Auburn’s football team quarterback carousel is spinning again as former five-star Jackson Arnold prepares to hit the transfer portal after just one season on the Plains, according to Justin Hokanson of On3 Sports.
The 2022 Gatorade National Player of the Year will now be looking for his third school in as many years after stops at Oklahoma and Auburn failed to become the long-term fit many expected when he emerged as a top-10 recruit in the 2023 class.
While the offense resets yet again, Alex Golesh is betting on stability on the other side of the ball. Asked about retaining defensive coordinator DJ Durkin and what that could mean for roster continuity, Golesh pointed straight to relationships, via Justin Hokanson again on X:
“I would think so. The neat thing about DJ…from the time he was interim coach…these offensive guys that played under him absolutely love him.” Keeping a trusted voice like Durkin in the building is clearly part of Golesh’s strategy to keep current players bought in while he reshapes the offense and quarterback room.
Arnold’s stop-and-start career explains why this upcoming move feels so pivotal. He arrived at Oklahoma as a potential program savior but never fully grabbed the job, completing 62.6 percent of his passes for 1,421 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2024 before being benched by Brent Venables.
The move to Auburn was supposed to be a reset, yet the same pattern emerged. In 10 games with the Tigers, Arnold again flashed as a runner with eight rushing touchdowns but remained inconsistent as a passer, finishing with 1,309 yards, six touchdowns, and two interceptions on 63.3 percent completions. Life in the SEC did not provide the breakout stage many envisioned.
Even as Arnold exits, Golesh is already stacking pieces for the future. Auburn landed a significant recruiting win by flipping 2026 wide receiver Brian Williams Jr. from Alabama, giving the new staff a long, athletic outside target to build around.
The 6-foot-4 Florida product profiles as a classic boundary mismatch and stands as one of Golesh’s first signature recruiting statements against the Tide.
Put together, it is a classic modern college football picture: a blue-chip quarterback on the move again, a new head coach doubling down on staff continuity, and a fresh wave of talent like Williams arriving to grow in a more stable defensive.
