Ole Miss defense preparing to prevent another big day from KJ Jefferson
Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson has missed games throughout the season but it appears the Mississippi native is on track to face No. 14 Ole Miss this Saturday.
Jefferson missed last week’s game against LSU due to a shoulder injury after playing against Liberty the week prior. Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman noted he should have pulled Jefferson out for backup Malik Hornsby or even walk-on quarterback Cade Fortin in the loss to the Flames.
But now, all signs are pointing to the Jefferson set to get the start against Ole Miss, a team he grew up less than an hour away from in Sardis, Miss.
“It sounds like KJ will be back just from what they said,” said Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin on Monday. “I feel like Sam doesn’t play a lot of games in the media. Just kind of says what it is with injuries and stuff. I think he’s been pretty open that they expect him back.”
Getting Jefferson back would be a boost to an Arkansas team that has nothing to lose with a 5-5 record, 2-4 in the Southeastern Conference, and fighting for bowl eligibility the final two games of the season.
In last year’s meeting between the Rebels (8-2, 4-2) and the Razorbacks in Oxford was an offensive explosion.
Jefferson was a big part of it with 411 total yards of offense (326 passing, 85 rushing) and six touchdowns (3 passing, 3 rushing).
There was not much the Rebel defense could do to slow down Jefferson all afternoon.
“A really good quarterback, physical quarterback,” said defensive lineman Tavius Robinson on Tuesday. “He can run, he can pass. I think he’s really good. He can do it all, so we just got to contain him, for sure.
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Jefferson was able to elude the pressure of the Ole Miss defense, being sacked only once and hurried only one other time all game. Robinson was one of the few who were able to make multiple tackles, finishing with four.
Jefferson may not be at full strength still, but he will be dangerous enough the defense is going to have to respect both aspects of his game.
Ole Miss is still looking for its first win in Fayetteville since 2008, losing in four tries since.
Though the Rebels are also looking for its four win over the Razorbacks in the last five meetings, including two wins in Oxford and a win at Little Rock in 2018.
If last year taught Kiffin anything it is to expect the unexpected when Ole Miss and Arkansas meet. In 2020 the two teams combined for 54 points. The Rebels put up 52 on their own last year.
“It’s a reminder to me that every game’s independent of every other game,” Kiffin said. “The year before it had been low scoring. We really struggled against that defense and would not have predicted a high-scoring game, 100 points between the two. Ever game’s different, every week’s different and it’s just a really good reminder.”
Ole Miss and Arkansas are set to kickoff at 6:30 p.m. CT on Saturday on the SEC Network.
You can watch Tavius Robinson’s full post-practice interview from Tuesday below.
