HERE WE GO : Why Is Arnold Entering the Transfer Portal?

The news that Jackson Arnold is leaving the Oklahoma Sooners for the transfer portal is, in a word, unexpected. His first full year as the starter for Oklahoma Sooners football was a difficult one. As a former five-star recruit, the expectations were exceedingly high and many feel he hadn’t lived up to them. So, what does this mean? More importantly, where does he go next?

Jackson Arnold Enters The Transfer Portal

Why Is Arnold Entering the Transfer Portal?

The current word around campus is that the driving force behind Arnold’s decision to enter the portal is the hiring of Ben Arbuckle. The former Washington State coach is joining the Oklahoma Sooners for 2025 as the offensive coordinator. There’s also speculation that Washington State’s John Mateer is coming in alongside Arbuckle. Mateer is a more experienced and versatile quarterback who has previous experience with Arbuckle. With Arnold’s exit from the program, there may be a good deal of truth to this theory.

If it turns out that Mateer isn’t joining Arbuckle, this creates a massive amount of chaos for the 2025 season. Behind Arnold on the depth chart are Hawkins, Brendan Zurbrugg, and the newly signed three-star Jett Niu from Utah. Niu signed on Wednesday morning, flipping his commitment from Oklahoma State to the Sooners.