What Benefit Would KJ Get Coming Back for Another Year?

Maybe hiring new offensive coordinator hinges on a sixth year for quarterback

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson has a sixth year available to him, but what he's going to do with it is in question. Exactly what he gets if he decides to stay around longer than a lot of professors is even murkier.

First of all, it's highly doubtful he would be taken in the NFL Draft. This year it's loaded with quarterbacks and he's not even in the discussion with the usual talking heads. In addition, Jefferson hasn't exactly shown a lot to impress anybody.

"I’m just focused on Missouri," Jefferson said after practice Tuesday. "After that, I’ll make my decision. Right now I’m just focused on Missouri." 

On the surface, it's kind of hard to believe he hasn't had those discussions, but he didn't say he hasn't had discussions on if he wants to talk about. It's probably a safe guess he's spoken with his family and any representatives he has.

Former Razorbacks quarterback Matt Jones said on Halftime on ESPN Arkansas radio earlier this week KJ was coming back, in his view. If you're over the age of 20, you know who he is without having to look it up and he was pretty good playing the position, too. Matt may be right, but it's hard to see the upside of Jefferson returning. Maybe he just loves living in Fayetteville for whatever reason.

Coming back to the Razorbacks is also a possibility. If you look at the complete picture from a distance, there are points on both sides. The difference is uncertainty over who the offensive coordinator will be going forward. Kenny Guiton has the job right now on a temporary basis, but nearly everyone is assuming Sam Pittman will look around.

Jefferson is already on his third college coordinator. It's possible he will be on a fourth whether he comes back or transfers. There will be opportunities to transfer, but speculation on that is getting ahead of things because Pittman will probably offer whatever he can to get him back. If he's trying to bribe cornerback Hudson Clark with water and Gatorade, what could Jefferson get? He may like the NIL money and keep things status quo here.

KJ clearly wasn't touching the whole question Tuesday. Apparently, they don't even know what network is broadcasting the game. This will be the last time CBS does a Hogs' game because after next week, they worked their way out of the SEC contract, letting ESPN take the whole thing.

"I don’t really think about it at all," Jefferson said. "We focus on the opponent. We’re don’t put too much emphasis on what station we’ll be broadcast on. We just go out there and play football." 

With changes probably in place for the Hogs after Friday, there's not really a lot of difference with him transferring, but the biggest question is whether it has an impact on what Pittman's decision will be on the coordinator role. That, ultimately, was the likely culprit switching from Kendal Briles' style of offense to what Dan Enos wanted to do.

Jefferson appeared to start the season overwhelmed and looked completely confused by the time the Mississippi State game arrived. Changing didn't help past a week when the offense only scored once in a 48-10 loss to Auburn. They put up over 500 yards of offense last week against Florida International, which was probably a step below what they see in practice against the back-ups.

Any change Pittman makes has to know what the quarterback he's put everything on the last three seasons decides to do. Then, there has to be a plan going forward because if he does come back, it's one-and-done for Jefferson. Right now there's no way to change that without some sort of rules change. Considering the way things have been going, that might not be as ridiculous as you thought a couple of years ago.