Auburn's new quarterback, Jackson Arnold, didn't expect to be in Alabama this spring after starting his collegiate career with an SEC opponent, the Oklahoma Sooners. However, after OU's season ended, Arnold entered the transfer portal and landed himself a spot on the Tigers' roster.
Now, the young QB is vying for the role of Auburn's starting quarterback and recently opened up about his decision to hit the portal.
"You know, play the first three games, we're 3-0," Arnold said about his start with the Sooners last season. "Then, go to Tennessee, have a bad first half, and get benched.
Coming out of high school, Arnold was the No. 4 quarterback in the nation and the No. 1 prospect out of the state of Texas. And he's right, he did start 3-0 with Oklahoma before struggling against the Tennessee Volunteers.
In the first half versus the Vols, Arnold completed just seven pass attempts and threw an interception while failing to find the end zone. The Sooners went on to lose to Tennessee, 25-15, and Arnold wound up on the bench for a lot of the season.
Auburn QB Jackson Arnold mentioned that adversity at Oklahoma led to him wanting to transfer to Auburn. 👀 pic.twitter.com/zBVHh525nI
— College Sports Network (@CFN365) April 12, 2025
After riding the bench, Arnold unsurprisingly entered the portal and was a four-star transfer, earning him the No. 12 ranking among fellow quarterbacks who were transferring.
Jackson Arnold 2024-25 season stats
- 154 completions (62.6 percent)
- 1,421 passing yards
- 12 passing touchdowns
- 3 interceptions
- 150 carries
- 444 rushing yards
- 3 rushing touchdowns
Arnold and Michael Hawkins Jr. ended up splitting a majority of the snaps throughout the remainder of the season as the Sooners finished with a 6-7 overall record, including a loss to rival Texas and to Navy in the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl.
When Arnold hit the portal, he maintained three years of eligibility after playing in just six games during his freshman season and 10 games last year.