Former Razorback on the bench for true freshman

FAYETTEVILLE, Arkansas – The grass isn't always greener on the other side. Former Arkansas and current UCF quarterback KJ Jefferson was benched after just five games under coach Gus Malzahn. Jefferson was originally considered an ideal addition to his new coach's offensive plan, but the Knights instead opted to use true freshman EJ Colson for Saturday's game against the Cincinnati Bearcats.

Jefferson transferred to UCF after five seasons at Arkansas. In 44 games, Jefferson became the program's all-time leader in both passing yards (7,911) and total touchdowns (88). He led the Razorbacks to a nine-win season in 2022, including a win in the Outback Bowl, before following it up with another winning season in 2023. Jefferson's final season ended with a disappointing 4-8 season that saw offensive coordinator Dan Enos fired midway through the season.

In five starts for the Knights this year, Jefferson went 64 of 108 for 1,012 passing yards with seven touchdowns and four interceptions. His 59.3% completion rate is the lowest of his career in a season as a starter.

EJ Colson, Jefferson's successor, was a consensus three-star recruit out of Georgia and was ranked as the 38th overall quarterback prospect in his class, according to On3. He was offered by a variety of Power Four schools, including Arkansas, Nebraska and Virginia Tech, among others.

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