The Oklahoma Sooners might have a quarterback problem.
OU shuffled between a pair of young quarterbacks this season -- sophomore Jackson Arnold and freshman Michael Hawkins Jr. Arnold started and finished the season as QB1, starting nine games overall. But now, Arnold is reportedly headed elsewhere through the transfer portal.
So now with Arnold not returning and a new offensive coordinator in Norman, the Sooners have two directions to go for the future at quarterback.
Develop
There was a time this was the only way.
As of now, the Sooners still have Hawkins on their roster, and that likely won't change considering his dad played for OU and his younger brother just signed as part of the 2025 class. Hawkins started three games as a freshman and appeared in six, burning his redshirt for the year.
Hawkins will defintely be OU's choice for the immediate future to start in the bowl game. Hawkins could also be the Sooners' guy longterm, but maybe not the time between that.
Brent Venables will start 2025 on the hot seat, so he can't afford the time to develop talent with his job on the line. Hawkins will be a dynamic playmaker one day (and already has shown to be), but he could still use more time, especially still with a redshirt to use and not having a real quarterbacks coach during his first college season.
OU's entire quarterbacks room is inexperienced outside of Casey Thompson, who will be out of eligibility after this season. No matter who the Sooners choose internally will require patience, and OU is out of patience after a 6-6 season.
Transfer portal
This is the trendy option, but maybe it's trending for a reason, especially for the Sooners.
Although OU hasn't been developing quarterbacks really at all during the last decade more, the Sooners have a knack for getting the right guy to transfer in and take over -- Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray, Jalen Hurts, Dillon Gabriel. That's a solid track record.
The assumption is that new offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle brings quarterback John Mateer to Norman with him. If Mateer enters the portal he'd be the No. 1 quarterback available, and the Sooners would immediately have an in.
Despite assumptions, though, there is no guarantee that Mateer leaves Washington State. He's even reportedly been suiting up for the Cougars as they prepare for a bowl game. The transfer portal doesn't officially open until Monday and will close on Dec. 28 so only time will tell.
WSU coach Jake Dickert says his recent conversations with QB John Mateer “have been really good.”
— Greg Woods (@GregWWoods) December 6, 2024
“We've done an amazing job of putting together a package for John that I think is fair, and he knows his value here. He knows how much he's loved." pic.twitter.com/9B0PF4qRYd
Regardless, even if it's not Mateer, an experienced player with proven success is probably the direction OU needs to go for 2025, even if it's just a one-year rental to get back on track in the SEC and buy Venables some more time.