While pondering on the potential of incoming Oklahoma transfer Jackson Arnold, 247 Sports' Jason Caldwell evoked the names of two former Heisman candidates, and one former winner, who successfully transferred from one Power 4 school to another and made it work: ex-ASU/LSU QB Jayden Daniels and infamous former Oregon and Auburn football star Bo Nix.
Caldwell believes the right system can prop up the right player. Nix and Daniels are lofty ceilings to reach in a collegiate career. But to hear those names written about at length in a column about Arnold is encouraging.
It's important to note, not every name Caldwell mentioned was encouraging.
Alabama QB Jalen Milroe's name was dropped too. While Milroe is one of the top athletes in the sport at any position, his sloppy play (two interceptions and a fumble) led to the Crimson Tide falling in a 16-0 hole in the first quarter of their ReliaQuest Bowl matchup against Michigan. They lost 19-13 in a game they had no opt-outs and the Wolverines were at less than half-strength for.
That's just the recent scar. The real damage was done against Arnold's Sooners in November when he completed 11 of his 26 passes and threw three interceptions.
With all that said, Milroe's 2023 season was enviable. If Arnold can get close to that level, he'd be in a good place.
Arnold doesn't need to be a Heisman winner, he just needs to be a winner. Hugh Freeze only has so many more chances to get it right with his transfer portal QB. He didn't in 2023 with Payton Thorne, and then he got it wrong again not going portal hunting last offseason. No QB was ready to take the reins and earn the job from the jump.
A lot is riding on Arnold's arm. In the right system, that ride ends up in a winning place. Is Freeze and Derrick Nix's system the right fit?
There's your multi-million dollar question Arnold needs to answer.