Arkansas quarterback, KJ Jefferson, recently went on ESPN’s Paul Finebaum Show. The star quarterback talked a variety of topics, including his leadership within the Arkansas program.

Jefferson, the red-shirt junior, had a great 2021 season for the Hogs. He threw for 2,676 yards and 21 touchdowns, while leading his team in rushing yards with 664 yards and 6 more touchdowns on the ground. He did a great job taking care of the ball, only throwing four interceptions, becoming just one of five FBS quarterbacks to throw for 20 or more touchdowns with four or fewer interceptions in 2021.

Jefferson has been a great leader for this team, most notability showcased by the way he conducts himself on the field and the way that his teammates respond to him. Jefferson indicated the importance of being displaced and consistent as the team gets closer to game day on September 3rd. When talking about what he is focused on within his leadership role heading into the season, he stated, “Coming from a leadership standpoint, just being more vocal in adverse situations and making sure my guys are on the same page and we’re all on one accord.”

Arkansas has a very strong schedule this season, which includes #6 Texas A&M, #1 Alabama, #25 BYU, #21 Ole Miss, and their season opener against #23 Cincinnati. When looking ahead at their schedule, Jefferson stated, “We want to be able to have a tough schedule to showcase our talent and show what we can do on national stage…Being able to have a schedule like that, it really shows where our program stands.”

Although he expressed his excitement about playing a multitude of high quality teams throughout the season, Jefferson conveyed the importance of taking the season one game at a time, explaining, “Being able to look at the schedule and just take it one game at time, starting off with September 3rd versus Cincinnati. Just being able to come out and play Arkansas standard football.”

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