-
Eli Lederman, ESPN Staff Writer
Oklahoma quarterback Jackson Arnold returned under center in the first quarter of the Sooners’ game against South Carolina on Saturday, replacing freshman Michael Hawkins and burning his redshirt in his first action since Sept. 21.
Arnold, a former five-star prospect, had not played since he was benched in the first half of Oklahoma’s Week 4 loss to Tennessee. He entered Saturday’s game with the Sooners trailing the Gamecocks 21-0 after Hawkins committed turnovers on each of Oklahoma’s first three possessions.
With his fifth appearance this fall, Arnold is no longer eligible to take a redshirt in 2024, leaving him with two years of eligibility after this season. Asked earlier this week whether Oklahoma had considered redshirting Arnold, coach Brent Venables made it clear that the sophomore passer was still in the Sooners’ plans.
“What was told to Jackson is if we put you in, it’s because we need you to help us go win,” Venables said Tuesday. “We’re certainly sensitive to everything. We’re not sitting here with our head in the sand or naive to what it is. But man, he’s a great teammate. He wants to be the starting quarterback at the University of Oklahoma.”
Venables reiterated this week that he did not consider inserting Arnold for Hawkins during Oklahoma’s 34-3 loss to No. 1 Texas in Week 7.
But the switch came early on Saturday. Hawkins threw an interception on the Sooners’ opening possession then had a fumble returned for a touchdown. On the next possession, Hawkins threw a pick-six.
Oklahoma entered Saturday sitting 4-2 with a 1-2 conference record in its inaugural SEC campaign.