‘No animosity, just excitement’: Jackson Arnold eyes his return to Norman

Former Sooner Jackson Arnold took the podium at 2025 SEC Media Days on Tuesday, reflecting on his time at Oklahoma and looking ahead to a new chapter at Auburn.

After backing up Dillion Gabriel in 2023, Arnold took over the OU offense in its first season in the Southeastern Conference.

Arnold finished the 2024 season with 1,421 passing yards, 12 touchdowns and three interceptions through 10 games, finishing with a 47.8 QBR, which ranked 91st in the country and last in the SEC.

In his first year as a starter, there were many ups and downs. After a 3-0 start, Arnold was benched for freshman Michael Hawkins Jr. in the Sooners’ first SEC game against Tennessee.

Arnold reclaimed the starting role in the game against South Carolina, finishing 2-4 in the last six games of the season.

“I mean, for whatever reason, I just didn’t play good,” Arnold said when asked what didn’t work at OU. “Things happen for a reason…Sometimes, things don’t work out the way it's supposed to. We’re on God’s timing, not our timing. I thought the best decision for me was to move on somewhere else and get a fresh start.”

Arnold entered the transfer portal following the Sooners’ final regular season game against LSU. A week later, he announced his commitment to Auburn, joining Hugh Freeze’s offense.

“Everything he (Freeze) said to me when I entered the portal was appealing to me,” Arnold said. “Whether it was the depth that we had on our roster, the depth we had at receiver, o-line…The biggest thing for me was I wanted to be in a place where I felt comfortable, and I felt supported.”

After arriving at Auburn, Arnold quickly climbed the depth chart, standing out as the front-runner for quarterback over senior Ashton Daniels, sophomore John Colvin and freshmen Deuce Knight and Will Myers.

“I was crazy about Jackson out of high school, as was everybody else. I mean, the guy was a five-star Gatorade Player of the Year and exhibited exactly the things I look for to run the type of offense I want to run,” Freeze said.

“They (OU) had a ton of injuries that I think really affected the play around Jackson…That rattled his confidence, and I think that's what he needed: a confidence rebuild and reset. I think our receivers have helped him feel confident throughout spring practice and knowing that I believe in him and our staff believes in him I think is what he needed to reset.”

Reflecting on last season, Arnold views his time at OU as a valuable learning experience that he’ll carry into his first year at Auburn.

“Last year was tough, obviously not ideal whatsoever. I think perseverance was a big thing that I learned last year and kind of fighting through the tough times. We did play in some big games last year, so now I fully understand what it's like playing along an SEC schedule against some good teams…Last year taught me a lot.”

Arnold will make his return to Norman on Sept. 20 in the Sooners’ first game of SEC play. Now, suited up in Auburn’s blue and orange, the former Sooner is looking forward to the reunion in the palace.

“It’ll be a fun game – extremely excited for that one. No animosity whatsoever. I just think it’s going to be a fun environment to go in and play, I really enjoy playing in that stadium.”

Heading into the 2025 season, Arnold’s confidence is at an all-time high. The junior credits his new Auburn teammates for instilling the confidence and swagger needed to succeed in the SEC.

This story was edited by Parker Coyne.