SEC Powerhouse Benches Former Five-Star QB After Brutal Start

With a chance to make a significant statement in Week 4, the No. 15 Oklahoma Sooners instead found themselves with some soul-searching to do at halftime against the No. 6 Tennessee Volunteers.

Heading into halftime, the Sooners trailed 19-3 and clearly needed something to change. One thing that has already changed in hopes of finding a solution is the benching of quarterback Jackson Arnold.

The former five-star recruit who at one point pushed Arch Manning for the No. 1 quarterback ranking in the 2023 class struggled mightily in Oklahoma's first conference game as a member of the SEC. He completed just 7-of-16 passes for 54 yards while also throwing an interception.

As revealed on social media by The Athletic's Stewart Mandel, the Sooners turned to true freshman Michael Hawkins.

According to 247Sports, Hawkins ranked as a three-star recruit and as the No. 35 quarterback in the country in the 2024 cycle. Stepping in against a defense as dominant as Tennessee's is undoubtedly a big ask for the freshman who has just four career passing attempts under his belt.

Related: Arch Manning's Opening Drive of First Career Start Ends in Disaster