When Auburn football landed Jackson Arnold in the transfer portal, the talent was always there. After a rough showing at Oklahoma, he returned to the SEC, where head coach Hugh Freeze was a little skeptical.

With some of the quarterback competition, Arnold didn't seem to shy away from it. As a result, Freeze was real on the success he saw from the transfer portal quarterback.

“Just needed a restart for whatever reason,” Freeze said via On3 Sports. “And I’m just excited about what I saw. He’s got the arm talent, he’s got the legs, he’s got the football IQ. And I think he just needs confidence, and I think that confidence grew this spring, along with his rapport with our receivers.

“But truthfully, you probably don’t regain or gain that confidence and swagger until we really get into the bows and have success. But I’m really confident with what I saw, in him and Deuce, throughout the spring.”

Auburn football has a tough decision to make heading into the season. Luckily, this is a good decision to make about their starting quarterback. Arnold might've needed that positive reinforcement and a new environment for him to thrive.

Can Auburn football succeed with Jackson Arnold?

It's a tough question to answer, considering how Arnold's tenure ended with Oklahoma. They had a mediocre season and took a step backward.

Even with an elite defense, they couldn't put points on the board.

Could the same happen in Auburn?

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Possibly, but Freeze is an offensive mastermind. He elevated schools like Liberty into the national spotlight. He understands how to win games, and can even run a quality offense.

Going from a defensive mind in Brent Venables to Freeze could be the major change he needed. Also, having a complete change of scenery could be what Arnold needs.

Either way, the SEC remains the toughest conference in college football. Teams like Texas, Georgia, and even Oklahoma can present a challenge.

After all, the latter landed a star quarterback in the transfer portal with John Mateer.

At the end of the day, the countdown to the regular season is on. Hopefully for Freeze, he'll have his definite starting quarterback by then.

Judging from his comments, he's willing to be patient with Arnold amid his first time with Auburn football. However, his skill and experience might be one that the head coach is looking for.

They'll take on Baylor in the opening week, and perhaps Arnold might be the lead signal-caller for the Tigers.