Silverfield faces big expectations as Razorbacks weigh real QB concerns

FAYETTEVILLE, ARK. — Arkansas fans are known for loud passion, steady loyalty, and a willingness to convince themselves better days are a week away.

Now the hope has turned into something closer to frustration for a crowd that keeps expecting wins without seeing many.

New Hogs coach Ryan Silverfield says he wants to give Razorback fans “what they deserve.” If anybody deserves a winner, it’s Arkansas, even if nobody quite agrees on what that looks like.

Razorback supporters want those Saturdays when the fight song pops into their heads before breakfast and the first words spoken in the house are, “It’s a great day to be a Razorback.” Those mornings have not been regular guests in Fayetteville lately.

And nobody needs a lecture on turnovers, special teams, or toughness. Everyone knows those matter. Silverfield knows they matter. Even the dog knows they matter by now.

But the harder part is personnel, especially at quarterback. The Hogs have to be right at that spot in 2026.

You can build a wonderful house, but forgetting the front door makes it hard to live in.

Silverfield’s “all in” line has been repeated by the athletics director, the chancellor, board members, and boosters. The only thing missing is the quarterback who makes the check worth writing.

There is plenty to like about KJ Jackson. Arkansas fans like his demeanor, his size, his arm, and the physical tools that coaches circle on a whiteboard. But football history is full of quarterbacks who had tools, but not wins.

There are also quarterbacks who lacked traits, but managed to beat everyone anyway. Jackson has done good things in small doses, but nobody can call it a full sample.

In 2025, Jackson completed 33 of 54 passes for 441 yards and three touchdowns, a 148.0 rating. His main action came against Texas and Missouri.

Against the Longhorns, he went 16 of 29 for 206 yards and a late touchdown. Against Missouri, he was 11 of 17 for 126 yards and another touchdown, though Taylen Green played most of that game.

Jackson saw small bits of time against Alabama A&M, Arkansas State and Texas A&M. It is not exactly a multi-season résumé.

Razorbacks quarterback KJ Jackson announces he will remain at Arkansas during the intro press conference for Ryan Silverfield — Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback KJ Jackson announces that he will remain at Arkansas during the introductory press conference for coach Ryan Silverfield at Frank Broyles Center in Fayetteville, Ark. | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

He has also never taken a snap in the fourth quarter with a game hanging on his arm. That matters because the unknown can sink a season. Practice is helpful, but quarterbacks never take real hits in practice.

The whistle blows early, the defense pulls up, and nobody gets tackled. The stress is never real until it’s real, and that is the problem with naming an unproven player the anchor of a team.

A few examples show why this is tricky. Max Duggan was not even the starter at TCU until Chandler Morris got hurt, and Duggan ended up leading the Horned Frogs to the national title game.

Florida did not discover Kyle Trask until Feleipe Franks went down. Texas Tech once started Davis Webb over Baker Mayfield and later over Patrick Mahomes. So evaluating quarterbacks is not simple math.

Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback KJ Jackson during preseason practices at the indoor center in Fayetteville, Ark. | Andy Hodges-allHOGS Images

Razorbacks face costly decisions at most important spot

This is why Arkansas needs a quarterback with real experience. Not because Jackson lacks talent, but because giving him competition helps everyone.

Right now, he is the unquestioned starter without showing much proof he should be.

Even Ole Miss gave Jackson Dart help in 2023 by adding Walker Howard from LSU and Spencer Sanders from Oklahoma State. Dart still kept the job and finished 11-2.

Getting a proven quarterback will cost Arkansas around $2 million in NIL and revenue sharing. And that is only the start.

They will also have to pay linemen to protect him, receivers to help him, and defenders to support him. The cost of doing business has never been more clear.

KJ Jackson in limited action as Arkansas's QB over the last 2 seasons:

🏈 63.8% completion
🏈 555 total yards
🏈 5 total TDs / 0 INTs

Ryan Silverfield retaining him is MASSIVE for the Hogs - and a great first step in building next year's roster. pic.twitter.com/5qvxp7s2Sw
— Edward Corron (@EdwardCorron) December 5, 2025

Former Auburn coach Hugh Freeze was criticized for saying his quarterback situation with former 5-star quarterback Jackson Arnold did not work out “to the level he nor I both expected.”

Maybe it wasn’t the smoothest phrase, but he wasn’t wrong. LSU’s Brian Kelly might say something similar about Garrett Nussmeier this past season.

Everyone points to Vanderbilt’s surprising year. Clark Lea had a strong quarterback in Diego Pavia, a 23-year-old senior who played like one. The Commodores signed a five-star recruit for 2026, but losing Pavia will test how real their climb is.

The College Football Playoff teams also had strong quarterback play. Even Georgia’s Gunner Stockton, the least efficient of the group, still posted a rating over 150 — and Georgia holds the No. 1 roster in the Team Talent Composite. That helps.

So the question comes back to Arkansas: Can the Razorbacks bet everything on a player with limited experience?

Jackson could become the next Fernando Mendoza, but Mendoza came to Indiana with more than 600 passing attempts at Cal. Jackson is not close to that number.

The Hogs are talented, hopeful, and investing heavily.

But hope is not a plan, and expectations do not equal wins. Arkansas wants a fresh start with Silverfield, a quarterback they trust, and Saturdays that feel fun again.

But trust is earned, and the Razorbacks are still waiting for proof.

Key takeaways

Arkansas wants improved quarterback play, but has limited proven experience with KJ Jackson.
Razorbacks face costly decisions to secure an experienced QB through NIL and roster spending.
Strong quarterback play remains essential for matching growing Hogs expectations in 2026.

Razorbacks face costly decisions at most important spot

Key takeaways

Hogs Feed: