How Oklahoma QB Jackson Arnold Honed the Mental Side of His Game This Offseason

DALLAS — The Alamo Bowl is firmly in Jackson Arnold’s rearview. 

Oklahoma’s new starting quarterback worked to improve all throughout the spring as he enters his first year truly at the helm of OU’s offense, and his eyes are locked on the future. 

Arnold flashed plenty of the arm talent that excited coaches around the country during his recruitment in the second and third quarters against Arizona last December, but four turnovers soured his first start. 

Curbing those miscues were the obvious takeaway from the contest, but he had another focus during spring practice to develop into the quarterback Brent Venables and offensive coordinator Seth Littrell hope he can be as a sophomore in 2024. 

“After that Arizona game, there was a lot of maturing and a lot of growing up that I had to do,” Arnold said at SEC Media Days on Tuesday. “Stepping into that QB1 role, I had to be a real leader for us, for our team, and just stepping into that role, I know I need to mature as a person, as a player too. 

“And the person that I am now and the player that I am now has improved drastically from where I was in that bowl game.”

At the start of bowl practice last year, Arnold admitted the leadership part of his new job was a bit awkward. 

“All those guys had Dillon as their quarterback the whole year,” Arnold said. “It felt like I was taking (Gabriel’s) role from him.”

Those worries are no more. 

“The biggest part of leadership that I focused on this offseason was being a vocal leader,” Arnold said. “Stepping up through conditioning or working out or whatever, just being vocal for those guys and picking them up. Even if we’re in huddles with each other, just leading those guys, telling them things and how we operate and just showing them the way things are done.”

Growing into a leadership role can take time. 

Danny Stutsman is now so much more than simply OU’s best linebacker. 

He was the heart and soul of the defense in 2023, and is a talismanic piece for the Sooners. 

Stutsman had to learn the hard way just how challenging leading an entire side of the ball can be — something he sees Arnold digesting right now. 

“It’s difficult for him,” Stutsman said.  Only playing one game last year and having all these expectations thrown onto him. He’s done an amazing job of filling that role and doing whatever it takes. 

“For myself, I look back to my sophomore year, kind of earning that starting spot. It kind of took a while. I thought the guys on the defense kind of were leaders. I realized quickly that someone needs to step into that more vocal role. 

“… Sometimes guys don’t want to be there, and you see it right away. You have to be the person who wakes them up, gets them going. Sometimes that person is myself, and I have to kind of understand like if I come to practice or come to workout and I’m not 110 percent, I’m not the one who’s getting everyone clapping, getting everyone with that energy, then people are going to feed off of that both ways.”

As spring practice broke and made way to summer workouts, Arnold still had his own checklist of improvements on the field. 

He tested his skills against the nation’s other top quarterbacks at the Manning Passing Academy, where he continued to try and hone how to marry his arm strength with a deeper understanding of exactly where the ball needs to go on every play. 

“I feel like the biggest thing for me after spring ball was attacking the mental side of football,” Arnold said, “whether that’s looking at defenses or how Coach V looks at offenses, getting a defensive perspective of the game. 

“But just really focusing on the mental part of football and just kind of learning different things that will help me ID coverages or help me make better reads for the season.”

The true test for Arnold will come in September when the Sooners open up SEC play against Tennesse and then close the month with a trip to Auburn. 

His development will go a long way in determining Oklahoma’s fate in 2024. 

But as the Sooners prepare to open training camp at the end of the month, it’s clear he’s taken the necessary strides off the field to lead OU on it this year. 

“I think Jackson is starting to understand that and trying to do everything he can to be turned into that leader,” Stutsman said.