Danny Stutsman says Oklahoma has full faith in Jackson Arnold
The 2024 season doesn’t just represent a new era of football for the Oklahoma Sooners as they’re joining the SEC along with rival Texas. It will also represent the beginning of the Jackson Arnold era in Norman, with the young quarterback taking the reins of the offense over as Oklahoma’s starter under center.
Arnold made six-game appearances last season for the Sooners in his true freshman year, making his first career start in the Valero Alamo Bowl against Arizona. And although he was not able to lead Oklahoma to a win in their bowl matchup with the Wildcats, Sooners’ star linebacker Danny Stutsman still believes in Arnold leading the team moving forward.
“It’s obvious Jackson is a baller and we have full faith in him. First career start, he played his heart out,” Stutsman said. “Every time he takes that field, I have so much confidence in that offense and everything that they do. I love him to death. He’s a tremendous player.”
Arnold threw for 361 yards and two touchdowns in Oklahoma’s bowl loss, also rushing for 38 yards on the ground in his first career collegiate start. But his issues regarding ball security ended up costing the Sooners, throwing three interceptions and fumbling the ball once.
Two of his turnovers came in the final quarter of the game, which helped aid Arizona in their comeback victory with the Wildcats scoring 17 unanswered fourth quarter points to secure their first bowl win since 2015 and their first 10-win season since 2014.
“I know now there’s going to be some adversity, but he needs to hang his head up higher than ever because Oklahoma has his back, that entire locker room with Jackson, and this changes nothing,” Stutsman said.
Stutsman is one of Oklahoma’s star players and leaders, named First-Team All-Big 12 and a Second-Team All-American by Walter Camp after leading the Sooners with 104 tackles. Making his endorsement of Arnold paramount despite some of his struggles in his first career start.
Arnold was a highly touted high school recruit out of Guyer High School in Denton, Texas, where he was a five-start prospect ranked the No. 8 overall player and the No. 4 quarterback in the nation for the 2023 recruiting class according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.
With former starting quarterback Dillion Gabriel transferring to Oregon following the season and offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby moving on to become the head coach at Mississippi State, it will surely be interesting to see how Arnold fairs in his first career season as the Sooners’ starters as they enter the SEC. As he’ll also be tasked with maintaining the lofty standards that have been placed on the quarterback position in recent history for the Oklahoma program.