Max Olson, ESPN staff writer
Oklahoma transfer quarterback Jackson Arnold Signed Auburnthe school announced Saturday.
The 6-foot-1, 210-pound sophomore has two seasons of eligibility remaining. Hugh Freeze is making moves within the SEC to help lead the Tigers’ turnaround after a 5-7 record in his second year at the helm.
Three days after Arnold entered his name into the NCAA transfer portal, Freeze got a commitment from his top target on an official visit that began Thursday.
The Denton, Texas, native was the third overall pick in the 2023 class and the Gatorade Player of the Year as a senior. He is the fourth-ranked quarterback on ESPN’s transfer rankings.
“I couldn’t be more excited that he’s a great fit for our offense and Auburn,” Freeze said in a statement. “He’s a dual-threat guy who knows the RPO system very well and can throw deep passes very well.”
take charge of Dillon GabrielAs a backup during his freshman season, Arnold took over as the starting quarterback before the Alamo Bowl loss to Oklahoma State Arizona Gabriel transferred to oregonhe started 10 games for the Sooners.
In a challenging season for the quarterback and the program, Arnold passed for 1,421 yards and rushed for 444 yards with a total of 15 touchdowns and three interceptions. The Sooners, ranked No. 16 in the preseason, went 6-6 in their first year in the SEC and 2-6 in conference play.
In Oklahoma State’s first SEC game, vs. tennesseeAfter three first-half turnovers, Arnold was replaced by coach Brent Venables before halftime. newborn Michael Hawkins Jr. Replacing him ended a 25-15 defeat and Venables named him a starter in the hope Hawkins “will give us a better chance going forward”.
Arnold did not play in the 27-21 road win at Auburn the following week, nor in the team’s 34-3 loss to then-No. 1 team. 1 The Battle of Red River, Texas. But when Hawkins turned the ball over three times in the first quarter next week against Hawkins south carolinaAfter the season, Venables reinstated Arnold as the starter.
Arnold has struggled to live up to expectations in an offense that has struggled with injuries and inconsistency all season.
Oklahoma State relied on eight different starting lineup combinations on the offensive line through 12 games, as well as its projected top five wide receivers — Dion Burks, Nick Anderson, Jalil Farooq, Andre Anthony and Jayden Gibson ——Missed important game time due to injury. Anderson, Farooq and Anthony have since entered the transfer portal.
The Sooners are averaging 21.2 points per game against FBS opponents, ranking second among SEC teams, and are leading in yards per play (4.8), yards per pass attempt (6.1) and sacks allowed Ranked in the bottom 10 of the FBS in (46).
Despite these issues, Oklahoma State still managed to shock then-No. 7. Alabama was defeated 24-3 in the home finale, ultimately eliminating the Crimson Tide from the first 12-team College Football Playoff.
Arnold rushed for a career-high 131 yards on 25 carries and completed 9-of-11 passes for 68 yards in the win, which ensured the Sooners’ bowl eligibility. they can play navy Dec. 27 at the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl.
He gets a chance for a fresh start at Auburn, a team determined to compete for an SEC spot in Freeze’s third season. Tigers will lose All-SEC running back Jax Hunter and leading receiver KayAndre Lambert Smith The NFL added four blue-chip freshman wide receivers: Cam Coleman, Malcolm Simmons, Perry Thompson and Bryce Kane.
Frazier needs a No. 1 quarterback in portal to help Auburn take a big step forward after 22 starts Peyton Thorne Graduation and backup Hank Brown and Holden Jerina Transfer was chosen. Brown Commitment Iowa.
The Tigers got off to a 2-5 start in 2024 and lost four straight games in the SEC, but have battled back to win three of their last five games, including a 43-41 victory over the then-No. 1 Tigers . 15 Texas A&M University in four overtimes. They lost to Alabama 28-14 in the final, losing bowl eligibility. In Auburn’s seven losses, the offense averaged just 13.3 points per game.
With the addition of Arnold, Freeze and the Tigers are expected to work aggressively this month to continue upgrading the roster by adding to the transfer portal.
Arnold’s first SEC conference game with the Tigers in 2025 will be back in Norman on September 20 against Oklahoma State.
