The Oklahoma football program continues to inch closer to the start of the 2024 season, their first in the Southeastern Conference (SEC). After joining the then-Big-6 in 1928, the Sooners have won seven championships while finishing ranked in the AP Poll’s final standings 62 times.
Oklahoma, known for producing high-end quarterbacks like Heisman Trophy Award winners Jason White, Sam Bradford, Kyler Murray, and Baker Mayfield, will head into the 2024 campaign with a relatively unknown as their signal caller. However, a former five-star prospect and gunslinger, Jackson Arnold, is ready to make the most of his opportunity, starting with spring football. According to The REF, a media outlet for Oklahoma Sooners sports, Arnold will work on his decision-making leading to next month’s spring exhibition.
Jackson Arnold: Sets Goals for Spring Football
Jackson Arnold, the presumed starter for next fall, aims to work on ball security during the team’s spring workouts. Arnold says, “Taking care of the ball and decision making” is on his list regarding spring development. He continued, “Just making my decisions quicker so I’m not holding the ball too long in the game or just making the wrong decision.”
Arnold, a Texas native and highly recruited quarterback, struggled with decision-making in his lone start last season, tossing an unacceptable three interceptions against the Arizona Wildcats during the Alamo Bowl. Despite the costly turnovers in an eventual 38-24 loss, Arnold played well, throwing for 361 yards and two scores while completing 59% of his passes. He also ran 11 times for 38 yards. The young quarterback showed promise in mop-up duty last year, throwing for two touchdowns against zero interceptions on 18-of-24 passing.
Jackson Arnold: Looking to Lead Oklahoma Football in 2024 and Beyond
Arnold will take over the offense next season, with two-year starter Dillion Gabriel transferring to the Oregon Ducks. Gabriel threw for 55 touchdowns against just 12 picks over the past two seasons. Per 247Sports, Arnold was the fourth-ranked quarterback in the class of 2023.
Also competing with Arnold for the starting quarterback position is Casey Thompson, a college veteran and former Texas Longhorns starter. The six-foot-one, 194-pound Thompson played his first three seasons at Texas, including throwing 24 touchdowns to nine picks in his final year before transferring to the Nebraska Cornhuskers. After a 17-touchdown, ten-pick season, he left for the Rice Owls. Thompson threw five touchdowns and five interceptions through three games before suffering a season-ending injury.
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