KJ Jefferson Season 2024

Announced plans in January 2024 to transfer to UCF, enroll for 2024 spring semester and participate in 2024 UCF spring football drills . . . brings 36 career starts at quarterback at Arkansas, 7,911 career passing yards and 67 career passing touchdowns along with 1,876 career rushing yards and 21 career rushing scores to UCF quarterback room.

R-SENIOR (2023) at Arkansas

 

• Started all 12 games at quarterback for Arkansas as redshirt senior, throwing for 2,107 yards and 19 TDs and rushing 161 times for 447 yards and two scores
• Just the second three-time team captain in program history, joining Herbert Fishback (1895-97)
• Holds Arkansas career records for completions (626) , completion percentage (65.1), passing yards (7,911), passing TDs (67), total plays (1,481) and total TDs (88)
• One of just three Arkansas quarterbacks to throw for 7,000 yards with 60 or more passing TDs (also Ryan Mallett and Tyler Wilson)
• His completion percentage marks of 68.0 in 2022 and 67.3 in 2021 rank second and third in program history and his passing yardage marks from those two seasons also rank top 10 at Arkansas
• Finished 18 for 23 with 246 yards and three passing TDs along with one rushing score in season opening win vs. Western Carolina
• Completed first 12 passes vs. Western Carolina, making him first Razorback quarterback to complete first 12 passes of game since Brandon Allen went 14 for 14 to start vs. Texas A&M in 2015
• Finished by completing 13 of 19 passes for 136 yards and two scores vs. Golden Flashes
• Finished 24-35-1, with 247 passing yards and a passing TD vs. BYU
• Completed 21 of 31 passing attempts for season-high 289 yards and three TDs at LSU
• Finished nine for 17 with 132 yards through air and one passing TD vs. Texas A&M
• Went 25-39-2 for 250 yards and two passing TDs vs. Ole Miss . . . completed 14 of 24 passes for 150 yards and two scores at Alabama
• Had 19 completions for 97 yards and carried 16 times for 38 yards vs. Mississippi State
• Completed 20 of 31 for 255 yards and two TDs vs. Florida
• Added 17 carries for 92 yards and a score on ground vs. Gators
• Has thrown and rushed for a TD in a game 12 times in his career
• Completed 10 passes for 116 yards and ran 15 times for 50 yards vs.  Auburn
• Posted 11th career game with at least three passing TDs vs. Florida International
• Has 22 career games with multiple passing TDs
• Completed 15 of 28 passes for 187 yards and three TDs vs. Florida International
• Became school leader in passing yards (7,909) and passing TDs (67) vs. Florida International
• Arkansas leader in touchdown responsibility with 88 (67 passing, 21 rushing)
• In 2023 finale vs. Missouri was injured on 22-yard rush gain on Arkansas’ fourth play from scrimmage and missed rest of contest
• Completed both passes for two net yards and ran twice for 15. 

 

R-JUNIOR (2022) at Arkansas

 

• Posted another career year as redshirt junior, despite missing pair of games due to injury as he continued his ascent up numerous all-time lists at Arkansas, starting 11 of 13 games
• Passed for 2,648 yards and 24 TDs with five interceptions, completing 204 of 300 passes to go with 640 yards rushing and nine TDs on 158 carries
• Completed 68.0% of his passes, surpassing his 2021 percentage (67.3%) for second all-time at Arkansas
• Passed for at least one TD in each of his 11 starts, including multiple TDs in eight games with a career-high five at BYU
• Ran for TD in each of first four games of season and added pair of two-TD games on ground vs. Auburn and Kansas (Liberty Bowl)
• Led team to season-opening win over Cincinnati,  going 18 for 26 for 223 yards and three scores to go with 62 yards rushing and another score
• Went an efficient 18 for 21 for 162 yards and one score through air in victory vs. South Carolina with an additional score on ground with 67 yards rushing
• Passed for career-high 385 yards on 19-of-31 passing in win over Missouri State with a TD pass and one rushing TD with 40 yards on nine carries
• Topped 100 yards rushing for first time with 105 on 18 carries vs. Texas A&M, passing for two TDs and 171 yards on 12-of-19 throwing
• Tossed one TD on 13-of-24 passing for 155 yards vs. Alabama
• Set career bests with five TD passes, 29 completions and 40 attempts with his fifth career 300-yard game going for 367 yards at BYU
• Five TD passes equaled third-most in single game in school history and most since Brandon Allen’s school-record seven in 2015
• Ran for pair of scores and passed for third in victory at Auburn going 16 for 24 with 234 yards passing and 45 yards rushing on 10 carries 
• Played hurt vs. Liberty, going 23 for 37 for 234 yards with one TD and career-high two interceptions
• Threw three TD passes in win over Ole Miss and ran for 47 yards, passing for 168 yards on 17 of 22
• Recorded third straight game with two+ touchdown passes with pair at Missouri, going 20 for 27 for 212 yards with 38 yards rushing and a TD
• Named AutoZone Liberty Bowl MVP vs. Kansas after accounting for four total TDs (two rushing, two passing) and 417 total yards, including career-high 130 yards rushing in 55-53 triple OT win
• Passed for 287 yards on 19-of-29 throwing on way to earning second straight bowl game MVP and leading Arkansas to second consecutive bowl victory.

 

R-SOPHOMORE (2021) at Arkansas

 

• Started all 13 games at quarterback as redshirt sophomore, completing 198 of 294 (67.3%) passes for 2,676 yards and 21 TDs
• Rushed for team-leading 664 yards on 146 carries (4.5 per carry) with six scores on ground
• His 2,676 passing yards ranked ninth most in season in program history
• Wrote his name in Arkansas record book in numerous places: season completions (198 – 8th), game completion percentage minimum 20 passes (.826 – 3rd), season completion percentage (.673 – 2nd), season passing yards (2,676 – 7th), game TD passes (4 – T8th), season TD passes (21 – 7th)
• Finished third in SEC in average yards per completion (13.5) and in yards per pass attempt (9.1), ranking fourth in SEC and 10th among all FBS quarterbacks in passing efficiency (164.7)
• Ranked fourth in league in completion percentage (67.3%), second-best mark in single season in Arkansas history
• Owns highest single-season completion percentage in school history when attempting at least 250 passes
• Finished sixth in SEC in total offense, generating 256.9 total yards of offense per game 
• Finished season as one of five FBS quarterbacks to total 20 or more TD passes with four or fewer interceptions
• One of eight FBS quarterbacks with 2,500+ passing yards, 20+ passing TDs, 500+ rushing yards and 5+ rushing scores on the season
• Totaled three games with 300+ passing yards and at least three TD passes, becoming first Arkansas signal-caller to do so since Brandon Allen in 2015
• His three 300+ yard passing games were most for an Arkansas QB since Austin Allen produced four in 2016
• First Razorback quarterback to have multiple games with at least two rushing TDs in same season since 1997
• Threw only four interceptions on year and completed 171 consecutive passes without an interception, second-longest streak in program history
• Totaled 89 yards on ground with two rushing TDs in season opener against Rice, also throwing for 128 yards and a TD on 12-of-21 (57.1%) passing
• First Arkansas player to run for at least two TDs and throw for a TD in game since Rawleigh Williams did so vs. Mississippi State in 2014
• Broke out for career-high 366 passing yards and three TDs on 13 completions vs. Georgia Southern, becoming only fifth FBS quarterback since 2000 to throw for over 365 yards on 13 or fewer completions
• Hooked up with Treylon Burks for 91-yard TD vs. Georgia Southern on second-longest TD pass in school history
• Completed 25 of 35 (71.4%) passes for 336 yards and three TDs while rushing for 85 yards and three scores in epic performance at Ole Miss,  accounting for six TDs (three passing, three rushing), second most in program history, in 52-51 defeat
• Became one of only six SEC signal-callers since 2000 to have thrown for three+ TDs and rushed for three+ scores in game, joining Texas A&M QB Johnny Manziel, Mississippi State QB Dak Prescott, Ole Miss QB Chad Kelly, LSU QB Joe Burrow and Ole Miss QB Matt Corral
• Threw for career-best four TDs vs. UAPB, completing career-high 82.6% of his passes (19 of 23), third-highest single-game completion percentage in school history (minimum of 20 attempts), for 191 yards and a TD vs. Mississippi State
• Connected on 14 of 19 (73.7%) passes for 98 yards vs. Penn State in Outback Bowl with career-best 110 yards rushing and a TD on 20 carries, becoming first Arkansas quarterback to rush for over 100 yards in a game Since Matt Jones totaled 126 yards on ground vs. Ole Miss in 2004
• Earned Outback Bowl MVP honors for his performance, leading Arkansas to first bowl game win since 2016 Liberty Bowl and first New Year’s Day bowl game win since 2000 Cotton Bowl
• Helped power Razorbacks to nine-win season, their most wins in a year since 2011 (10 wins).

 

R-FRESHMAN (2020) at Arkansas

 

• Played in five games, making one start as redshirt freshman as backup to Feleipe Franks
• Completed 20 of 41 (48.8%) passes for 295 yards and three TDs
• Rushed 28 times for 67 yards and scored two TDs
• Saw first action of season in second half of season opener vs. Georgia, playing nine snaps and completing one of two passes for three yards and rushing for 16 yards
• Played two snaps at Mississippi State, rushing twice
• Scored first rushing TD of season on 12-yard run in fourth quarter at Florida, seeing action in nine snaps
• Made first start of year and set multiple career marks, completing 18 of 33 passes for 274 yards with three TDs and also ran 13 times for 32 yards and a TD at Missouri
• Completed first career TD pass in first quarter, a two-yard completion to tight end Blake Kern
• Hooked up with wide receiver Treylon Burks for 68-yard TD pass on longest throw of his career
• Registered most passing yards by a Razorback freshman quarterback since 2008
• Became first Arkansas quarterback since 2010 to throw for at least 270 yards and three TDs while also rushing for a score
• First Razorback quarterback to throw for two or more TDs and rush for a score in SEC play since 2017
• Engineered an offense that posted 566 total yards, Arkansas’ highest total since 2016
• Played career-high 87 snaps
• Played 21 snaps coming off bench in season finale vs. Alabama, completing one of six passes for 18 yards and rushing six times for 11 yards
• According to Pro Football Focus, played 128 snaps and received 57.1 passing grade for season. 

 

FRESHMAN (2019) at Arkansas

 

• Played in three games, starting one, as true freshman for Razorbacks
• Appeared in games vs. Mississippi State and Western Kentucky, before making his first collegiate start at LSU
• Made collegiate debut vs. Bulldogs and immediately made his presence known, rushing for 21 yards on his first snap
• After 32-yard pass to Treylon Burks, completed his first collegiate drive (four plays, 75 yards) with five-yard TD run
• Played 40 snaps vs. Western Kentucky, throwing for 60 yards on six-of-15 passing, while rushing for 32 yards on 16 carries, scoring on a two-yard run
• Started against top-ranked LSU, going seven of 14 for 105 yards passing in Baton Rouge.

 

High School

 

• Four-star prep prospect by Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN
• Rated fourth-ranked dual-threat quarterback in country by 247Sports
• Slotted as 12th overall player in Mississippi by Rivals
• Placed in Rivals Top 250 at No. 248
• Four-year varsity letterwinner in football and basketball at North Panola High School in Sardis, Mississippi
• Helped Cougars to Mississippi 3A semifinals, finishing 2018 campaign with 12-2 record
• Racked up 3,180 yards through air on 166 of 275 passing in 14 games for .604 completion percentage
• Averaged 227.1 yards per game, 19.2 per reception, with 37 passing TDs
• Second on team in rushing by 40 yards, carrying 115 times for 916 yards and seven TDs
• Played in 2018 Alabama vs. Mississippi All-Star Game and played for USA Football in 2019 International Bowl
• Had back-to-back years throwing for 3,000+ yards, also doing so in 2017
• Totaled 3,028 yards on 150 of 236 passing as starting QB for Cougars as junior
• Tossed 36 TDs and three interceptions for .636 completion percentage, averaging 216.3 yards per game
• Had career year on ground, rushing for 1,325 yards on 139 carries, scoring eight times--with six games over 100 yards rushing
• Dropped state semifinal game, completing 2017 with 13-1 mark
• Completed high school career with 40 wins, 9,582 passing yards, 2,922 rushing yards and 143 TDs, including 119 passing.

 

Personal

Full name is Kenneth Dewayne Jefferson Jr.