Pressure Plan: Arkansas’ Quarterbacks Respond to Discomfort in Spring Ball

Hogs' signal callers pushed to limits as Razorbacks' coaching staff sees which can handle SEC demands

Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback KJ Jackson during spring practices. | Nilsen Roman-allHOGS Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Maybe Ryan Silverfield isn't the chill, fun loving guy he appears to be in interviews. After all, it turns out he is the kind of guy to make people do homework over spring break rather than taking time to relax and enjoy the change in weather.

For the first time since 2021, the Razorbacks will have someone making his first full-time starts under center with either highly recruited passers KJ Jackson or AJ Hill taking the reins this fall.

Both have pushed each other through the offseason, which can only make them better competitors moving forward.

Offensive coordinator Tim Cramsey is providing everything possible in practice to make his quarterbacks repeatedly uncomfortable. Stewart calls it "building calluses" in an effort to make them tough to break in SEC play.

It's a major reason Cramsey's offense was successful as it was at Memphis, ranking in the Top 20 in passing yards per game and never giving up more than 10 interceptions from 2022-25.

"For a quarterback, it's all about their mentality, building calluses in their minds, how they operate and decisions they make," Stewart said Wednesday. "Putting them in situations, and [Tim] Cramsey is one of the best I've been around at throwing those guys in situations and seeing how they respond.

"Giving them a chance to build those calluses and they've responded well to that. It's a cerebral group and they have a great sense of urgency to improve."

There's never a bad time to lean on improvement either. Whether that comes from watching film at home or grabbing those extra reps after practice even when it hurts, that's part of coach Ryan Silverfield's "all in" mentality.

Everything matters now, and that's why each quarterback took homework with him on spring break.

"Over [spring] break, the quarterbacks took virtual reality goggles home so they could watch the first three installs," Stewart said. "One of them said, "Yeah man, I was running a QB draw and almost ran into the room, I forgot I wasn't on the field.'

"Those are the types of kids that you know are constantly sending you texts wanting to know what this play looks like, is this right, and those types of things."

Sometimes you have to take things coaches didn't say to assemble what a depth chart might look like in spring ball. While the race for starting quarterback might not be over anytime soon, Stewart had plenty of praise to give both Jackson and HIll.

“KJ has got a unique skill set," Stewart said. "Dude is very athletic, but he’s very cerebral too. He’s just a kind of a savvy ball player. You can tell he’s been around a lot of ball, it kind of comes natural to him. Smooth thrower.”

Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback KJ Jackson on the field against the Texas A&M Aggies at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark. | Ted McClenning-allHOGS Images

Jackson had his feet placed in the fire against Texas where he accounted for 223 all-purpose yards, including going 16-of-29 for 206 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions, earning him the start in Arkansas' season finale against Missouri. He completed 11-of-17 in that game for 126 yards (140 all-purpose), a touchdown and no interceptions while splitting time with Taylen Green who was 6-of-13 for 59 yards with no touchdowns.

He finished the year completing 33-of-54 passes for 441 yards, three touchdowns and one turnover under former offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino.

That SEC experience could give him a massive leg up on Hill, who has played some, but not as extensively during his freshman season at Memphis.

Stewart had plenty of praise for Hill, labeling him a mentally strong quarterback.

“AJ, I've got a lot of experience being around him [at Memphis]," Stewart said. "He's another very, very high cerebral kid, very smart football player. He’s one of those that has that unique skill set of taking what you see on film, and he can do that on the grass.

"He can see the blitz coming and lots of people can't do that. It's one thing to see it on a big projector and it's another to see it when you're there. He's not quite as mobile as KJ, but he's a big guy."

First-Year Coach, First-Time Starter

It's rare in this day and age of college football that a program will have a first-time starter because of the transfer portal. But, it says a lot about Silverfield, Cramsey and the offensive coaching staff's belief in KJ Jackson that he can lead them in a competitive SEC.

Most offseason rankings are going to have Jackson way down the list among SEC quarterbacks, and rightfully so considering there's only a small sample size for analysts to evaluate.

There will be bumps in the road for any starting quarterback at the Power Four level, and that will be the case if Jackson ultimately wins the job. He would be Arkansas' first full-time starting quarterback getting his inaugural start under a first-year Razorbacks coach since Brandon Allen in 2013 under Bret Bielema.

Most fans will remember Bielema's team going 3-9, 0-8 in SEC play, but still continuing to improve until the final whistle against LSU in the season finale.

Allen played with an injured throwing shoulder through most of that season, completing just 49% of his passes for 13 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback Brandon Allen (10) scrambles during the second quarter of the game against the Mississippi Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. | Matt Bush-Imagn Images

Despite those lumps, Allen went on to have a solid career for the Razorbacks, completing 62% of his passes for 5,725 yards, 50 touchdowns and 13 interceptions with a 15-11 record over his final two seasons.

Legendary Razorbacks coach Frank Broyles began his tenure in 1958 with first-year starting quarterback James Monroe.

He threw just six passes during the 1956 season and didn't play in 1957 under Jack Mitchell.

Monroe started 20 games in his final two seasons with the Razorbacks, completing 60-of-126 passes for 714 yards, six touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He also rushed for nearly 400 yards and an additional three scores on the ground.

The Razorbacks went 4-6 in its first season under Broyles leadership, but went 9-2 in 1959 with a victory over Georgia Tech in the Gator Bowl.

Arkansas' focus isn’t simple as naming a starter for the next few seasons, but preparing one to withstand the physical and mental demands that comes with playing in the SEC.

How well that preparation translates will ultimately determine how successful the Razorbacks can be in Year 1 under SIlverfield.