Silverfield Can Only Guess at Answer to Razorbacks' Big Spring Question

Forget all the measurables and how guys look on the spring practice field when it starts in a couple of weeks

That's not even the biggest question around Arkansas football heading into football practices with a completely new coaching staff and roster. If they can figure out everybody's name by the end of spring that will be an accomplishment.

Razorbacks coach Ryan Silverfield may try to answer that in a pre-spring press conference this week, but there's absolutely no way he'll know for sure the answer to the quarterback question.

Let's not blame him. He has nothing to look at with all these guys that have some film where they look like the answer, but nobody knows what any of them will do when nine Southeastern Conference games are facing them and not a one of them has been there.

Sure, KJ Jackson played in a couple of games at the end of last year and it depends on what play in what game you look at for an answer. He didn't do terrible but he didn't do anything earth-shattering, either.

Both games (against Texas and Missouri) were losses and that's really the only statistic that gets you high on any list. None of the three have a single SEC win under their belt.

KJ will get the first opportunity to get replaced. AJ Hill and Braeden Fuller are the next ones in line and they've never suited up for an SEC team in a game against a conference opponent. It is usually a different atmosphere.

A Where were you moment

When AJ Hill saved Memphis’ season
pic.twitter.com/F2dxnqp3YJ
— SleeperCFB (@SleeperCFB) October 18, 2025

For 60 years I've heard coaches say over and over that's the ultimate question a quarterback has to answer. Regardless whether he's got anybody else on the roster to help him out,no championship-level quarterback didn't have some guys on all-star awards lists with him.

It doesn't happen, but it's always been the second person to have to answer for double-digit losses in the season. In Arkansas fashion, the coach is at the top of the list followed by the quarterback, then it's the athletic director's fault.

Don't ask me for the explanation because I've tried to do it over 50 years and nobody's bought any of my answers, either.

Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback KJ Jackson takes a snap from center in preseason drills on the outdoor practice fields in Fayetteville, Ark. | Andy Hodges-allHOGS Images

Silverfield and his staff probably aren't going to figure it out in the spring. They may find somebody that emerges and looks like a Hall of Famer but nobody will really know that until we get to November. By then we should have a pretty good idea.

Maybe the biggest factor will be can he get the players around him to play better. It's one of those intangibles that's almost impossible to predict until you play the biggest games.

It's interesting, though, over the years to see the quarterback go down with an injury on a very good team and suddenly they are below average. The other guys didn't forget how to play, although it will look like it at times.

Figured this would probably happen to Memphis.

Arrington Maiden became QB2 and AJ Hill was QB3.

Had tons of offers out of HS. Was a 4 star and choose Memphis, nice frame to him 6’4 215.

Will be really intrigued to see where he lands. I would assume it’ll be a place to start https://t.co/kDI7OeyXBZ
— Garrett Armbrust (@4thandsaturday) December 21, 2025

Quarterbacks play a role with every other position and they will often not even really understand it themselves. It's just a different feeling. Call it aura, personality or whatever you really want.

Maybe the best way to phrase the whole thing is winners have "it." Losers don't. Some only have it in smaller degrees and they win about 4-6 games in a season.

While fans may be right, most of them don't know the real answer. It comes down to which one of these three for the Hogs can win games.

Figure how to predict that and you will know the answer.

And you might want to let Silverfield know. He's likely looking for that right now and wants that hope replaced with something that lets him sleep better.

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