Auburn football made yet another offseason of splashes following the 2024 season. It was out of necessity, since the team's highest-usage offensive players are out of eligibility, but this time, Tiger fans believe it will actually lead to a turnaround.
It could. But only if incoming transfer portal QB Jackson Arnold takes a leap after struggling during his freshman season at Oklahoma.
247 Sports' Brad Crawford called Arnold the Tigers' most impactful newcomer, but signed off on his excerpt with a warning to Auburn fans about the signal-caller not working out in Hugh Freeze's offense.
"As bad as the Auburn offense was at times last season from a giveaway standpoint, the Tigers still went downfield often and had success with explosive plays through the air. Those playmaking wideouts return along with a couple additions in the portal. Former Oklahoma signal caller Jackson Arnold should benefit from that along with better play up front. That's right — the guy the Sooners temporarily benched during last fall's spiral could be one of the SEC's best in 2025. Arnold was sacked 34 times in 10 starts last season, including 16 times total in losses to South Carolina and Ole Miss. Hugh Freeze has to hit a grand slam with this Arnold acquisition — or else," Crawford wrote.
This isn't the first time this line of thinking has been shared. AL.com's Peter Rauterkus said the same thing right after Arnold initially committed to the Plains in December.
"Point blank, Freeze needs this decision to work out. After Thorne’s struggles in 2023 and then electing not to get a transfer quarterback in 2024, his future at Auburn could depend on how this next quarterback turns out," Rauterkus wrote., noting that Freeze took Arnold over proven entities like Fernando Mendoza, Miller Moss, Maalik Murphy, and Darian Mensah.
"For better or for worse, though, it’s a risk Freeze was willing to take. Now, it’s on him and his staff to unlock the potential they see in Arnold."
This doubt is deserved. Arnold and Freeze made their beds, in Norman and thus far through two years in Auburn, and now have to sleep in them.
If the Tigers start winning with the two running things, they'll be heroes, however. This fanbase has suffered long enough and is ready for a winner in East Central Alabama.