Razorbacks' KJ Jefferson, Sam Pittman Still Can't Get Texas A&M Loss Out of Their Heads

From top to bottom, everyone associated with the program expected to focus on details to prevent another season of multiple two and three point losses

Author:
Andy Hodges and Kent Smith
Publish date:
Sep 26, 2023 2:50 PM EDT

In this story:

Arkansas Razorbacks

(The following originally ran in March, 2023)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson is still haunted by a big mistake against Texas A&M last year, and is anxious to get back to AT&T Stadium so he can flush it out of his memory. It's obviously been on his mind for a long while.

To refresh your memory, Jefferson fumbled trying to leap into the end zone with the Razorbacks looking to go up on the Aggies 21-7 with just under four minutes left in the first half on first and goal from the three. The ball came flying from his out-stretched arm and landed in the unexpecting hands of Texas A&M's Tyreek Chappell. To make matters worse, as Raheim Sanders wrapped up Chappell at the Arkansas 18, he handed the ball off to Demani Richardson who shot up the sideline the remaining 82 yards to turn what would have been a 14 point game into essentially a tie, 14-13 after a failed 2-point attempt.

"Thing I remember is the play that I had that still sticks with me to this day that I had down in the red zone," Jefferson said Wednesday at SEC Media Days.

It has given him something to focus on heading into the season.

"This year, just being able to focus on the small details, trust myself, don't second-guess myself. When the time comes, I know I prepared for that moment, don't let the moment be too big for me."

Jefferson isn't the only one who can't get the game out of his head. Arkansas coach Sam Pittman's voice as he talked about it with the SEC Network crew at the desk went from jovial to almost downtrodden as he talked about what it was like at halftime of that game.

"We had the game," Pittman said. "We were in control of the game. That hits us in the face. We go into halftime and we're still ahead. It felt like we feel like we're 50 down."

That's why, to a man, everyone associated with the Razorbacks on Wednesday talked about adjusting to make all the little things matter. That includes when it comes to changing an attitude in regard to what doing the small things correctly looks like.

"Coach [Ben] Sowders, our new strength coach who came from Louisville, he really stresses all the little details," defensive end Landon Jackson said. "For example, for our workouts, he stresses for us to not be there five minutes early, but earlier than five minutes. So, say the workout is at 3 p.m. If you're there at 2:55, you're on the StairMaster, you're doing up-downs, something like that. It's literally all the little details we're trying to perfect right now, and I think it will play into the season."

For Pittman, that detail isn't just about getting players better for what's to come. He's looking at the coaching staff, himself especially, to find ways to improve. Losses like the one to A&M weigh heavy on him, and he doesn't want something like that to happen again.

"We've got to be able to have a coaching staff, me, and our team has got to adjust faster for us to have success," Pittman said. "We can't lose four games by nine points. We just can't. We can't. You're talking about seven to 11."

Even though his quarterback continues to bear the burden of that loss in Arlington, Pittman sees Jefferson as the solution to making sure that doesn't happen again in 2023.

"KJ is going to be a big difference in [winning close games]," Pittman said. "He's got plenty of people to go to, but he's the leader of the team. Not the offense, not the defense. He's the leader of the football team. Coming from a quarterback position, that's a big deal."

Part of that leadership is working alongside players like running back Raheim "Rocket" Sanders to learn the new offense and make the necessary reads he didn't have to make before. It's a new system under Dan Enos from Kendall Briles' old approach that tried to squeeze the most number of plays into every game and score as quickly as possible. Enos' system is more deliberate, uses the clock more, and the hope is it gives the defense more of a break.

"This system right here requires a lot more film work, also going out there and putting myself in the position, calling different plays, calling different formations," Jefferson said. "Getting into my mindset and just being able to be, for me, with the plays and formations and everything. Then also having guys come in and run certain different routes we have that's new from the previous system that we had."

Jefferson said he came back for another season to erase regrets from last year. Wipe away the fumble against A&M and be available for Mississippi State and LSU, unlike last season.

"The factors that led me coming back was I didn't get to play in some of the big SEC games due to injuries," Jefferson said. "I just wanted to come back and be able to give my teammates another shot at being able to just go out there and help my teammates win, become successful."