Oklahoma turns to QB Arnold for Ole Miss game

• Eli Lederman, ESPN Personnel WriterOct 21, 2024, 09:49 PM ET Close Eli Lederman covers college football and recruiting for ESPN.com. He signed up with ESPN in 2024 after covering the University of Oklahoma for Sellout Crowd and the Tulsa World.Oklahoma quarterback

Jackson Arnold will get the start under center when the Sooners go to No. 18 Ole Miss on Saturday, coach Brent Venables announced during his coach’s show Monday night.Arnold, the sophomore passer, began the season as Oklahoma

‘s starter however had not appeared in a game since Sept. 21, before he came off the bench Saturday to replace freshman quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. in the very first quarter of the Sooners ’35-9 defeat to South Carolina.Arnold finished 18 of his 36 passes for 225 backyards with a goal in the Week 8 loss, which dropped Oklahoma to 4-3

and 1-3 in SEC play.Arnold’s return versus the Gamecocks marked his fifth look this fall, formally burning his chance to redshirt and leaving him with two seasons of eligibility remaining.Editor’s Picks 2 Related In Week 9, the former five-star possibility will make his first start considering that he was benched in a 25-15 loss to Tennessee in Week 4, back under center on the

road against a Rebels pass rush that has tallied 24 sacks, seventh most nationally.Venables’confirmation of the move to stick with Arnold at quarterback showed up simply over 24 hr after Oklahoma fired first-year offensive planner Seth Littrell on Sunday evening.Littrell, the former North Texas coach, lasted simply 7 games as the Sooners’ playcaller and left the job with Oklahoma ranked 128th in total offense and last in the SEC in rushing lawns(112.1), third-down efficiency(27.5%) and very first downs (120).

Co-offensive planner Joe Jon Finley is set to take over interim playcalling duties for the Sooners in Littrell’s place. Venables also promoted expert Kevin Johns, who most recently acted as offending organizer at Duke, to interim quarterbacks coach and co-offensive planner.

Jackson Arnold replaced Michael Hawkins Jr. in the very first quarter Saturday versus South Carolina after the Gamecocks developed a 21-0 lead in simply over 5 minutes. Kevin Jairaj/Imagn Images Arnold goes into Week 9 having completed 57.2%of his passes this season for 763 lawns and 8 goals with 3 interceptions. He began Oklahoma’s very first four regular-season games before getting pulled before halftime against Tennessee.Arnold changed Hawkins against South Carolina after the first-year passer devoted turnovers on each of the Sooners’initial 3 belongings as the Gamecocks constructed a 21-0 lead after just 5:20. Venables said Monday that leading pass catcher Deion Burks is day-to-day ahead of the trip to Ole Miss, while wide receiver Jalil Farooq– who has not appeared considering that the Sooners ‘Week 1 win over Temple– remains a”couple of weeks away”from returning to the field.