Sam Pittman shares KJ Jefferson transfer decision was understood by Arkansas

QB KJ Jefferson has been in the transfer portal for around a week now after five seasons at Arkansas. According to Sam Pittman, though, the Razorbacks knew that a parting of ways had been the plan for some time.

Pittman spoke about Jefferson’s decision to transfer during his press conference on National Signing Day this week. Based on his retelling, Jefferson had made it known at the end of the ‘Hog’s season that he was planning on entering the portal at some point.

“Yeah, I mean it was basically whenever we had our exit meeting,” said Pittman. “We knew that he was going to go explore other colleges.”

“That was kind of understood that that’s what he was going to do,” Pittman said.

Jefferson has been in Fayetteville for a half decade and become one of the best quarterbacks in the Southeastern Conference.

After appearing in eight games in his first two seasons, Jefferson started in 36 contests over the past three years. Overall, Jefferson completed 65.1% of his passes for just under 8,000 yards. He threw for a total of 67 touchdowns and 18 interceptions. He also rushed for over 1,800 yards and put up 21 more scores on the ground.

The Razorbacks played well over Jefferson’s first two campaigns as QB1. They put up a combined record of 16-10, specifically with a 9-4 record in 2021. However, this past season went poorly for both sides on the field. Jefferson had his worst statistics as a starter for the team while Arkansas went 4-8.

Jefferson currently ranks as the No. 43 transfer overall and the No. 13 QB according to On3’s Portal Rankings. Per the latest regarding his move, Miami, TCU, and UCF are all three in the mix as far as destinations. Each could provide him something different as far as a new home for him in his sixth season.

Jefferson has been a staple and the star on Arkansas’ roster over the past few years. While many will wish he had ended his career there, Pittman is glad that he spent a chapter of his life as a memorable part of the Razorback program.

“We certainly were happy that he spent his years with us and what he did with us,” said Pittman.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. 

Track transfer portal activity

As of December 22nd, 1,874 FBS players have entered the Transfer Portal.

While the NCAA Transfer Portal database is private, the On3 Network has streamlined the reporting process tracking player movement. If you find yourself asking, ‘How can I track transfer portal activity?’ our well-established network of reporters and contacts across college athletics keeps you up to speed in several ways, from articles written about players as they enter and exit the transfer portal or find their new destination, to our social media channels, to the On3 Transfer Portal.

The transfer portal wire provides a real-time feed of player activity, including basic player profile information, transfer portal ranking and original On3 Industry recruiting ranking, as well as NIL valuation (name, image and likeness).

The On3 Transfer Portal Rankings allow for you to filter the On3 Industry Rankings to find the best of the best in the portal, starting with Overall Top Players.

You can dive deeper into the rankings and filter by position whether it is Quarterback, Running Back, Wide Receiver, Tight End, Offensive Tackle, Interior Offensive Line, Edge, Defensive Line, Linebacker, Cornerback, Safety, Athlete, Kicker, Punter, or Long Snapper you’re looking for.

The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.