Jackson Arnold’s time at Oklahoma has come to an end.
The Sooners’ starting quarterback is entering the transfer portal after two seasons, according to ESPN’s Max Olson. Arnold, a former five-star recruit, is expected to be one of the top quarterback prospects on the transfer market this upcoming offseason. He has two seasons of eligibility left in his career.
Oklahoma starting QB Jackson Arnold is entering the transfer portal, sources tell ESPN.
— Max Olson (@max_olson) December 4, 2024
The former 5-star recruit produced 1,865 total yards and 15 TDs over 10 games this season. He'll have two more seasons of eligibility and will be one of the top QBs on the transfer market. pic.twitter.com/pXxTL9bwrb
Arnold and the Sooners struggled this season, which was his first as a true starter in Norman. Arnold threw for 1,421 yards and 12 touchdowns with just three interceptions. He was briefly benched in favor of true freshman Michael Hawkins Jr. in September, but he regained the starting job a few weeks later.
The Sooners won just two SEC games this season, their first in the conference after making the jump from the Big 12. One of those wins, remarkably, came against then-No. 7 Alabama. Arnold threw for just 68 yards in that 24-3 stunning victory, though he ran for a team-high 131 yards.
Arnold was sacked 34 times this season, which is the sixth-most among FBS quarterbacks. Oklahoma averaged just 4.8 yards per play and 322.5 yards per game, which is better than just 13 other FBS programs.
Oklahoma finished just 6-6 this season. If they fail to win their bowl game, the team will match their worst record since the 1998 campaign.
Head coach Brent Venables fired first-year offensive coordinator Seth Littrell just seven games into the season, too. He hired Washington State offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle to replace Littrell on Monday, and the pair are expected to pursue a transfer quarterback to replace Arnold next season. Venables is finishing up his third season at Oklahoma this year, and he holds a 22-16 overall record.
Arnold, meanwhile, should generate plenty of interest from Power Four programs on the transfer market this offseason. It’s unclear where the former Gatorade Player of the Year will end up, but he’ll get an opportunity for a fresh start after a rough campaign in Oklahoma.
