Jackson Arnold was benched by Oklahoma after the first half against Tennessee was marked by turnovers.

Arnold had two fumbles and threw one interception in the first half against the Vols.

Both fumbles were serious mistakes. In both cases, Arnold lost the ball on the first play of a drive after the Oklahoma defense intercepted him. In one case, the fumble occurred inside the 5-yard line when the Sooners were close to the end zone.

Oklahoma decided to make a change at quarterback after Arnold’s second fumble. With Arnold out of the game, Oklahoma went with freshman Michael Hawkins. Hawkins was a 4-star prospect for the class of 2024 from Allen, Texas.

On his first series on the field before the end of the first half, Hawkins rushed for 10 yards on two carries. He also suffered a sack after a bad snap. He did not attempt a pass on the series.

The Sooners also have college football traveler Casey Thompson as an option on the bench. Thompson transferred to Oklahoma this past offseason after previously playing for Texas, Nebraska and Florida Atlantic in his college career.

It’s been a disappointing start to the season for Arnold. He also struggled to move the ball forward in Oklahoma’s first three games to start the season. A former 5-star prospect, OU has decided to hand him the keys to the offense this offseason.