The Oklahoma Sooners faced the Tennessee Volunteers this past weekend and lost a game where a backup outplayed a starter.
The Sooners starting quarterback Jackson Arnold has received plenty of praise this season before the Volunteers and throughout the off-season. Arnold, a former five-star recruit, was considered the future of the Sooners football program after the transfer of former starter Dillon Gabriel.
Arnold struggled mightily against the Volunteers before hitting the bench battered and bruised. The quarterback recorded 54-yards passing and an interception during the first SEC showing for the Sooners.
Backup quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr, a three-star true freshman, came into the game to relieve Arnold and provide a different offensive look. Hawkins Jr recorded 132-yards passing along with a passing touchdown. The quarterback also had 12 rushes for 22-yards, but was sacked twice which brought down the rush yardage total.
With how well Hawkins Jr played, the Oklahoma Sooners fans have been quick to ask for the starter to be changed.
I agree with Gabe & Teddy: there is no going back to Jackson Arnold at QB for OU. Jackson had 4 games to improve his decision making and seemed to regress as we went on. You’ve gotta let Hawkins get out there and fail and learn. Hawkins mobility gives OU the best chance to win.
— Wild Bill 🍻 (@Wild_Bill_OU) September 23, 2024
The Sooners will travel to face a 2-2 Auburn Tigers squad for the next game which could be a good time to test out Hawkins Jr as the starting quarterback.
Oklahoma Sooners Quarterback Situation Becoming Loud For the Football Staff
With both the result of this past game and the play of current starter Arnold in mind, Sooners fans want Hawkins Jr to start moving forward.
Tennessee is a great team, but it was also arguably a game that the Sooners should have won on paper. Oklahoma must face #1 Texas, #6 Ole Miss, #11 Missouri, #4 Alabama, and #14 LSU moving forward. The Sooners have perhaps one of the hardest schedules in the country with a very difficult conference schedule in particular.
Given the road ahead, the Sooners staff does not have time to work back and forth between two quarterbacks depending on performance.
Oklahoma is going to have to make a situation on who the starting quarterback will be moving forward. Arnold has not been particularly great this season outside of the Volunteers game, but also worked to earn the starting spot. Losing his role after one terrible game could be too quick of a hook for the Sooners staff, but also one the staff could consider.
The offensive line play for the Sooners has been bad thus far which hurts Arnold in particular. Arnold can escape a pocket, but does not have nearly the same running talent as Hawkins Jr does. The backup quarterback might shift into the starting role with the new dimension he gives the offense.
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What do you think about the Oklahoma football team and the current quarterback situation surrounding them?
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