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KJ Jefferson proves he’s still Arkansas’ best, named Player of the Game vs Alabama

Arkansas would actually be one of those bad teams its most angry fans think if it weren’t for KJ Jefferson.

KJ Jefferson’s 2023 season has not gone to plan. The preseason second-team All-SEC pick was even a dark horse pick for All-American honors by season’s end. Arkansas’ struggles through its first seven games have all but eliminated those.

But more important to Jefferson and his teammates is what the Razorbacks do on the field, as opposed to the plaudits earned off it. And even in Saturday’s loss against Alabama, proof was positive that Jefferson, a three-starter and fifth-year senior, is the best man to lead the Hogs on the field, earning our top selection as Arkansas’ Player of the Game.

Joining him were kicker Cam Little, running back AJ Green, linebacker Jaheim Thomas and defense end Landon Jackson.

Check out more on each of their performances below as the selections from editor E. Wayne and contributors Steve Andrews, Connor Goodson and Derek Oxford come in.

Pre-Game Twitter Buzz: Most fans still have faith in Hogs

Arkansas fans have offered their support on social media, as the Hogs try to get back on track against Texas A&M.

Although Arkansas showed much improvement in last week’s 34-31 loss at LSU, many are still skeptical of how the Hogs may continue that momentum against Texas A&M in Arlington today.

Quarterback KJ Jefferson tied former Razorback Matt Jones with his 77th career touchdown accounted for, last week. Now, he is aiming for more historical marks, such as total offense.

Many fans still have their faith in this program and offered some of that optimism on Twitter this morning. Take a look …

Dwight McGlothern heads back to LSU a star after transferring to Arkansas

The man they call Nudie has been excellent since left LSU for Fayetteville.

The two years Dwight McGlothern spent in Baton Rouge were good years. The two years he has spent in Fayetteville have been even better.

McGlothern, the second-year Arkansas cornerback, was good enough in his first year in Fayetteville in 2022, after transferring from LSU, that he earned All-SEC honors with 44 tackles, four interceptions and 10 pass break-ups. He isn’t on the same pace in 2023 – which Arkansas player is? – but Saturday may provide just the chance for a breakout.

Arkansas is headed to Baton Rouge for a 6 p.m. kickoff Saturday in Week 4. The trip back will be McGlothern’s first since he left LSU after his sophomore year. He wasn’t made available for media interviews in the week leading up to the game, but his fellow defensive backs know what’s in his head a bit.

“I’m sure he’s pretty excited,” safety Alfahiym Walcott said. “I mean, Nudie is going to be Nudie at the end of the day. He’s going to ball regardless of whereever it’s at. I’m sure he’s excited, though.”

McGlothern isn’t the only Arkansas defender making a return. Defensive end Landon Jackson has been the Razorbacks’ best lineman this season. He’s also in his second year at Arkansas.

“Nudie, he talks a little bit more than Landon. Landon doesn’t say anything hardly. He doesn’t talk a whole lot,” coach Sam Pittman said. “But I think that they are excited to get back,” Pittman said. “Any time you leave a team, you want to play well against that team. You just do.”

Hogs’ Jackson looks forward to facing old team, seeks redemption

The 6-foot-7, 281-pound Landon Jackson currently leads the Razorbacks with 2.5 sacks this season.

Arkansas defensive end Landon Jackson admits that he still has a bad taste in his mouth from LSU’s 13-10 win over Arkansas a year ago.

Being a former Tiger, himself, a win over his old team would mean everything.

“I’m excited,” he said, while being a guest of the Sam Pittman Live radio show Wednesday night at the Catfish Hole. “It’s a great environment down there and I am ready to go out and get the win.”

After recording just one tackle and a half-sack against LSU a year ago, the much-bigger Jackson hopes to have more of a presence this time around. He currently leads the Razorbacks with 2.5 sacks for minus-27 yards, and 11 tackles, this season.

His bigger 6-foot-7 frame should help his cause, after going from 236 pounds last year to a more-muscular 281 pounds this season. He credits new Arkansas Strength & Conditioning coach Ben Sowders with his growth, along with a lot higher food intake.

“I just ate a lot of food and worked out hard – just making sure I was eating enough, and multiple times throughout the day.” he said. “When Coach Sowders came in, the first thing he told me was, ‘We’re going to get some more weight on you.’ He said he wanted to get me up to about 270 and I thought he was crazy. I didn’t think I couldn’t put on that much weight, that quick. But he pushes me every day in the weight room, loading up the racks as much as he possibly can. He just pushed everybody really hard.”

Sowders apparently got the entire defensive line much stronger, while also creating great chemistry throughout the unit.

“We had all the defensive linemen in the same lifting group, so you had Trajan (Jeffcoat) squatting 550 pounds, Stew (Jashaud Stewart) squatting 650,” Jackson said. “I mean my legs were probably my weakest part, but we were all pushing each other, and it was great.”

That camaraderie has led to the Razorbacks’ immense improvement along the defensive front this season. The unit has led the charge with 12 total sacks and three forced fumbles, through the first three games.

“It all started with Coach (Deke) Adams,” Jackson said. “He brought in some great guys out of the portal. We have all become really close. Even when it’s the weekend, like on a Sunday, we are always communicating all the time. We’re always wanting to be around each other. We’ve got a really tight bond, and I think that makes us better on the field, as well.”

Jackson was a highly-touted 4-Star recruit coming out of Texarkana (Tex.) Pleasant Grove High School in 2021. He was rated as the No. 8 weakside defensive end in the country and ultimately opted to go to LSU over Arkansas and a slew of other Division I offers.

His family is primarily Razorbacks fans, so when he decided to transfer a year later, the decision was already made.

“I’m not going to lie, I had it in my head, even before I entered the portal, that if Arkansas called me, that’s where I’m going,” he said. “I already knew I loved it up here from my previous visits from high school, but my official visit let me set it in stone.”

He hasn’t regretted his decision the slightest bit.

“The coaches here are real,” Jackson said. “Everything that Coach (Sam) Pittman and the other coaches told me when I took my visit here, they stuck to their word and stayed true to it. They all told me that when I got here I was going to work, and that I had to earn my spot. That’s what I did, so I’m excited to be here. And any other transfers that are thinking about coming here, I can tell you, this place is home, for sure.”

Jackson’s youngest brother, 6-foot-5, 245-pound Lance, is now a 4-Star defensive lineman in the 2025 class. Arkansas is heavily onto him and hopes the family ties will lead him to Fayetteville.

Landon Jackson knows that he and his line unit will have their hands full Saturday with LSU’s elusive quarterback Jayden Daniels, who not only leads the team in passing, but also in rushing. Fortunately, the Arkansas defense faces a similar dual-threat quarterback, in KJ Jefferson, every day in practice.

“That definitely helps,” Jackson said. “I can’t hit KJ, but the way he moves around in the pocket, really gives us a good idea of what we are about to see. So, I think that is preparing us really well.”

For now, Jackson has just one thing on his mind – getting payback against the Tigers.

“I want to go down there and play really well, but overall, I just want to come back with a win,” he said. “I still have a bad taste in my mouth from last year, so I want to go in there and beat them. But all I can do is go out there and try to help put the team in the best position to win the game.”

Arkansas at No. 13 LSU: Players to watch on Saturday

Arkansas will try to bounce back from a heart-breaking loss to BYU, while LSU tries to keep rolling for its third straight victory.

Arkansas (2-1) will go into Saturday’s SEC conference opener against LSU in Death Valley as enormous underdogs, having just gotten beat at home by BYU.

But quarterback KJ Jefferson and crew will try to rebound on the road and get the train headed back in the right direction.

No. 13 LSU (2-1) has rebounded impressively with two breezy wins, after a season-opening loss to No. 3 Florida State. The Tigers walloped host Mississippi State 41-14 last Saturday, in their conference opener.

The game will also feature players on both teams, who used to play at the other school. Junior Landon Jackson and Dwight McGlothern jumped ship from LSU to Arkansas prior to last season. Senior Greg Brooks Jr. left the Razorbacks to join the Tigers last season, but Head Coach Brian Kelley has announced that Brooks will not be available for the Arkansas game.

Here are 12 players to watch in Saturday’s showdown:

From the Sideline: Bell expects Hog starters to get extended time vs. WCU

Razorback Sports Network sideline reporter gives his insight on Saturday’s season opener.

Even if things go as expected on Saturday, and Arkansas jumps on an outmanned Western Carolina team early, IMG Razorback Sports Network sideline reporter Geno Bell expects that the starters — especially quarterback KJ Jefferson — will see extended playing time in the season-opener.

“With KJ coming in for his senior year, he’s not going to want to come out of the game — he’s playing for the NFL, right now,” said Bell, a former standout defensive tackle for the Hogs in the mid-1990s. “This first game is all about KJ jelling with the new receivers, jelling with the new offensive line. Then when you are running a new offense, it’s all about getting comfortable and getting the timing down.”

With new offensive coordinator Dan Enos instituting more of a pro-style scheme, Bell says that should play into Jefferson’s skill set.

“They will run a lot of two- and three-tight end sets, and if you go back to when Arkansas was essentially ‘Tight End U’, that’s what we did,” Bell said. “When you get KJ in space, there are going to be bootlegs where he can throw it, and there are going to be times that he can pull it and run it. And I pity the fool that tries to tackle him in open field. I’d rather tackle him at the line of scrimmage, before he gets to that second level with a full head of steam. He’s like a locomotive coming down the tracks.

“And we all know that KJ is going to be strong, but I’m telling you, we have four or five running backs that can flat-out get it done.”

Despite facing what seems to be a lackluster opponent in the opener, Bell sees the Razorbacks setting the pace early and making a statement from the opening kickoff.

“I think we just have to come out and be aggressive, and play our game,” he said. “These guys have been playing against each other since spring ball, and you’ve got about seven guys who are going to be starting for the first time. This will be their first opportunity to go against outside talent. So, this game is all about how you put it together and execute as a team, and jump on these guys early and set the tone at the beginning of the game.”

One huge advantage Arkansas has over last season is the addition of junior Jacolby Criswell at backup quarterback. The 6-foot-1, 230-pound Morrilton productive spent the past three seasons at North Carolina, before transferring back to his home state.

“I do think that Criswell has contributed to KJ getting better,” Bell said. “If you go back to last year, we did not have a true QB2. If KJ went down, it got ugly. Now you have someone who can step in and play, and that could be a big advantage.”

Bell, who spent his NFL career as a defensive lineman with Cleveland and the New York Jets, attended the Razorbacks’ scrimmage two weeks ago and was extremely impressed with the play in the trenches, especially along the defensive front. He heavily praised the progress defensive line coach Deke Adams has made with his unit.

“The one thing that I saw in the scrimmage, that blew my mind, is that we have defensive linemen and offensive linemen that really pass the eye test,” he said. “We have been pretty good the past few years, for the most part. But now that I can see what Coach Adams has done with that defensive front, with eight guys that can rotate, especially with Trajan Jeffcoat and Landon Jackson, we’ve got some dogs up front. So, when you can get to the quarterback with four up front, then you’ve got some guys in the back end that can play, that sets up very well. I think people are going to see a lot of things that they haven’t seen before. This team will be bringing some pressure. Those opposing quarterbacks are going to have to make quick decisions.”

But when all is said and done, the biggest factor will come down to health, and surviving unscathed.

“I think the main thing we have to do is remain injury-free,” Bell said. “That really determines the success of any football team. I’m telling you, this team can get out and play, but a couple of key injuries can change things in a hurry.”

Arkansas and Western Carolina will kick off at noon Saturday in Little Rock’s War Memorial Stadium.

Projecting Arkansas’ stat totals leaders by end of the season

Picking Arkansas’ record at the end of the season is tough. For now, let’s take a guess at the team leaders’ statistical numbers.

Arkansas is a bit of a strange team for the masses in the college football world of prognostication to put a finger on.

The Razorbacks have been on the rise each of the last three years with coach Sam Pittman at the helm. So much so they’re a team receiving votes in the preseason Top 25.

They’re also a team that plays in the gauntlet that is the SEC West. And they also have, basically, a whole new receiving corps and almost completely revamped secondary.

Back to the other side, KJ Jefferson and Rocket Sanders may be a top-five-in-the-country quarterback-running back duo.

Then to the questionable, the defense has no proven superstars.

The entire thing has led to mixed opinions on how the Hogs will finish record-wise.

Well, we aren’t going there today. That’s saved for a bit later this week. For now, we’re just going to look at the individuals and project who may be the best for Arkansas on the stat sheet.

Here are managing editor E. Wayne’s projections for Arkansas’ leaders in each of six different categories and what he thinks those numbers will be by season’s end.

Players To Watch: Arkansas vs. Western Carolina

In what looks like a mismatch on paper, look for these key players on both teams to make an impact.

NOTE: As always here on Razorbacks Wire, we aren’t simply going to pick the best players to watch on Saturday when Arkansas hosts Western Carolina. That’s too easy. Instead, this is where we try to look inside trends and storylines and give you the best idea of who could make some surprise noise in the game.

As we know throughout the history of Razorback football, even less imposing mid-major schools can never be taken too lightly, especially early in the season. But this matchup on paper looks very one-sided and should be smooth sailing for the revamped, improved Razorbacks.

Western Carolina rolls into War Memorial Stadium on Saturday as heavy underdogs, following a subpar 6-5 season in 2022, under third-year head coach Kerwin Bell, the 1984 SEC Player of the Year at Florida. ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI) gives Arkansas a 99 percent chance to breeze through their opener.

Arkansas Preseason Depth Chart – Defensive End

Arkansas’ primary five-man rotation may not have star-power, but it has consistency, experience, and logged results.

Other than quarterback and running – positions at which Arkansas has All-SEC talent starting and a clear pecking order behind that player – only one other unit on the roster needed little shaping and molding heading into the regular season.

In fact, between the beginning of the Razorbacks’ spring camp to the end of it over the weekend, not one single player among the top six defensive ends on the roster moved a bit.

Consistency should be key for a group looking to replicate last year’s sack totals and improve, even, the front-line guard against the running game.

And while the latter, there, often falls more to the defensive tackles, Arkansas has a group of ends who can stuff the run with the best in the SEC.

Let’s take a look at how they stack up heading into Saturday’s opener.

Pittman, Hogs name the six Arkansas team captains for 2023

One newcomer to the team joined some Arkansas vets as the Razorbacks captains this upcoming season.

Arkansas coach Sam Pittman has named his six team captains for the 2023 season.

Quarterback KJ Jefferson and running back Rocket Sanders were unsurprising selections. Offensive lineman Brady Latham and kicker Cam Little were the next most experienced choices. And defensive linemen Landon Jackson and Trajan Jeffcoat were the other two.

Jeffcoat is in his first year with Arkansas after an All-SEC career at Missouri. He had 20 tackles for the Tigers last year, but was a first-team All-SEC choice in 2020 when he registered six sacks.

Latham, Jefferson and Sanders were all preseason All-SEC choices from both the media and coaches earlier this summer. Little is on-pace to become Arkansas’ leading scorer, having been the team’s primary placekicker both of his previous seasons after arriving from high-school football in Oklahoma.

Arkansas opens its season Sept. 2 against Western Carolina in Little Rock.

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