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Published Feb 13, 2023
Arkansas Football 2023 Spring Preview: Quarterback
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Mason Choate  •  HawgBeat
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With Arkansas' spring football practice starting on March 9, it's time to begin previewing positions for the 2023 Razorbacks.

The Hogs currently sit with 76 scholarship players going into spring ball, which leaves nine open spots to fill when the transfer portal opens back up in May.

Head coach Sam Pittman's squad lost a lot as far as numbers go, but few played a significant amount during their time in Fayetteville. Arkansas added the nation's No. 20 2023 freshman class on Rivals with 20 incoming freshman, and it also added 10 talented transfers from the transfer portal.

We begin our spring preview with a position that should have no drama about who starts in 2023 — quarterback...

Returning: KJ Jefferson (redshirt senior), Cade Fortin (super senior), Kade Renfro (redshirt junior, walk-on), Rykar Acebo (redshirt freshman, walk-on)

Newcomers: Jacolby Criswell (redshirt junior, transfer from North Carolina), Malachi Singleton (freshman, early enrollee)

This position preview should be pretty simple as far as who the starter will be. There's no question that KJ Jefferson will be the leader of the offense and the team going into his third season as the starting play caller for the Razorbacks.

Jefferson recorded a 68.0 completion percentage last season, topping his 67.3% in 2021. He now holds the No. 2 and No. 3 best single season completion percentage marks in program history. His passing yards (2,648) and passing touchdown (24) marks last year also rank top-10 for a season in program history.

With the departure of Kendal Briles to TCU and new offensive coordinator Dan Enos at the helm, it can be expected that Jefferson will take a step forward. Enos has a respectable list of quarterbacks that he's developed, such as Tua and Taulia Tagovailoa, Brandon Allen and Austin Allen.

Arkansas fans are familiar with Jefferson and his game, but what can be expected from the rest of the quarterback room?

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