The Oklahoma Sooners offense did just enough to get the win over Houston on Saturday night. But for a program that’s had some of the best quarterback play in the last quarter century, an offense that does just enough, isn’t good enough.
[autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag]’s first three starts have been a roller coaster. There has been a great deal of good, but there have been many moments where you remember this is a young quarterback. Against Houston, it looked like it was just the third start of his career.
“Just inconsistent,” Brent Venables said after the game. “Made some really nice plays. 19 out of 32 made some really nice plays. And then other times, we, maybe try to force it, when you don’t have to. But thought he ran with toughness. And, you know, some critical situations, made some good plays. And again, there’s everybody around, got to play well, too. And so that, that that’s, that’s part of it as well, to stay patient.”
On Saturday night, Arnold struggled. There’s no real way around it. The offensive line was much better in pass protection. But Arnold either couldn’t find anyone downfield to throw it to or was unwilling to pull the trigger.
He was 1 of 7 on throws greater than 20 yards down the field and completed less than 60% of his passes for the game. Arnold averaged fewer than six yards per attempt in the win.
There were times he looked like he was putting things together. However, toward the end of the first half, he began to press, hoping to get Oklahoma moving on offense. But with a limited running game, there wasn’t much reason for Houston to commit extra defenders to the box. When the Sooners did get man coverage, the wide receivers struggled to get open consistently.
From the broadcast view, it didn’t look like Oklahoma was creating much separation in its pass concepts. There was a clear miscommunication between Arnold and the wide receivers on a couple of routes because the ball ended up nowhere near the pass catcher.
On Arnold’s interception, the broadcast pointed out that Deion Burks changed the angle on his post route as Arnold was about to release the ball, allowing the defensive back to come underneath Burks to secure the pick.
Arnold has a great deal of development that needs to happen. There’s no doubt about that. But he was also without four of the top five wide receivers projected to make a significant impact this season. The Sooners also don’t have a running game to speak of.
The developmental timeline of any college player varies. A select few hit the ground running with little issues. A vast majority, however, take time to develop. They experience growing pains, sometimes against opponents that are considered overmatched on paper.
Sure, Caleb Williams was superhuman in the Sooners’ comeback win over Texas in 2021. But he went through growing pains in a close win over Kansas and in losses to Baylor and Oklahoma State. He didn’t particularly look Heisman-worthy in the Sooners’ win over Iowa State that year, either.
Yes, he was a true freshman. At the same time, the Sooners offensive line in 2021 was pretty good, and they ran the ball really well.
Quinn Ewers, in his first season as a starter, went 7-5 at Texas and completed just 58% of his passes for the season in 2022. Last year, he improved that number to 69%, and the Longhorns went to the playoff.
This isn’t to give Arnold a pass for his performance. It’s simply to say development can take time.
There might be some bumpy roads ahead. But he has the tools to be great. Football is a developmental game, and Arnold will undergo a lot of it as he gets experience this season. The question is, will the Sooners be patient with that development?
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