Jackson Arnold is getting ready to play in his sixth game with Auburn after transferring from Oklahoma in the offseason. So far this season, the Tigers are 3-2 with two straight losses in SEC play, the latest loss coming from No. 9 Texas A&M 16-10.
So far this season, Arnold has thrown for 846 passing yards and only five passing touchdowns. For the most part, Arnold has been pretty good on the ground with 192 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns. It is pretty unusual for a quarterback to have the same number of rushing touchdowns as they do passing touchdowns.
Auburn is set to take on the Georgia Bulldogs this week, and Georgia head coach Kirby Smart had nice things to say about Arnold, but not what fans would probably want to hear. The main thing Smart had to say about Arnold is how amazing a runner he is, how his running ability is such a huge weapon for Auburn, but he said nothing about him being a great passer.
Kirby Smart on Jackson Arnold:
— The Barn (@TheBarn_Auburn) October 6, 2025
“He doesn’t just run for 8-9 yards and go down, he runs like a running back.
He runs over you, through you, around you…”
(🎥 Georgia Athletics) pic.twitter.com/1w9dKo6LrE
No team ever wants to only hear about how great a runner their quarterback is. While Arnold is a good player and a great running quarterback, it just doesn't feel like he is the best fit for this team and for this offense.
While yes, Auburn has had a good history of good running backs, yes, talking about Cam Newton, this is a day in age where the quarterback has to be the full package. Auburn has struggled to find great success since Newton was around, and some of that has been finding the right coach and the right quarterback to run the offense.
Smart is right, Arnold is a great runner, but right now, in order to find the success it's looking for, Auburn needs to find someone else at the quarterback position, and maybe even someone else at the head coaching position.