Death, taxes, and Auburn running the football? New QB Jackson Arnold looks to have the script down pat

WACO, Texas -- Facing a fourth quarter fourth-and-1 on the road, Auburn coach Hugh Freeze weighed his options. A 44-yard field goal would push the lead out to two scores. A first down would, almost assuredly, end the game against Baylor. 

On the sidelines, freshman quarterback Deuce Knight got in Freeze's ear: Why not give the ball to your best playmaker and see what happens? So Freeze put in the call. 

Quarterback Jackson Arnold, in his first start as a Tiger, took the snap. He ran an RPO jet sweep with receiver Eric Singleton, but, seeing Baylor's linebackers over-pursue in the direction of the speedy Singleton, Arnold kept the ball and broke through untouched for a game-sealing 27-yard touchdown. The exclamation point capped off a 38-24 win against Baylor, a statement victory entering a crucial third season for Freeze on the Plains. 

A one-time 5-star quarterback prospect, Arnold rushed for a career-high 137 yards and completed only 11 of 17 passing attempts for 108 yards. 

"I didn't expect to run that much," Arnold said. "But at the same time, I'm going to do what I have to do to figure out how to take what they gave us. I had to swallow my pride a little in the passing game." 

Freeze jumped in: "With the receivers we have, that is very difficult for both of us." 

The receiving corps was the headliner for Auburn heading into the season after the program invested heavily into the position. Cam Coleman, a 5-star ranked smack-dab between Jeremiah Smith and Ryan Williams from the 2024 class, is a sophomore. Singleton was a the No. 1-ranked wideout in the transfer portal. However, it was Arnold the runner that stole the show.  He averaged 8.6 yards per carry, scored two touchdowns and had a bundle of conversions to extend drives. His 16 carries were pivotal as Auburn's running game steamrolled Baylor. 

Running backs Damari Alston and Jeremiah Cobb each carried 16 times and scored a touchdown, too.

Whether draws or scrambles, Arnold was dynamic on the ground, especially in the game's biggest moments. His effort behind a strong offensive line helped set the tone for a 307-yard, four-touchdown performance to start the season. Arnold was a controversial addition to the roster after his struggles in Norman. With his legs factored in, however, Arnold has the potential to swing Auburn's offense. 

"We don't let him do it in practice but I've seen enough tape," Freeze said. "He really flashed in the mock game a little bit. I knew he was very capable and it showed up tonight in big ways." 

Surely Freeze liked what he saw from Arnold's tape in Oklahoma's upset of Alabama, when he turned upfield and rushed for 131 yards against the Tide. It was a rare bright spot for Arnold last year. He was benched after the first few games for a true freshman after struggling to pass behind a porous offensive line amid a season of mayhem for Oklahoma's offensive staff that would see the midseason firing of its OC. When Arnold entered the transfer portal, Freeze quickly made him a priority to replace the departing Payton Thorne. 

For some of his teammates, the athleticism Arnold flashed Friday night came as a surprise. 

"In spring and fall, we don't get to see him run like that," running back Jeremiah Cobb said. "I've never seen him do anything like that. He looked good and athletic. He looked very strong." 

There was a play in the third quarter where Arnold ran around the left side of the offensive line. Then he planted his foot, turned around and darted all the way around the complete other side of the line for a gain. 

"In camp, we saw some plays where the refs blew the whistle a little bit early," center Connor Lew said. "So we knew he had it in him. I mean, just having that extra element in the running game, we were excited to see it and for him to get a chance to showcase it tonight." 

Arnold's rushing could be a significant addition to the offense, especially as the program tries to return to SEC contention. Thorne rushed for only 2.5 yards per carry in 2024, and didn't reach the end zone with his legs in SEC play. Auburn's offense ranked middle-of-the-pack in the SEC's rushing offense statistics, despite featuring Alston, who is one of the league's best. Arnold will open things up and change the offense's red zone complexion. The offensive line was absolutely dominant, mauling Baylor along the lines of scrimmage. And eventually the receivers will benefit from stacked boxes, too. 

"It's gonna be different playing against more teams going forward," running back Damari Alston said. "Good luck to them trying to stop the run." 

As he walked out of the interview room, Alston turned to Lew. 

"You remember the three things, right? Death, taxes and Auburn running the football."