Why Jackson Arnold Needs a Bounce-Back Game Against Missouri

While most of the criticism of the Auburn Tigers' failure is directed at head coach Hugh Freeze, quarterback Jackson Arnold deserves more than his fair share of the blame. Sitting at .500 for the first half of the season, the Tigers let the other game get away from them.

With Missouri headed to the Plains and Freeze keeping him as the starter, the quarterback needs to fix the numerous problems that continue to plague him.

Crunch Time Disappearance

When Auburn needs him most, Arnold fails to show up. For example, he has no touchdown pass in the fourth quarter. Granted, he does have a couple of rushing scores late. However, one of them arrived after a 73-yard interception. The junior's failures as a quarterback in the fourth quarter hit the national headlines in the loss against Georgia.

Arnold completed just two passes in the final stanza. The team failed to score in the final 44 minutes of gametime and failed to control the clock, possessing the ball for nearly 17 minutes from that point on. The Tigers had five second-half possessions, gaining 50 yards in the process. This cannot continue going into the Missouri game.

Risk Averse

Arnold still doesn't have an interception, which looks great on a stat sheet. Still, he rarely takes the chances that winning quarterbacks do. With an array of weapons, Arnold can throw the ball at all three levels. Yet, where's the disconnect? His talent doesn't dissipate, with his skills still apparent. The moment looks too large for him.

Passes either lack zip, or he muscles up, causing the ball to drift and flutter like a knuckleball. Worse, Arnold locks on a target and refuses to scan through his progressions. Under those circumstances, his offensive line is forced to block a half-second longer. Instead of taking the open pass, Arnold wants the big play but doesn't throw it. Valuable time elapses as his indecision and slower trigger hurt the team.

Obvious Error

With Arnold's struggles, a growing sentiment among the fanbase is to bench him. The school didn't invest millions in Arnold for him to sit on the bench. Changing quarterbacks feels like surrendering with half the season remaining. Fixing his issues will take less time than getting a new quarterback up to speed.

Quick Fixes

Auburn can salvage the next six games and make the season a success with a couple of changes to Arnold's approach. First, use the actual run game. No, that doesn't mean quarterback keepers. Hand the ball to the running backs and allow them to move it. Moreover, playing with pace helps keep the defense searching for answers.

Moreover, getting the tight ends involved will gain sneaky yards down the seam. Lastly, pare Arnold's options. The whole playbook and route tree don't need to be open for a quarterback who struggles with late-game thought processes.

Arnold is a dual-threat quarterback with a sizable ceiling. He can lead Auburn's offense to success. His problems are more self-contained than anything else. Finding the balance between brilliant football and aggressive football needs to become his focus.

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