Hogs’ Coach Sam Pittman Rolled with KJ After He Said He Was Okay

Razorbacks were "flat" last week and it didn't turn around before Liberty loss

Author:
Andy Hodges
Publish date:
Nov 7, 2022 2:50 PM EST

In this story:

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson is going to have to deal with a sore shoulder the rest of the season.

We kind of suspected this for a few weeks now.

"It's the clavicle area," Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman said about Jefferson's shoulder at his press conference Monday. "It's bruised."

KJ Jefferson-Liberty — Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback KJ Jefferson waits on the snap from center on a two-point conversion attempt with 1:11 to play in a 21-19 loss to the Liberty Flames on Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022, at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark. (Ted McClenning / allHOGS Images)

While Jefferson wasn't particularly sharp in a 21-19 loss to Liberty on Saturday that threw cold water on fans' expectations for a big season, his numbers were decent after they figured some things out in the second half.

The bigger problem was the Flames' defense.

"We weren't ready enough for their movement," Pittman said. "We couldn't handle the front of the pocket."

That played a big part of the offensive problems, but they never looked in rhythm for most of the day. The Hogs had to endure 14 tackles for loss and those kill drives along with some ill-time penalties.

The rumor circulating in town leading up to the game was Jefferson wasn't going to play. Pittman asked him if he was okay.

"When KJ said he was ready to go like most players would, we played him," he said. "It was never a question about performance ... it was about health."

A bruised shoulder is painful, but playing probably isn't going to make it worse. Pittman's not going to put Jefferson out there if he could hurt the shoulder more.

The bigger problem was chaos on the offensive line.

"It's hard to put a finger on it," Pittman said. "All five have to play in sync and we didn't."

Now he jumps from a shocking loss to a non-Power 5 team to face maybe the hottest team in the SEC West with LSU coming to town.

But Pittman saw all last week it wasn't going well.

"It was flat and I could feel it," he said. "We had all kinds of reasons to win, but we didn't. Last it was Rice, then Penn State for a half.

"For the most part it's non-Power 5 teams."

LSU, after knocking off Alabama in overtime last week, has consistently been surging since the season started with a narrow loss to Florida State.

Quarterback Jayden Daniels has leaped into the top tier of quarterbacks in the SEC. He's thrown for nearly 2,000 yards this year, but it's his running that may be the biggest issue (619 yards).

It's been a problem for this defense when they face a mobile quarterback.

Jayden Daniels-Trey Washington-Ole Miss-LSU — LSU Tigers quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) is tackled by Mississippi Rebels safety Trey Washington (25) and linebacker Austin Keys (11) during the second half at Tiger Stadium. (Stephen Lew / USA TODAY Sports)

Now the Hogs will be down a player in the secondary with Myles Slusher and Anthony Brown suspended for a week after getting thrown in jail on a disorderly conduct charge off Dickson St. early Sunday morning.

Slusher could have an impact, but Brown hasn't done much this year. It will cause some shuffling at the nickel position, but the emergence of Quincey McAdoo playing well in the secondary has helped that.

"He's played well," Pittman said.

Regardless of the shuffling, nobody's expecting LSU to make a lot of wholesale changes.

"They are going to do what they do because they're having success," Pittman said.

Kickoff for the game is 11 a.m. Saturday on the SEC Network and fuboTV.

Listen online at HitThatLine.com or on the radio at ESPN Arkansas 99.5 in Fayetteville, 95.3 in the River Valley, 96.3 in Hot Springs and 104.3 in Harrison-Mountain Home. On satellite on Sirius 111 or XM 191 or the Sirius XM app channel 962.