Jefferson signals his desire to lead
FAYETTEVILLE — KJ Jefferson’s mindset had to change in December.
From the moment the University of Arkansas’ bowl game against TCU was scuttled due to the Horned Frogs’ covid-19 issues, Jefferson was the heir apparent to Feleipe Franks for the starting quarterback job with the Razorbacks.
“I mean, coming in, I knew after Feleipe left, I knew I was the next guy in charge,” Jefferson said, “so at the winter workouts I just had to come in with the mindset that it was my team and I had to take over the team from day one. Keep that confidence and leadership, and consistency also, all the way up.”
Arkansas defensive back Greg Brooks Jr. said the change in Jefferson when
winter workouts started in January was noticeable.
“Ever since January and we came back and went to workouts, he’s been leading the team each and every day,” Brooks said. “Like controlling it. You can tell it’s his team. So he’s going to lead us in the right direction.”
Jefferson, a redshirt sophomore from Sardis, Miss., in many ways represents a new era at quarterback in Razorback football history.
Franks was an OK and willing runner, but largely a pocket passer, like many signal callers who preceded him in the cardinal and white.
The 6-3, 240-pound Jefferson is a big-bodied prototype of the dual-threat quarterback, much like redshirt freshman backup Malik Hornsby.
The Kendal Briles offense, in its second year at Arkansas, was constructed to incorporate dangerous running quarterbacks into the scheme.
“As far as what I envision [with] Kendal’s offense — and I’ve watched it on tape before he was hired — I think who we have at quarterback right now is probably tailored to his offense a little bit more even than what Feleipe was,” Coach Sam Pittman said prior to spring.
Jefferson has received spot duty in two seasons with the Razorbacks, starting with a fantastic four-play touchdown drive in an otherwise deflating home loss to Mississippi State in 2019. Jefferson had a 21-yard run on his first college touch, threw a 32-yard strike to Treylon Burks two plays later, then scored on a 5-yard keeper.
His first start, against No. 1 LSU two games later, did not go as well, as he suffered a shoulder injury in Baton Rouge in a rout by the Tigers.
Jefferson got minimal reps behind Franks last year until the rescheduled game at Missouri during the ninth game of the season. Franks had hurt his ribs in the previous game against LSU, and Jefferson got to accelerate his preparation for the game in Columbia, Mo.
“Basically, going into that whole game week, Feleipe was with me,” Jefferson said. “Me and him stayed after practice, going over different types of film, just preparing me for the Missouri game. On top of that, I had a good week of practice.
“Me and Coach Briles met a lot during that week, just to see where he was as far as game-planning with me for the start. At the game, I just looked at my teammates and told them I was going to lead them and we just got to put our head on and keep working.”
Jefferson completed 18 of 33 passes for 274 yards and 3 touchdowns, and rushed for 32 yards and another score.
He was almost the hero. Jefferson directed a last-minute touchdown drive that was capped by his touchdown pass and twopoint conversion to Mike Woods to give Arkansas a 48-47 lead with 43 seconds remaining. The Tigers drove for a last-second field goal to win 50-48.
But Jefferson’s production and leadership skills were on vivid display.
“The team believes in him,” Pittman said. “Heck, I believe in him. He’s done a nice job. Again, his work ethic has been leadership in itself, and he’s becoming more vocal.
“He’s as vocal as he needs to be, to be honest with you, and I’ll tell you this: Feleipe, he wasn’t a very vocal guy either, but his work ethic was, and that’s the same way with KJ.”
Jefferson’s work in the spring has impressed teammates.
“KJ is getting a chance to get a lot of reps with the ones, which he hasn’t had over the past couple years,” said Woods, a senior receiver. “I think he’s getting good. He’s getting better every day and our timing is getting better every day.”
Offensive tackle Dalton Wagner called Jefferson’s work in the spring incredible.
“He’s been doing a fantastic job,” Wagner said. “He’s reading all his reads right. He’s been calling plays. He’s been trying to be a leader out there.
“He’s done a great job of it. He’s got some wheels on him, too. I like that. He can pull it and run it when he can and he does a great job with it.”
Pittman said Jefferson and Hornsby held the ball too long in several situations in Saturday’s first scrimmage, an issue the team worked on in Tuesday’s final practice before spring break.
“For the quarterbacks, mainly recognizing the defense and knowing what coverage they’re in and getting the ball out of our hands as well,” Jefferson said were points of emphasis Tuesday.
He expressed the lament of many a running quarterback when asked about early whistles and plays being blown dead in practice to protect the quarterback.
“”It’s very frustrating because sometimes the defense doesn’t even get close to you and they’re blowing it dead,” he said. “It kind of gets frustrating and messes with you mentally. You want to treat a scrimmage as a game, but by them blowing it dead when they get close to you and stuff it’s pretty frustrating.”
That’s something Jefferson won’t have to worry about come Sept. 4 in the season opener against Rice.