3 Sooners Takeaways: Oklahoma Hits New Low In Brutal Home Loss

Jackson Arnold deserves an apology 

Sophomore quarterback Jackson Arnold deserves an apology from Brent Venables and the rest of the OU staff who wanted to use him as a scapegoat for the offensive struggles early in the season. He also deserves an apology from some members of the media who don’t know how to analyze a football game, so they blame the QB when things aren’t going well. And he deserves an apology from the fans, who have become accustomed to Heisman-level QBs and have forgotten that quarterbacks need time to grow and develop, and poor O-Line play slows the process. I told you when the Sooners switched to Michael Hawkins that it wasn’t going to solve anything- and the last three games have proven that hypothesis (Hawkins also needs time to develop to be ready for the college game). 

Was Arnold perfect in his return? Absolutely not. He displayed 'happy feet' at times and made a couple of off-target throws. However, when given time, he generally put the ball in the right places. His 54-yard touchdown pass to Brenen Thompson was a highlight, showcasing the offense's potential with Arnold under center. Imagine if he had a healthy receiving corps! Arnold deserves credit for staying focused and ready despite being benched; not many 20-year-olds exhibit that level of maturity.

After the game, Venables praised Arnold: “There was some that was good and some that wasn’t. But he did a lot that was good, and we need to be good around him.” With Arnold's redshirt officially burned and the Hawkins experiment concluded, there's no reason he shouldn't start every game for the Sooners moving forward.

Venables, however, gave no indication of that: “We will talk about that when we figure that out, as far as moving forward.”

The Season Approaches 'Nightmare' Status

It's safe to say the game against South Carolina quickly reached nightmare status. Three turnovers in the first three possessions—two returned for touchdowns—marked an abysmal start. It’s hard to find a worse beginning for any team this season. What could have been a winnable SEC game turned into OU fighting to climb out of a 21-point hole.

The offensive line is the Sooners' most significant weakness. No matter the combination of players, defenses have dominated the line of scrimmage. Hawkins and Arnold were sacked a combined nine times, losing 72 yards; those numbers could have been worse. It’s too late for OU to build an elite offensive line, so offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh must develop the current players, while coordinators need to create game plans that help mitigate these struggles.

OU’s ball security also hit an all-time low against South Carolina. Hawkins threw two interceptions, and the Sooners fumbled six times, losing two.

Venables remains optimistic about his team's response: “The leaders in this locker room, they’re going to continue to fight and stay committed. That is one of the hardest things to do... With the competitiveness in this league, there is no margin for error.”

Now, the Sooners are 4-3, with only one easy game remaining (Maine comes to town next month). This week, they head to Oxford to face an Ole Miss team that can score with the best. After Maine, they travel to No. 19 Missouri, host No. 7 Alabama, and then visit No. 8 LSU. Buckle up, Sooner fans.

Offensive Struggles Weighing on the Defense

Early in the season, despite the offense's struggles, the Oklahoma defense remained resilient. Reporters often asked defensive players how they continued to excel without support from the offense, and they responded with team-first answers. However, after three offensive turnovers in the first five and a half minutes—two for touchdowns—the defense showed signs of weariness. Their body language appeared deflated, leading to slow and sloppy play, a stark contrast to their earlier performance.

The good news? The defense rebounded at halftime. In the third and fourth quarters, they returned to form—flying around, delivering big hits, reestablishing the line of scrimmage, and pressuring the quarterback. Most importantly, they looked like they were having fun again. The second-half stats: four sacks, 69 total yards allowed, and just three points surrendered (off an OU fumble that gave South Carolina the ball on the OU 21-yard line). This momentum will be crucial as they face one of the best offenses in the nation on the road next Saturday.