Oklahoma QB Jackson Arnold rewards Sooners’ religion, dazzles in eliminate vs. Temple in first frequent-season launch

Oklahoma didn’t horror when Dillon Gabriel, who has virtually 15,000 passing yards in his profession, hit the transfer portal after two prolific seasons with the Sooners. As an different, Oklahoma rallied around usual 5-star  recruit Jackson Arnold and grew to became an anticipatory stumble on in direction of the long term. 

That future eventually arrived Friday within the No. 16 Sooners’ (1-0) season-opening 51-3 victory vs. Temple (0-1) as Arnold took the sphere for his first frequent-season launch and confirmed that his instructing personnel’s religion would possibly perhaps fair repay. 

Oklahoma lost Gabriel, who transferred to Oregon, but would possibly perhaps additionally assemble won what appears to be like cherish one in every of the SEC’s high fingers. 

Dash, it is honest to maintain in tips the stage of competitors. Temple has nine total wins since 2021. The Owls haven’t had a a success season in practically 5 years, a truth that presumably would possibly perhaps additionally no longer trade anytime soon. 

But Arnold, who accomplished 17 of his 25 run attempts for 141 yards and 4 touchdowns in three quarters of play, made throws and displayed traits which are acceptable no topic the opponent. He also did it with a somewhat shorthanded supporting cast. 

High wide receiver Nic Anderson used to be held out with an damage. Jalil Farooq left early within the first quarter after breaking his foot, an damage that coach Brent Venables acknowledged will sideline him for six to eight weeks. The Sooners also entered the game without offensive tackle Jake Taylor, and lost starting heart Branson Hickman early because of the an damage of his maintain. 

No longer that any of it used to be adequate to knock Arnold out of phase. On his very first run try of the evening, Arnold stepped into an oncoming defender and delivered a beautifully layered ball over two Temple defensive backs into the fingers of Farooq — prior to his damage — for a 47-yard connection. 

Temple used to be ready to generate consistent strain all one of many best ways by intention of the evening, and even sacked Arnold four events, a symptom of Oklahoma’s damage elements and the truth that the Sooners broke in an entirely new starting offensive line. Arnold had tall poise for such an inexperienced participant. 

His first touchdown run of the evening got here as he rolled to his lawful, with defenders in pursuit, and flipped the ball 14 yards to tight close Bauer Nice looking. Later within the first quarter, Arnold stayed within the pocket with a defender bearing down and threw a preferrred 14-yard touchdown strike to Deion Burks. 

Obtain dilapidated to that Arnold-Burks connection. The 2 teamed up for three of Oklahoma’s four first-half touchdowns. Or no longer it is clear that, no topic who is on hand, Oklahoma desires to get the ball into Burks’ fingers. 

Moreover his passing prowess, Arnold flashed the flexibility to form plays with his legs, both in disclose to lengthen drives and on designed quarterback runs. He rushed for 47 sack-adjusted yards, which ranked 2nd among both teams. 

Most importantly, it is clear that Arnold made tall strides in his resolution making at some stage within the offseason. In Oklahoma’s 2023 Alamo Bowl loss to Arizona — Arnold’s first profession launch — he accomplished fair 57.8% of his passes and had three interceptions. 

Arnold didn’t turn the ball over against the Owls and, upon first viewing no lower than, refrained from any surely run throws. On high of that, three of his eight incompletions had been the close consequence of wide receiver drops. 

Oklahoma had a satisfied lead for a majority of the game and Temple’s defensive backs had been clearly overmatched, so Arnold never needed to power the problem. His first staunch test in that regard would possibly perhaps additionally no longer arrive until the Sooners matchup against SEC secondaries. 

His numbers weren’t flashy, but Arnold confirmed that he’s poised for a likely breakout year. The Sooners are going to need it if they need to form a splash within the SEC.