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Dave Wilson, ESPN Staff Writer
Oklahoma coach Brent Venables said Monday night that Michael Hawkins Jr. will be the Sooners’ starting quarterback for Saturday’s game at Auburn, replacing Jackson Arnold, who started the first four games this season.
“Mike will have his opportunity to run out there and be our guy and see where we’re at and try to give us a kick start,” Venables said on “Sooner Sports Talk,” his coaches show.
Hawkins replaced Arnold in the second quarter of Oklahoma’s 25-15 loss to Tennessee in Norman on Saturday night after Arnold started 7-of-16 for 54 yards with two lost fumbles and an interception. Oklahoma failed to score a touchdown in the first half at home for the first time since a 30-13 loss to Notre Dame in 2012, according to ESPN Research.
Hawkins, a 6-foot-1, 196-pound true freshman from Frisco, Texas, finished 11-of-18 for 132 yards and a touchdown and added 22 rushing yards.
His scrambling ability was a boost to an OU offense that was struggling to block the Volunteers.
“He’s a tremendous athlete,” Venables said Saturday night. “There were several times there where we had edge pressure that we didn’t block and he got outside of it. So he has some playmaking ability and he can hurt you with his legs.”