Arkansas’ quarterback battle is still very much alive, and the deciding factor might be as simple as this: don’t do “stupid things” with the football.
That was the blunt message from quarterbacks coach Mitch Stewart on Friday as KJ Jackson and AJ Hill kept pushing toward the Sept. 5 opener against North Alabama. Stewart made it clear the race is being judged on the small stuff - protecting the ball, handling situations cleanly and avoiding mistakes that stall drives.
"Own the ball, own the situation, whatever the situation is that we put you in, whether it's a two-minute, four-minute, redzone, whatever," Stewart said Friday. "Own the situation, and you'll own the team."
Since first-year head coach Ryan Silverfield was hired, the quarterback spot has been the dominant storyline around the program, and nothing about Friday suggested the competition is easing up. Stewart said he and offensive coordinator Tim Cramsey are checking in constantly, with every part of the job under review.
"It's hourly between me and Crams [offensive coordinator Tim Cramsey]," Stewart said. "Everything they do is getting analyzed. How they meet, how they answer questions, how they talk to the team, how they practice, how they go perform, the whole thing.
"It's a daily conversation, and these dudes like it that way, man. They have not backed down from anything. Any challenge we've thrown at them, they've been more than happy to address it and go full speed towards it."
Friday’s work included Jackson, Hill, freshman Hank Hendrix, transfer Braeden Fuller and Cade Trotter getting their quarterback reps. Jackson had a rough moment on a crossing route to Jamari Hawkins that ended in an incompletion, while Hill overshot a receiver and took him out of bounds during a red zone team drill.
Jackson did manage to punch in a rushing touchdown in that period, though he didn’t throw one.
Stewart was specific about what each quarterback still needs to clean up. Jackson’s issue, he said, is missing throws that should be there.
"KJ, we've talked to him about some of his misses," Stewart said. "Some easy completion type deals. At the end of the day, some open throws [he's] missed that we can't afford to miss."
Hill’s assignment is more about speeding up the decision-making process and tightening up the mental side of the position.
"AJ, just making better decisions and making them quickly. Hell, you guys know in this league, you don't have a lot of time to sit back there and process things. You got to go through your reads, you got to go through your progressions very quickly."
With three weeks left before Arkansas opens the season, Stewart, Cramsey and Silverfield still have time to sort through the competition. Publicly, though, the race has stayed wide open since spring.
And Stewart, in his own way, sounded like someone who understands the appeal of the whole thing.
"We went out there and it's 100 degrees out there, but golly, it sure beats sitting on the couch sitting nothing," Stewart said. "It sure beats sitting in an office."
Neither Jackson nor Hill is going to be on that couch. One of them will be on the sideline when September arrives, and the staff is still deciding which one.
In Other News...
Hunter Yurachek Just Reignited A Frustration Arkansas Fans Know Too Well
Hunter Yurachek has spent most of his Arkansas tenure with plenty to point to beyond football. Since taking over as athletic director in 2017, the Razorbacks athletic department has been financially steady and successful across several sports, with SEC and national titles helping give the school a broader profile than any single program could. It has been a run that would look strong in a lot of places, and in some ways it has at Arkansas too.
But football remains the sport that shapes the mood around the department, and that is where the frustration keeps resurfacing. The Razorbacks have struggled badly in that program during Yuracheks watch, and criticism has followed him through controversy and tough public moments, including a recent incident involving the Little Rock Touchdown Club. For a fan base that measures its athletic director by what happens on Saturdays in the fall, that familiar disconnect has once again been pushed to the forefront. [Read more 🡒]
Arkansas Quarterback Battle Just Got More Concerning After Saturday
The quarterback battle in Fayetteville is still very much up in the air, and Saturdays practice did little to calm any nerves about Arkansas options. KJ Jackson and AJ Hill are both competing for the starting job, and while coach Mitch Stewart has made clear the spot will be earned, the two passers had a shaky session that included several errant throws as they worked under close scrutiny.
Jacksons issues were especially noticeable on routine throws, while Hill also failed to create any real separation in the eyes of those watching. Stewarts message has stayed consistent throughout camp, but with the opener drawing closer and the starter still unannounced, Arkansas is left waiting for one of its quarterbacks to make a cleaner, more convincing case. [Read more 🡒]
Hank Hendrix Is Giving Arkansas Fans A Reason To Watch This QB Race
Fall camp has turned into an unexpected showcase for Hank Hendrix, the freshman quarterback who arrived at Arkansas as an early enrollee and has already caught the attention of the staff. A highly ranked high school prospect, Hendrix reclassified to get on campus early after a successful prep career, and coaches Mitch Stewart and Tim Cramsey have both pointed to his poise, confidence and arm talent as reasons he has stood out even without being part of the battle for the starting job.
For a program sorting through its quarterback picture, Hendrix is giving Razorback fans something to keep an eye on beyond the immediate race. The staff has been encouraged by his decision-making, leadership and overall skill set, with the sense that his youth only adds to the intrigue around what he could become once he gets more time in the system and eventually enters the competition for real. [Read more 🡒]