If Jefferson Struggles, Has Time Arrived for Malik?

Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson is the first man up but if Texas shuts him down or he struggles offensive coordinator Kendal Briles may speed things up with Malik Hornsby.

Quarterback KJ Jefferson may be facing the best defensive talent he's faced when he lines up against Texas on Saturday night.

He's had three starts. LSU in 2019, Missouri in 2020 and Rice last week. That LSU team nearly got beat by the Longhorns, in case you're wondering.

In the opener last week, Jefferson struggled early. Sam Pittman put a lot of that on nerves, but the inconsistency is consistent with what coaches have complained about in the spring and fall camp.

They want him to run. The Longhorns' defense is talented and experienced. A lot more than the Owls could manage last week.

If Jefferson does struggle, will it be time for offensive coordinator Kendal Briles to pull the trigger and put Malik Hornsby in the game?

We haven't seen Hornsby on the field this season. It would be a complete change of pace and while he wouldn't be the fastest player on the field against Texas he is considerably faster than Jefferson.

But, make no mistake about it, maybe the biggest key in the game is what Arkansas' offense can do against the Longhorns.

Sorry, folks, but Barry Odom can only scheme so much to offset the talent the Longhorns have, starting with star running back Bijan Robinson and a quarterback in Hudson Clark that had a good opener against Louisiana.

But the biggest storyline for tonight's game is the Hogs' offensive start.