Jackson Arnold recalls challenge of being thrown into starting role in last year's bowl game

Jackson Arnold got a bit of a baptism by fire for his first college start, stepping in for his Oklahoma squad in the Alamo Bowl against Arizona last winter. But through the challenge, Arnold learned plenty.

Arnold had an up-and-down day, going 26-of-45 for 361 yards and a pair of touchdowns, but he tossed a trio of interceptions in a loss. Even still, the experience was a valuable one for Arnold, who is now the full-time starter in Norman.

“It’s tough,” Arnold said of the situation. “You don’t want your first college start to really be in a bowl game against a good Arizona team, but for me I just kind of treated it as a learning opportunity, using it to grow.”

It’s also an experience similar to one Arnold experienced as a freshman in high school when he was thrust into the game during the Texas high school 6A Division 2 championship game between Denton Guyer High School and Austin Westlake High School.

In a 24-0 loss for Arnold and his Denton Guyer squad, Arnold struggled, going 2-of-11 for two interceptions, getting sacked four times. And while that day was a wash, he used it and became one of the top quarterback prospects in the nation.

“I had the same situation my freshman year in high school, sort of a similar situation where I got thrown into our state championship game,” Arnold said. “Just using that as a growing experience rather than looking at it and seeing something negative, seeing positive out of it.”

And if he can parlay his difficult first night as the starter into leaps forward, Sooner fans will certainly be pleased with the results.

Arnold learned from his predecessor, too

Dillon Gabriel and Arnold spent one year together at Oklahoma before Gabriel transferred to Oregon this offseason.

It was a year that Arnold expects to help him as he takes over as the Sooners starting quarterback in 2024 and beyond. Arnold is at the Manning Passing Academy this week.

He spoke with reporters on Friday, including On3’s Shea Dixon, about what it was like to learn from Dillon Gabriel last fall. Arnold credits Gabriel for helping him to become a better leader.

“Just the expectations he set and just the drive to want to be around the other people on our team, whether that’s the receivers, tight ends, running backs, people with the offense, even people with the defense,” Jackson Arnold said. “Just kind of being an example of how a QB should be and how they should treat other people around them in order to create that chemistry, in order to bring those guys together to ultimately perform well on the field.”

On3’s Matt Connolly contributed to this article.