Paul Finebaum believes incoming transfer portal addition Jackson Arnold must be the "antithesis" of former Auburn football QB Bo Nix when he reaches the Plains. Finebaum explained that Arnold must make the most of his second home like Nix did at Oregon, but has to have the come-up happen on the Plains this time.
"I think they have to be excited. It's an upgrade over what the program has," Finebaum told the McElroy & Cubelic In The Morning Show. "I think the real issue is what does it mean? You've been to Norman enough times to probably know that he wasn't getting the proper training, whether that caused him to leave - which you have to hope is that he turns into the antithesis of Bo Nix.
“What I mean by that is Nix was suffering where he was, meaning Auburn, he went to Oregon and became a first-round draft choice and a Heisman finalist. That is the hope for Jackson Arnold."
Arnold likely won't deal with the same attention at AU from Sooner fans that Nix got from Tiger fans once he reached Oregon. Nix was a proven entity his first season at Auburn, knocking off Alabama in the Iron Bowl and winning nine games. Arnold was on a 6-6 Sooners team that he was benched several games for this past season.
Arnold does own a win over the Crimson Tide, but he can really only go up from his freshman season. Luckily, Hugh Freeze has been recruiting offensive linemen in the portal to give Arnold a chance to effectively run the RPO.
Nix never had that luxury. Gus Malzahn's lack of trench focus led to a rough 2020 where he was on the run, and Nix ended up injured in 2021 when an already week OL group got worse under Bryan Harsin.
Arnold must be the antithesis of Nix in many ways. The most notable would be playing his best ball in orange and blue.