Jackson Arnold’s Oklahoma Sooners lost to LSU on the road in their last regular season game. The dark clouds started to appear and rained down disappointment again in their game against the Navy. Arnold read the signs quietly and switched camps to Auburn in what would be his junior year. Surely the clouds wouldn’t wait for him at Auburn, too?

Well, it seems like Jackson Arnold, despite all his exploits in the 2024 season, has suffered a causality of fate. He arrived with high hopes for the team, as Hugh Freeze dubbed him “a natural fit.” His stats for the 2024 season, where he scored 12 touchdowns for 1,865 yards (both rushing and throwing) and a 62.6% pass completion rate, place him with the QBs with high ceilings. The question then is: What’s the problem?

Zac Blackerby of ‘Locked on Auburn’ highlighted how Deuce Knight could potentially challenge the former Sooners’ QB’s place. “Jackson Arnold starts the season, and barring an injury, we want Jackson Arnold to succeed, but what I think is that Deuce Knight is pursuing that QB1 job and trying to take it from Jackson Arnold…I think the most realistic scenario is at the end of the year with Jackson Arnold having two years left of eligibility. If you’re Hugh Freeze or this offensive coaching staff, it allows you to make a decision to say, Hey Jackson, you can go. We’re good here. Thank you for what you did. Thank you for leading Auburn’s offense this past season.” So, what could exactly go wrong with Jackson Arnold?

While Arnold showed tremendous potential in the 2024 season, he still didn’t start all the games for the Sooners. Brent Venables, the Oklahoma head coach, gave him the starting job and then experimented with Hawkins Jr. Even after he gave him his QB place back, the fortunes for the Sooners didn’t quite shine as they lost to the South Carolina Gamecocks and Ole Miss consecutively.

Former Alabama QB A.J. McCarron took a dig at Hugh Freeze’s decision. “Oh god, oh [expletive], What did Hugh Freeze see watching Oklahoma tape?… To play the quarterback position, the last time I checked, you got to be able to throw the damn football. I didn’t see that all year. When did he (Jackson Arnold) ever throw it and win?“.

The former QB also laughed at the idea that Freeze gave the player a $1.5 million deal and hinted that money could have been spent better. So, does Deuce Knight really have what it takes to clinch the QB1 job at Auburn?

Deuce Knight a generational talent?

For starters, Deuce Knight is a 5-star-rated prospect in the 2025 class at Auburn. Standing at 6 feet and 4 and a half inches tall, he weighs around 208 lbs. This makes him one of the best dual-threat QBs in the current class. Moreover, his high school career is also a testament to the level of talent he possesses. He threw for 2256 yards in his last season, scoring 25 touchdowns. His rushing stats were also phenomenal, as he garnered 484 rushing yards, scoring 12 touchdowns in rushing plays. But wait, there’s more.

He is also widely compared to former Gators quarterback Anthony Richardson due to his physique and explosive plays. The player has expert decision-making ability under pressure as he performs his magic in RPO situations. However, the most important ability that he possesses is that he perfectly fits into Hugh Freeze’s schemes. I mean, this is a QB who has the ceiling of a world-class talent. Certainly, it will be a cause for worry for Jackson Arnold. The verdict?

Well, the 2025 season is all Jackson’s to grab, and that is something that even Deuce Knight would find hard to take away. So, the perfect thing for Arnold would be to keep his head down and work hard on his game. He still has a lot to offer, and maybe he will be the one to take Auburn to glory.