn’s abundance of other talented pass catchers.

With most of those pass catchers set to return as the top options in 2025, Brown will travel a state over to play at Georgia Southern, where the senior will likely have his biggest role of his college career. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound big body receiver has all the physical tools and big-game experience to thrive in the Sun Belt, especially for a team that could be a piece or two away from winning the conference next season.

As for Auburn, Brown’s departure further cements incoming sophomores [autotag]Cam Coleman[/autotag] and [autotag]Malcolm Simmons[/autotag] as the top two options for either [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag], [autotag]Deuce Knight[/autotag], or [autotag]Ashton Daniels[/autotag] next season. Second-year receivers [autotag]Perry Thompson[/autotag] and [autotag]Bryce Cain[/autotag] are also candidates to see a larger role in 2025, while freshman [autotag]Derick Smith[/autotag] could also push for a starting spot as soon as he touches down on the Plains.

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FOX Sports analyst Joel Klatt weighs in on Auburn’s addition of Jackson Arnold

Will Arnold find success on the Plains?

Auburn football may have found its replacement at quarterback in former Oklahoma signal-caller [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag].

Arnold signed with Auburn from the transfer portal on Saturday following a successful visit to the Plains. In an interview with Auburn Undercover, Arnold shared that Auburn’s history and the perspective of being developed led him to sign.

“For me, I think the opportunity here to go out and play at a high level and on a national stage,” Arnold said following his commitment to Auburn. “(Auburn senior offensive analyst Jesse Stone) was telling me that Auburn is one of six programs to play for two national championships in the past 20 years, you’re playing at a high level. You’re going to get developed and you’re going to play in front of a huge crowd that’s passionate about their team.”

After a rocky tenure at Oklahoma, will Arnold turn his career around in Auburn? One FOX Sports analyst says there is still hope for the former five-star quarterback to end his collegiate career positively.

Joel Klatt recently joined an episode of “The Next Round” podcast to discuss several topics surrounding college football, including Auburn’s addition of Arnold. Klatt feels that Auburn will bring out hidden aspects to Arnold’s game.

“I think he can have a lot of success, it remains to be seen,” Klatt said.

Part of Arnold’s shaky season in Norman was due to him being benched following a poor start against Tennessee. He was later re-inserted as the starter, but could not build consistency due to injuries affecting his supporting cast. Klatt feels that if Arnold has a long memory, it could affect his abilities on the Plains.

“My biggest question is going to be his confidence,” Klatt said. “I’m wondering what happened to his psyche during the course of this year.”

Arnold joins former Stanford quarterback Ashton Daniels as a new addition to Auburn’s QB room from the transfer portal. The pair, plus five-star signee [autotag]Deuce Knight[/autotag], will compete for Auburn’s starting quarterback job this spring.

Ex-Stanford QB Ashton Daniels commits to Auburn

Daniels commits to Auburn after making 20 starts for the Stanford Cardinal.

Auburn will bring zero scholarship quarterbacks from the 2024 season into 2025 and the coaching staff is working quickly to fill the void.

Two days after landing the signature of former Oklahoma quarterback [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag], Hayes Fawcett of On3 reports that Auburn has grabbed the commitment of another experienced quarterback in [autotag]Ashton Daniels[/autotag], formerly of Stanford.

Daniels was the first name to emerge once the winter transfer portal opened on Dec. 6. Steve Wiltfong of On3 submitted a prediction that favored Auburn landing the 20-game starter from Stanford following an interview in which Daniels said he could “be a spark” to the young wide receivers.

Daniels will enter an expected stiff competition between Arnold and five-star signee [autotag]Deuce Knight[/autotag] for the right to be named QB1 for the 2025 season. In three seasons at Stanford, Daniels passed for 3,986 yards and 21 touchdowns while rushing for an additional 1,121 yards and nine scores.

Daniels’ addition brings confidence to the RPO game, as [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] now has three mobile quarterbacks on his roster. Three dual-threat quarterbacks will open play-calling and give Auburn more opportunities to win close games.

Joel Klatt believes Jackson Arnold can still have success

Joel Klatt thinks Jackson Arnold QB could still have a good career.

Former five-star quarterback [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag]’s short time with the Oklahoma Sooners came to an end on Saturday when he signed with the Auburn Tigers.

The young QB, who was supposed to be the face of the program for at least two seasons and lead OU into the Southeastern Conference, will now try to help Hugh Freeze and the Tigers improve upon their 5-7 season in 2024.

He started 10 games in an OU uniform after serving as the backup during his freshman season in 2023. He went 5-5 as a starter, but just two of those wins came against power conference teams and only one was against an SEC team. 2024 was supposed to be the year that he broke out on the scene, but it didn’t happen.

However, there are many who still believe in Arnold’s potential and what he can do at Auburn.

Fox Sports college football analyst Joel Klatt thinks that Arnold can still be successful, but he also has some questions. He appeared as a guest on “The Next Round” podcast and remarked it was hard to say for sure whether Arnold would live up to his potential with the Tigers.

“My biggest question is going to be his confidence,” Klatt said. “I’m wondering what happened to his psyche during the course of this year.”

Arnold’s confidence appeared shaken a couple of times in 2024, most notably against Tennessee and later in the season against Missouri. In some of the biggest moments for the Sooners, Arnold was turnover-prone and made mistakes that cost OU dearly.

However, he played very well against Alabama and looked more confident in his second stint as the starter for the final five games of the regular season.

“I think he can have a lot of success,” Klatt said. “It remains to be seen.”

Oklahoma’s quarterback room in 2024 consisted of five players. With Jackson Arnold and [autotag]Brendan Zurbrugg[/autotag] opting for the [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag] and Casey Thompson out of eligibility, it will undergo another makeover in 2025.

[autotag]Michael Hawkins Jr.[/autotag] will return, and the Sooners signed [autotag]Jett Niu[/autotag] as a part of their [autotag]2025 recruiting class[/autotag] earlier this month. Steele Wasel, a walk-on, could return, but OU will need to add at least one portal QB to fill out the room again.

That likely includes a player who will either be the starter or compete to be the starter under OC [autotag]Ben Arbuckle[/autotag] as Oklahoma tries to bounce back at the position in 2025.

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Georgia transfer QB target commits to SEC rival

Georgia football quarterback transfer target Jackson Arnold transfers to an SEC school.

When former Oklahoma Sooner quarterback Jackson Arnold entered the transfer portal, he received significant interest from top college football teams, including the Georgia Bulldogs. On3 mentioned three teams in particular to watch out for: the Georgia Bulldogs, the Auburn Tigers and the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

In the end, Arnold decided to transfer to the Auburn Tigers. Tigers coach Hugh Freeze will again try to develop a transfer portal quarterback .

Arnold may have more potential than Auburn’s most recent starting quarterback, Payton Thorne. Arnold, a former five-star quarterback, had one of the best high-school careers ever for Denton, Texas. He won the Landry Award (given to the best player in Northern Texas) and the Gatorade National Player of the Year in his senior year at John H. Guyer High School.

However, he hasn’t put it together in college. He has thrown for 1,421 yards, 12 touchdowns and three interceptions. He also took a bunch of sacks, but the Sooners dealt with numerous injuries on their offensive line. He showed flashes of his upside when he ran for 131 yards on 25 carries in Oklahoma’s 24-3 win over Alabama.

The Bulldogs remain on the hunt for a quarterback to replace Beck next year. They’ve talked to a few top names, such as Fernando Mendoza and Deshawn Purdie, but maybe sophomore Gunner Stockton could earn the job in the College Football Playoff or Beck could return.

The Georgia Bulldogs will play Arnold and the Auburn Tigers on Oct. 11 next year.

Former Oklahoma Sooners QB commits to Auburn Tigers

Former Oklahoma Sooners starting quarterback heading to the Auburn Tigers.

Former five-star prospect and Oklahoma Sooners starting quarterback [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] has a new home via the [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag], 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 [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag], 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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Auburn football to host former Oklahoma QB Jackson Arnold

Hugh Freeze looks to make a splash with the former five-star quarterback.

Former Gatorade Player of the Year and five-star quarterback [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] is in the transfer portal, and [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] is getting a chance to persuade him to join the Auburn Tigers.

[autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag], formerly of the Oklahoma Sooners, is scheduled to visit Auburn on Friday according to Steve Wiltfong of On3. The Tigers are in a stiff competition with Mississippi State in the race to win his transfer.

Arnold began the season as Oklahoma’s starting quarterback, where he passed 1,421 yards and 12 touchdowns with three interceptions while rushing for 444 additional yards. However, he struggled to keep his starting job throughout the season and was in constant competition with Michael Hawkins Jr.

John Williams of Sooners Wire broke down what went wrong for Arnold during his time at Oklahoma:

The 2024 season didn’t go as planned for the Oklahoma Sooners on the offensive side of the ball. Injuries at wide receiver and along the offensive line and the relative inexperience and talent deficiency that came with that put a damper on what had a chance to be a good offense for the Oklahoma Sooners.

Arnold, was left to try to pick up the pieces of the offense. It was a rough season for the former Gatorade National Player of the Year, who struggled with turnovers and, at times, indecision as a passer. Arnold was benched in the first half of the loss to Tennessee after three turnovers in the first half.

He regained the starting job after a solid performance against South Carolina in relief of Michael Hawkins Jr., but could never put it together as a passer given the circumstances.

Arnold’s debut season saw him pass for over 200 yards twice and rush for over 100 yards in the Sooners’ win over Alabama. Arnold is one of two “starter-worthy” quarterbacks set to visit this week, joining Duke’s Maalik Murphy. Stanford quarterback Ashton Daniels is projected to transfer to Auburn, but the Tigers hope to bring in a quarterback who is ready to start immediately and become a role model in the development of freshmen quarterbacks [autotag]Walker White[/autotag] and [autotag]Deuce Knight[/autotag].

Former Oklahoma QB Jackson Arnold set to visit Auburn, per report

Former Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Jackson Arnold will visit the Auburn Tigers per reports.

Former Oklahoma Sooners quarterback [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] could be staying in the same conference as his old team.

The [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag] quarterback has a visit set up with the Auburn Tigers, according to Justin Hokanson of On3.

According to On3’s Pete Nakos, Auburn, Mississippi State, or Georgia reportedly have an interest in Arnold. The Bulldogs, coached by former OU offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby, who recruited Arnold, will reportedly be attempting to set up a visit with Arnold this weekend.

Mississippi State is considered to lead for Arnold’s services because of the connection between Lebby and Arnold. Bulldogs freshman quarterback Michael Van Buren has entered the portal, which could be a signal that the former five-star is heading to Starkville.

Georgia, on the other hand, is in the College Football Playoff, and the play of Gunnar Stockton, who takes over for the injured Carson Beck, could determine how heavily they are involved in the portal QB sweepstakes.

Arnold was supposed to be a generational QB at Oklahoma, the guy to lead [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] and the Sooners into the Southeastern Conference. Instead, he made just ten total starts in an OU uniform, struggling in his only season as the starter.

He was benched in favor of [autotag]Michael Hawkins Jr.[/autotag] for three games in the middle of the season but returned to replace Hawkins for the final five games of the year.

Despite his play in the upset win over Alabama, Arnold had a rocky go of things, especially in the passing game. He turned in a few “wow” moments, but turnovers, bad offensive coordinators, and a bad supporting cast did him in. Now, he’ll play elsewhere.

With Arnold gone and Casey Thompson out of eligibility next season, Hawkins is the only current QB on the roster with any collegiate experience. He’s joined by Brendan Zurbrugg, Steele Wasel, and 2025 quarterback [autotag]Jett Niu[/autotag].

Hawkins could stay and compete for the starting gig next year, but the Sooners will certainly be looking for a high-level starter in the portal this offseason.

Ideally, that role is filled by John Mateer, who worked with new offensive coordinator [autotag]Ben Arbuckle[/autotag] this season at Washington State.

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