Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Briles proves more than a play-caller
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas Razorbacks play-calling offensive coordinator Kendal Briles does more than call plays.
Arkansas’ quarterbacks coach does some coaching, too.
Consider Feleipe Franks. The 2020 graduate transfer via the University of Florida arrived in Arkansas as a good SEC quarterback.
He left Arkansas a better one. Good enough to be six games NFL used this season as the backup to Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan.
Before a broken ankle four games into the 2019 season ended Franks’ active Gators tenure, and began Kyle Trask’s ascension into 2019 surprise become 2020 Heisman Trophy finalist, Franks since 2017 was Florida’s dominant quarterback.
However he never quite dominated at Florida like his 2020 Arkansas season tutored by Briles under then first-year Coach Sam Pittman.
In his nine games for the 3-7 in the SEC Hogs, improved from SEC 0-8, 0-8 under the previous Chad Morris regime, Franks set a Razorbacks record 68.5 pass-completion percentage. He completed 165 of 238 for 2,107 yards, with 17 touchdowns vs. four interceptions.
Now consider what sophomore quarterback KJ Jefferson, the starter in Franks’ one-game injury absence in 2020, has done coached by Briles starting every game for these 2021 bowl bound 8-4 Hogs finished 4-4 in the SEC.
Jefferson has completed 184 of 275, a 66.9 rate nearly matching Franks, for 2,578 yards and 21 touchdowns against just three interceptions.
For purely yards gained Jefferson’s 711 yard rushing leads the Hogs. Subtracting his 149 rushing yards lost, mostly on sacks, Jefferson is second on the team, 554 yards net rushing to running back Trelon Smith’s 592. Jefferson and Smith tie second on the team with five rushing touchdowns to running back Dominique Johnson’s seven.
As team leaders and offensive captains, Franks in 2020 and Jefferson in 2021 took command unquestioned.
They excelled much on their own but they did have help. Treylon Burks’ help. And Briles’ help, too, Pittman recalls from last season’s Franks long bombs to Burks and this season’s Jefferson to Burks for Burks’ 66 catches for 1,104 and 11 touchdowns.
From calling the plays designed for Jefferson and Burks to monitoring daily Jefferson’s fundamentals, Briles contributes to their success.
“The thing is Coach Briles teaches how to throw that long ball,” Pittman said. “Because obviously Feleipe was good at throwing that long ball and KJ is just tremendous at throwing it. He’s just maturing every week.”
Vastly.
Remember the season opener? Arkansas with Jefferson struggling to complete passes trailed underdog Rice, 17-7 with 10:28 left in the third quarter. Though the Razorbacks resurrected winning, 34-17, Arkansas social media bristled fretting the quarterback that can’t pass while clamoring for the backup quarterback to play.
The next week KJ and the Hogs beat then 15th-ranked Texas. Two weeks later they upset then No. 7 Texas A&M.
Since then other than blanked at No. 1 Georgia they’ve either won or scored from 23 to 51 points.
Nobody clamors for anybody but KJ anymore.