K.J. Jefferson took 'big step' during Hogs' open week

FAYETTEVILLE — If the most popular player on campus is the backup quarterback, as the saying goes, then the highly touted freshman quarterback isn’t too far behind.

Almost as soon as he committed to the Razorbacks as a four-star prospect from Mississippi, fans have been clamoring for at least a glimpse of K.J. Jefferson.

However, the dual-threat quarterback is firmly entrenched as Arkansas’ fourth-string signal caller behind Nick Starkel, Ben Hicks and John Stephen Jones. Although he’s yet to appear in a game, Jefferson did make the 70-man travel squad for the Ole Miss game and has performed well as the scout team quarterback, head coach Chad Morris said.

“He’s traveling with us for the majority of the time, sitting in our quarterback meetings,” Morris said. “He’s able to get some valuable scout team reps, which is good for him, and he’s taken on that role.”

Last week, though, he got a break from the scout team and actually got to run the offense in periods of practice designed to get the young players reps during the open week.