Jackson Arnold can have strain on him at Oklahoma, to say the least.
The sophomore quarterback was the named full-time starter heading into 2024 and he’ll have his work minimize out for him — particularly being that the Sooners are actually a member of the SEC.
With a schedule that also options the Texas however now additionally consists of Tennessee, Auburn, South Carolina, Ole Miss, Missouri, Alabama and LSU, Oklahoma will not get a lot time to slowly ease into SEC play.
That is not a priority for head coach Brent Venables, although. Regardless that Arnold goes into his first season as a starter after a freshman marketing campaign that noticed him seem in a number of video games as a backup earlier than beginning within the Alamo Bowl, Venables feels his quarterback has the precise temperament for SEC play.
“Jackson understands higher than anyone what goes into being a quarterback of a soccer group, of a locker room, the chief, the face, the obligations, the challenges,” Venables mentioned at SEC Media Days, per On3. “You understand, what I really feel finest about and have probably the most peace about is his means to have the ability to deal with the highs and the lows, the challenges, the success, the failure {that a} season will convey you.”
Arnold threw for 563 yards and 4 touchdowns with three interceptions final season. That is not an amazing stat line however it’s a small pattern measurement. All three of these interceptions got here within the bowl recreation loss to Arizona, however he additionally did throw for 361 yards and two touchdowns in that contest.
He’s a former five-star recruit, ranked because the No. 8 total participant within the 2023 class, so Arnold does have the pedigree and profile to achieve success at Oklahoma.
He additionally has a coach who’s all-in on serving to him succeed, which you’ll be able to argue is greater than half the battle on the faculty degree.
“No one is extra competent or extra prepared now, though he’s a younger participant and we’ve acquired to in some methods be the headlights for him,” Venables mentioned. “That’s why they name us coach, however his ability, his arm expertise, his toughness, his instincts, his means to steer individuals convey out the perfect in individuals. No query about it. He’s prepared for his alternative and his second.”
