When the Oklahoma Sooners open their 2024 season on Friday, there will be a new quarterback under center. And for the first time since Spencer Rattler started in 2021, it will be a guy the Sooners recruited out of high school starting the opener.
Where did Jackson Arnold go to high school, and how did he end up with the Sooners?
Where Did Jackson Arnold Play in High School?
Perhaps unsurprisingly, for a team with Oklahoma’s recent quarterback pedigree, the Sooners landed Arnold, the nation’s eighth-ranked player, per On3’s Industry Rankings, as the gem of their 2023 recruiting class.
Arnold, a consensus five-star recruit and the nation’s fourth-ranked quarterback, went to Guyer High School in Denton, Texas. He was ranked as the second-best player in the Lone Star State.
Arnold fits the recent Oklahoma quarterback mold: a shorter, mobile quarterback with the ability to throw from more than one arm angle. While he was electric during his senior year, Arnold was a late bloomer.
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Arnold played sparingly his first two seasons at Guyer High School, serving as the primary backup to former Texas A&M quarterback recruit and current Vanderbilt tight end Eli Stowers.
When given the chance to start, though, Arnold shined, winning Texas District 5-6A Co-MVP and leading Guyer to a state championship appearance.
As a senior, Arnold put up huge numbers, throwing for 3,383 yards, 33 touchdowns, and just three picks. He was a true dual-threat, adding 855 yards and 23 touchdowns on the ground. His performance won him Gatorade National Player of the Year for the 2021-2022 season.
Arnold Transitions To Oklahoma
Arnold graduated high school in seven semesters and became an early enrollee at Oklahoma in January 2023. He sat for most of the year behind new Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel, but saw enough action to forego a redshirt and enter the 2024 season as a true sophomore.
Arnold started the Alamo Bowl against Arizona, throwing for 361 yards and two touchdowns on 45 attempts, though he did toss three interceptions. He added 38 yards on the ground in his first collegiate start.
Now, Arnold enters the 2024 season as Oklahoma’s unquestioned starter, hoping to help the Sooners make noise in their first year in the SEC.
Oklahoma has its man, but can the Guyton star also shine in Norman?
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