'QB Carousel' Yields Little Difference For Sputtering Razorback Offense

FAYETTEVILLE — Ryan Silverfield said Monday that Arkansas planned "on having KJ Jackson as our starting quarterback."

And Jackson did start Saturday's game against No. 2 Georgia — but he was not the only QB to see the field, and unlike in Arkansas' Sept. 12 loss to Utah, that wasn't simply because the game was out of hand late.

Make no mistake: Saturday's 45-17 loss to Georgia was out of hand late. But Jackson and backup QB AJ Hill traded reps throughout the contest, even when the game was still competitive.

Jackson had three series in the first half to Hill's two, as the former was on the field for Arkansas' first two drives and its lone scoring drive of the first half, a 34-second march into field goal range that included a superhuman catch from Chris Marshall.

Arkansas Razorback quarterback AJ Hill scans the field before a snap against the Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday, September 19, 2026 | Nilsen Roman, Hogs on SI

It was also Jackson who led Arkansas' two second-half touchdown drives, though neither came when the game was in doubt. Sutton Smith scored Arkansas' first TD of the afternoon, while Jackson through his first of the season against FBS competition to Ty Lockwood to close the scoring.

"The whole plan all along was to get KJ two series, and regardless of how those went, and then AJ, the next 2 series and then make a decision from there," Silverfield said. "I think part of it is what we did was this past week and clearly not to the level we needed to or to the improvement we needed to is, 'OK, what plays can KJ run well and read well, and what plays can AJ run well and read well?

"And then not just give them a menu of, 'Hey, here are the 250 plays we've run in this past 10 years.' What else do you like? And you saw, I mean, I think today, probably 20 plays that we've never run before, some were effective. Some weren't."

Jackson played arguably his best game of the season, completing 20 of his 27 passes (74 percent) for 212 yards, though there were still a few inaccurate throws.

Jackson also committed Arkansas' lone turnover of the game, fumbling on the Razorbacks' first drive of the second half and giving Georgia the football in Arkansas territory.

Hill, meanwhile went 8-14 (57 percent) passing for 76 yards, though he didn't put the football in harm's way as he did in the fourth quarter against Utah. While Jackson played better in the second half, it may not be the worst idea in the world if Hill gets the starting nod against Tulsa next week.

Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback AJ Hill tosses the football on the sideline during pregame against Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. | Nilsen Roman, Hogs on SI Images

Silverfield said he's not yet sure what Arkansas' plan at quarterback is going to be against Tulsa.

"I don't want to play the quarterback carousel game," Silverfield said. "But if alternating quarterbacks gives us the best alternative and the best option to win football games, we will do so."

It didn't appear to be Arkansas' best option on Saturday. While the offense did show flashes of being able to move the ball, it has yet to do so consistently in any of Arkansas' first three games.

If the Razorbacks are going to be competitive in their final eight SEC games, they must find a QB and a consistent means of moving the ball, or a conference win may be tough to come by.

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