Auburn Tigers football coach Hugh Freeze has admitted his defense isn't going hard on Jackson Arnold. He's conceded that he's thinking about playing three quarterbacks against the Baylor Bears in Week 1.
The compounded issues have created sympathy among his former program's fanbase.
Stormin in Norman's Dekota Gregory believes Freeze put Arnold in a "terrible" situation and labeled his attitude about the John H. Guyer High School product lacks humility compared to Oklahoma Sooners football coach Brent Venables.
"There's no denying Arnold was not set up for success at OU. The offensive coordinator who recruited him immediately left, then the next one was fired midway through Arnold's first season as the starter. There were also matters Venables couldn't fully prevent, like myriad injuries that left Arnold with terrible pass blocking and no weapons at receiver," Gregory wrote.
"Venables took accountability for Arnold's shortcomings at OU, though, and Freeze was quick to blame the Sooners. Venables knew he didn't have the answers last year, while Freeze acted as if he had the instruction manual to Jackson Arnold.
"Poor Jackson Arnold, though, is again stuck in a terrible situation, but this time it was all created by his new head coach."
Things are good in Norman. The Sooners landed John Mateer, the quarterback Tiger fans originally wanted when he hit the portal.
Gregory isn't out to share bitter, jealous gripes about Arnold after he's gone. OU has no reason to hate AU after enjoying the Plains' hospitality and coming from behind to steal victory from the jaws of defeat at Jordan-Hare Stadium last September.
This is someone from the outside looking in being horrified for a QB who was once revered in Sooner Town.
Freeze may prove to be a mad genius in the end. But right now, until further notice, he's just a mad lad.