Jefferson declared he was leaving the Razorbacks to transfer.
The UCF Golden Knights and head coach Gus Malzahn are adding Arkansas Razorbacks transfer quarterback K.J. Jefferson for the 2024 season.
Jefferson announced he would be transferring from the Razorbacks relatively late compared to other players. Jefferson is one of the most experienced and established QBs in college football, and his play had Arkansas competing with high-level teams like the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Ole Miss Rebels.
Shortly after Jefferson committed to the Golden Knights, wide receiver Kobe Hudson announced he would be returning for the 2024 season.
Jefferson chose UCF over teams like the Miami Hurricanes, the TCU Horned Frogs and the South Carolina Gamecocks. All of whom were in the mix to land the former four-star recruit.
Jefferson has a 20-19 career record in 39 starts. Arkansas’ four-win season is misleading, as is Jefferson’s record as a starter.
Arkansas lost to Alabama, Ole Miss and the LSU Tigers by a combined 13 points. Jefferson willed the Razorbacks into competition with high-level SEC teams, including the SEC champion. In 2021, Jefferson was the only QB with over 300 yards passing against Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide.
Jefferson’s 150 yards passing and two touchdowns with no interceptions don’t jump off the stat sheet, but plays like this are what kept Arkansas in the game.
Jefferson was also one of two QBs to outgain former Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral in 2021. Jefferson had 411 yards compared to Corral’s 381 yards. The other QB to accomplish this feat was Alabama’s Bryce Young.
Malzahn has proven experience with another quarterback that is extremely similar to K.J. Jefferson. Jefferson is big and strong, but he also has the ability to throw. Jefferson is often compared to another Gus Malzahn-coached QB, Cam Newton.
Malzahn was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the Auburn Tigers during the year in which Newton led the Tigers to a BCS National Championship. He coached Newton to a 51 touchdown season with over 4,300 yards of total offense. Newton won the Heisman en route to one of the most legendary college football seasons of all time.
Jefferson is just two inches shorter than Newton, while being around the same weight. Jefferson’s size allows him to carry the ball 15-20 times per game, just like Newton was able to. His strength is what separates him from other collegiate QBs, along with his ability to keep his eyes downfield after shaking off tacklers.
Malzahn’s heavy QB-run offense is perfect for someone like Jefferson. In an article from ESPN, Malzahn outlines what he saw in Newton that others didn’t. It is possible that Malzahn sees similar things in Jefferson.
Ezoic
“When he was coming out, what I was telling people is he’s got everything it takes,” Malzahn said.
While Jefferson has a chance to be great for the Golden Knights, being Cam Newton is going to be nearly impossible. Newton had one of the best runs as a QB that the sport has ever seen, so if Jefferson manages to be a fraction as good as Newton, it will be a massive success for UCF.
