CBS SPORTS - Oklahoma quarterback Jackson Arnold will enter the transfer portal, CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz reports. Arnold was a former five-star recruit and started nine games for the Sooners in 2024.

Arnold was a major get for the program as the No. 10 overall player and No. 1 prospect out of Texas in the Class of 2023, according to 247Sports. He was the first marquee commitment for coach Brent Venables and seemed to indicate that the program would continue its track record of major quarterback development.

It’s what Arnold signed up for when he decided to come to OU as part of its 2023 recruiting class. Just look at the pedigree of quarterbacks who preceded him—guys like Sam Bradford, Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray, all of whom won the Heisman Trophy during Arnold’s lifetime. Arnold wanted to follow in their footsteps and become the next great quarterback to play at Oklahoma.

After backing up Dillon Gabriel for one season, Arnold was handed the starting job in 2024. However, he was benched after throwing three interceptions in his first four starts as the Sooners’ offense struggled. Arnold did not play in a 34-3 loss to the then-No. 1 Texas.

He returned to the lineup two games later with the Sooners went down 21-0 less than six minutes into the game against South Carolina. The Sooners went 2-3 in the final five games but pulled a shocking

24-3 upset against No. 7 Alabama to get to bowl eligibility.

Arnold completed 62.6% of his passes for 1,421 yards, 12 touchdowns and three interceptions. He added 444 yards and three touchdowns on the ground, including 131 yards rushing in the win over Alabama. Arnold played most of the season without his top five wide receivers because of a wave of injuries for the unit.

“For me it’s just learning how to battle,” Arnold said Saturday when asked what this season taught him. “Not learning but just continue to battle and keep my head up through everything. From being benched to being thrown back in, I learned a lot about myself this year. I could’ve sat away and sat the rest of the year, and I could have redshirted, done that. Gave up. But I didn’t. I kept my head down. I kept on grinding. And for me it’s just learning — I guess it’s just improving on my toughness and how to battle and how to come back from adversity.” Oklah oma posted the worst offense in SEC play at 278.6 yards per game and averaged only 4.2 yards per play. The Sooners fired offensive coordinator Seth Littrell and hired Ben Arbuckle to the same position from Washington State. However, Oklahoma coach Brent Venables said he intends to keep the remainder of the coaching staff in place.

Arnold’s departure leaves Hawkins as the only scholarship quarterback remaining on the roster. The Sooners flipped Oklahoma State quarterback commit Jett Niu in the Class of 2025 following the hire of Arbuckle and previous decommitment of Kevin Sperry (Florida State).