Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson exits vs. Texas A&M

No. 16 Arkansas starting quarterback KJ Jefferson has exited Saturday night’s game against No. 7 Texas A&M. Jefferson scrambled out of bound in the second half, chased down by an Aggies defender. A push sent him tumbling into the sidelines where he apparently injured his leg.

The Razorbacks quarterback tried to play through the injury and was taped up on the sideline, but the leg hampered his ability to run their offense.

Texas A&M is also missing its starting quarterback, Haynes King. Arkansas has substituted Jefferson with redshirt freshman Malik Hornsby, who has only thrown one career pass.

Jefferson has helped the Razorbacks jump out to a 3-0 start with a huge win over archrival Texas. Through the first three quarters, he is 6 of 13 for 202 yards and two touchdowns. He’s used his legs against the Aggies, too, racking up 31 yards on five carries.

Booger McFarland praises Sam Pittman, Arkansas in first half

ESPN college football analyst Booger McFarland sang high praise for head coach Sam Pittman and the Arkansas Razorbacks, who could be well on their way to a top-10 ranking if they are able to hold on and beat No. 7 Texas A&M.

Pittman and Arkansas, currently ranked No. 16, forced No. 7 Texas A&M to punt five times in the first half.

“The power of coaching and culture, that’s what [Arkansas Razorbacks football] is,” McFarland tweeted in the first half of Arkansas-Texas A&M. “One hell of a job by Sam Pittman.”

Jefferson completed 5 of 10 passing attempts for 181 passing yards, two passing touchdowns and no interceptions in the first half. The quarterback also added 18 rushing yards on three attempts, while running back Trelon Smith has carried the bulk of Pittman’s Arkansas ground attack, compiling 52 rushing yards on seven attempts.

Pittman went 3-7 in his first season as head coach, the abbreviated 2020 campaign, and things are off to a scorching hot start in 2021. The Razorbacks are 3-0, and against the Aggies they have a chance to make it 4-0.

They won their first three games against Rice, Texas and Georgia Southern, with the upset over the then-No. 15 Longhorns giving Arkansas its first top-25 ranking in years. In that 40-21 rout of Texas, Pittman’s team took an early 16-0 lead in the first half and never once looked back.