It was hard to find much fault with Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson last season under the guidance of offensive coordinator Kendal Briles, who is now in the same role at TCU.
It soon will be time to see what Jefferson can do under new coordinator Dan Enos, who is performing somewhat of a makeover on the fifth-year senior from Sardis, Mississippi.
“He’s going to develop me as a passer and not a runner as a quarterback, and he’s also going to give me the freedom to be able to develop for the next level,” Jefferson said last week at Southeastern Conference Media Days. “When I say freedom, that means changing my protection and changing runs and getting us in the best play at that particular time depending on what the defense is giving us.
“I’m excited. I think taking that workload of running the ball off me will allow me to be more of a true quarterback who can run only when he has to.”
The 6-foot-3, 246-pound Jefferson is entering his third season as the starter, having completed 204 of 300 passes (68.0%) last year for 2,636 yards with 24 touchdowns and five interceptions. He also rushed for 640 yards after rushing for 664 during the 2021 season.
Successful dual-threat quarterbacks are successful largely because of their instincts, and having to be more patient is proving to be not so simple.
“At times that does get challenging, because you do want to take off running to go get the first down or go get the touchdown,” Jefferson said. “There are times I want to, but at that next level, you’ve got to sit in the pocket and deliver a good ball.
ARKANSAS
Last season: 7-6 (3-5 SEC)
Opener: Sept. 2 against Western Carolina in Little Rock (4 p.m. on ESPN+/SEC Network+)
Fun Fact: Arkansas won 55.9% of its league games and captured 13 championships in the Southwest Conference from 1915-91, but the Razorbacks have won just 40.6% of their SEC league games and are still seeking a first overall crown.
COMING NEXT — Auburn
“I’ve got to train my body and train my mind to do what I can, and I know I’m capable of doing it.”
Enos is in his second go-around in Fayetteville, having served as Bret Bielema’s offensive coordinator in the 2015-17 seasons. Sam Pittman was the Arkansas line coach in 2015, when the Razorbacks amassed more than 6,000 yards and set a program record with 62 touchdowns.
Pittman is now the fourth-year head coach of the Hogs, having guided them to a 16-10 mark the past two seasons with two bowl triumphs.
“I think KJ believes in Dan, and I know Dan believes in him,” Pittman said. “I think it’s going to be the best season KJ has had. Whether we run him quite as much as we have in the past, I don’t know.
“Maybe we do throw the ball a little bit more than with him carrying it. We have to keep him healthy.”
Jefferson, who missed two games last year due to injury and threw at least one touchdown in the other 11, admitted at media days that staying healthy is his No. 1 goal. Pittman said Jefferson’s extra study off the field has “gone through the roof,” and there is always junior running back Raheim Sanders eager to handle more of the rushing load.
Sanders rushed for 1,443 yards last season to rank second in the SEC and 13th nationally. The 6-2, 237-pounder from Rockledge, Florida, averaged 111.0 yards per game, and his average of 6.5 yards per carry was the highest for the Razorbacks since Felix Jones posted his whopping 8.7-yard clip in 2007.
Arkansas had its best season in a decade in 2021, going 9-4 and winning trophy games against Texas A&M (Southwest Classic), LSU (Golden Boot) and Missouri (Battle Line) before downing Penn State 24-10 in the Outback Bowl. The Razorbacks slipped back to 7-6 last season, losing their three trophy games by seven total points but salvaging a winning year with a 55-53 outlasting of Kansas in the Liberty Bowl that needed three overtimes.
“There was a lot of pressure,” Jefferson said. “We lost all three trophies after winning all three, and the approach we’ve taken this season is just looking at all the small details. Some of the games we lost last year were by a point or two points.
“If we can perfect those small details and hold each other accountable and become a player-led team — we just need to do whatever it takes to become victorious this season.”
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com.