Brent Venables describes what is standing out about Jackson Arnold

The Oklahoma Sooners and head coach Brent Venables are moving on from Dillon Gabriel at quarterback, replacing him with the talented but inexperienced Jackson Arnold.

Now, with Fall Camp underway, Venables described what’s been standing out to him about Arnold ahead of the 2024 season.

“I think we’re executing at a really high level right now,” Brent Venables said. “Decision making is even better than it was. The guys around him are playing better. I think the offensive line is in a much better position than where we were in the spring. We had some guys again injured or weren’t here yet. I didn’t mention Geirean Hatchett. He’s done fantastic as well as an inside guy.”

Jackson Arnold came to Oklahoma as a five-star recruit in the Class of 2023, according to the On3 Industry Ranking. He was the fourth-ranked quarterback and the eighth-ranked player overall in that recruiting cycle.

“Overall, leadership is a comfortable position,” Venables said. “He’s led these guys all summer and spring and so it’s a little more natural now.”

The majority of the snaps went to Dillon Gabriel in 2023. That was his second season as the Sooners’ starter but he decided to transfer out of the program to Oregon in the offseason. He’s being replaced by Jackson Arnold, who did earn some playing time last season.

In seven games, he completed 44 out of 69 pass attempts for 563 yards and four touchdowns. He also had three interceptions. On top of all of that, Arnold ran for 116 yards on 31 attempts and had a touchdown on the ground.

Jackson Arnold details what he learned from in-game experience in 2023

Jackson Arnold will have plenty of expectations to live up to in 2024. That’s a big part of why he’s so happy to have had the in-game experience that he got in 2023, giving him something to build on.

“Just limiting the mistakes you make. In high school, you can kind of get away with things you can’t get away with in college. You can make these extreme plays that, in college, you don’t need to make. Just go out and execute, do what the coaches need you to do and you can go out and you’ll win games, man,” Arnold said.

“I feel like in the bowl game and even BYU a little bit, I tried to do too much, tried to overcompensate and that’s when the mistakes start happening, the turnovers start happening. Just learning to play in my realm and execute and do what I’m coached [to do] is a huge learning point for me.”

Oklahoma is moving to the SEC in 2024 when Arnold takes over the team. First, however, the Sooners will open the season with a home game against Temple.