Woodi Washington sent Jackson Arnold a direct message this offseason with a helpful quote: “It’s only pressure if you put it on yourself.”
Arnold attributed the quote to the late Los Angeles Lakers legend and five-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant. Though it might have been a slight misquote, the essence of Bryant’s sentiment remained: “Pressure does not exist. Those pressures are self-inflicted. They’re self-made. It’s the imagination. We create pressure ourselves.”
While the quote wasn’t exact, the message was clear. It was a fitting piece of advice from one of Oklahoma’s most experienced players to the new face of the program, as Arnold prepares for his first season as the Sooners’ starting quarterback — along with all the expectations and pressure that come with that role.
“Just block it out,” Arnold said about managing the pressure. “It’s only pressure if you put it on yourself. So, really, just blocking it out and not putting pressure on yourself and staying level-headed.”
Arnold is not letting external factors weigh him down as he takes charge of Oklahoma’s offense. He understands the expectations that come with playing quarterback at Oklahoma and embraces them, aspiring to be mentioned alongside the greats who preceded him.
Instead of being overwhelmed by the pressure, Arnold has focused on improving his performance. He has worked on bettering his decision-making after a challenging bowl game where he threw three interceptions and contributed to four of Oklahoma’s season-high six turnovers in a loss to Arizona.
