I like Jackson Arnold as a young man so this in no way will be snarky. It may be a little snarky to Auburn fans, but not to Jackson.
I thought this was a very entertaining SEC opener for both teams. This game had a little bit of everything as far as a college football game can deliever.
OU eventually won the game by a 24-17 score as John Mateer led the Sooners on a clutch drive to take the lead. Then R Mason Thomas closed the deal with a safety sack of Jackson Arnold to seal the game in what was a very physical football game.
A year ago, without John Mateer, OU probably would have found a way to lose this game. But not on this Saturday. This is a different group of Sooners with a different kind of mindset as far as finishing games in the fourth quarter when it matters.
We saw it in that final drive against Michigan and we witnessed it again this past Saturday as John Mateer completed his final 11 pass attempts of the game and then scored the game winner himself on another one of those smart scampers into the endzone which has highlighted his season in Norman so far.
Mateer is a tough kid. Both physically and mentally. He is exactly what this team needed at the quarterback position. A quarterback who sets the tone by example and leads the team through his play. Maybe a white kid who plays a litle bit like Jalen Hurts might be a good comparison.
That in no way is a dig at Jackson Arnold because I like Jackson and want him to succeed and play in the NFL at some point. My OU memory of Jackson will always be the Alabama game where he shredded the Tide with his running game as the Sooners routed Alabama 24-3 in Norman.
I’m dissapointed though in the Auburn fanbase. They’re still whining over the Sategna play where he didn’t leave the field. What is a trick play? It’s deception. What is a double reverse? What is a halfback pass? What is the Statue of Liberty play which Boise used to upset the Sooners in that epic Fiesta Bowl I attended? What is the hook and ladder play which Boise also used on the touchdown prior to the two-point conversion?
All trick plays with the (mens rea) intentional intent of deception.
Jackson Arnold was SACKED TEN TIMES on Saturday by OU. TEN TIMES. Plus, the Auburn offense took double digit penalties on the offensive side of the football at just the wrong times. The replay call on the overturned Auburn touchdown was correct. Possession was never established.
I guess, by the letter of the written rules–Sategna should have yelled over to Hugh Freeze he was staying on the field just like the Boise coach should have done to Bob Stoops before all of that trickery.
Yeah, whatever. Auburn has a little bit of that O State whine in them. They’re always firing their coaches and always upset with Alabama. They need to become more mentally tough would be MJ’s advice. I mentioned this to my wife who attended Auburn… just after the game and she flipped me off. I actually like she did that. It showed me some fandom toughness.
Que sera, baby. OU is now 4-0 all-time versus Auburn and this game marks the first time in the series OU didn’t win by a double digit margin.
As far as Jackson goes..I give this advice—get rid of the ball quicker. Get through your progressions quicker or move up into the pocket quicker and flush downfield. There’s an art to pocket presence, JA.
And BTW to you Auburn fans, OU’s best defensive football player, R Mason Thomas, didn’t even play the first half because of a very dubious targeting call in the Temple game. Should OU have whined to the SEC about that fact?
It is what it is. Auburn is at Kyle Field this coming week-end to play a good A&M team. We’ll see how it goes. I know if I were coaching Auburn…I’d make certain No. 8 Cam Clarkson at a minimum gets 12 targets or touches every game.
I mean, I want Auburn to win the game. Let’s see what they’re made of.
Time to work out.
Eternal love, MJ.