Michael Hawkins Jr. chose the hard path. Or, at least in this era of college football, the path that often ends with a trip to the transfer portal and a fresh start elsewhere. If not the path of most resistance,

However, three first half turnovers from Arnold in week four forced head coach Brent Venables to pull his starter and insert freshman Michael Hawkins Jr. into the game. The youngster settled in against the Volunteers and moved the ball in the late stages of the game, earning his first career start against Auburn the following week.

Michael Hawkins Jr. became the first Oklahoma Sooners true freshman quarterback to win on the road in his first career start.