The 2024 season is yet to wrap up. But so what? Already the 2025 transfer portal has started to make the headlines. Bad news Oklahoma Sooners fans! Your favorite quarterback, Jackson Arnold, is now scouting for a new home. Yes, the name is enough to make you go like ‘Really?’ After all, Arnold has been one of the most highly regarded quarterback prospects in the 2023 recruiting class. Well, we are yet to know the reason behind the 5-star quarterback hitting the portal. But here Sooners’ HC Brent Venables has something to do with the swap. Meanwhile, the timing of Arnold hitting the portal and the HC hiring a new offensive coordinator is thickening the plot. 

The Jackson Arnold era is over in Oklahoma, folks! The quarterback’s father Todd informed The Oklahoma on Wednesday, December 4. However, the Sooners are not going to forget his stats anytime soon. He made nine regular-season starts in his Oklahoma career, finishing the 2024 season with 1,421 passing yards, pared with 444 rushing yards along with 15 total touchdowns and three interceptions. However, things started to take an ugly turn during their face-off against Tennessee when he committed three turnovers, all in the first half. That’s when Venables benched him for Michael Hawkins Jr. But no matter how the Oklahoma HC tried to fix the situation, he now is held accountable. That’s when 247 Sports analyst Cooper Petagna puts the blame on Venables for the Arnold situation, “Was there a better way for Brent Venables to handle this situation than taking one, outputting the other one in, and now all of a sudden you might not have neither.”

So, in case Arnold is thinking of just diving into the portal and finding his dream home, that should not be happening. As Petagna comes with a reality check for the QB who right now must take a pause, “What’s in line for Jackson Arnold needs to find a place a good fit sit for a year regain his confidence and then find a way to earn that job back.” After all, the Denton guy that the Sooners were mesmerized by somewhere lost his charm. Here comes the 3P theory that exposed Venables and his program. 

“I’ve talked a lot about the 3Ps which have been offensive line protection, play calling and playmakers, Oklahoma went 0 for three on that…Oklahoma failed Jackson Arnold that’s why he’s in the position that he’s in,” stated Petagna. While the Sooners lost Arnold, Venables tried to shift the focus to someone special.  

Brent Venables’ make-or-break decision amidst Jackson Arnold’s departure

Arnold hitting the transfer portal came at a time when Venables revamped his coaching roster by hiring a new offensive coordinator. For the past couple of weeks, a name has been doing rounds. It’s none other than Ben Arbuckle from Washington State. That’s what the Oklahoma HC had to offer after another rotten 6-6 season in Norman. It looks like a make-or-break hire. 

Arbuckle, even though he is only 29 years old, has a brief list of accomplishments, his resume looks impressive, no doubt of that! Somewhere in Arbuckle, Venables could see his past when over two decades ago he was offered the associate head coach and defensive coordinator spot at Kansas State. So for those who are doubting the HC for his decision here’s what he had to say, “I was 27 years old, two years of experience, and never called it. I am just a living testimony that you can be pretty good early.”

That young chap is indeed very hardworking. Do you know when seven years ago, Ben Arbuckle was yet to get a break as a football coach, he took a second job for Uber Eats where he delivered meals. But gone are those days. He will now be calling plays for the Oklahoma Sooners. Brent Venables made his move, but will it heal the hearts of those missing Jackson Arnold?