A committed competitor is the way a former coach of University of Arkansas freshman quarterback KJ Jefferson describes him.
After his first game as a junior at North Panola High School in Sardis, Miss., Jefferson's mother Katorie suffered a stroke.
"I remember taking him up to the hospital to see his mom on Monday," North Panola Coach Carl Diffee said. "I had to get back for practice, and he was like, 'Coach, I want to ride back for practice.' "
With the mother's blessing, Diffee agreed to let Jefferson practice.
"He went back to practice, and the next day he went back up there and he got a ride back to practice," Diffee said. "He did that all week, and we got to the game. We're playing our biggest rival, and we beat them 20-13."
[HOG FUTURES: Read full series on newcomers to the UA football team at arkansasonline.com/2019hogs/]
"He had every reason to miss practice, and I would've let him miss and wouldn't have thought anything about it. I wouldn't hold anything against him for doing it, but he wasn't going to do that. He was going to be there."
Jefferson was off in the passing game, but he led the Cougars to victory on the ground.
"He put the team on his back with his legs and rushed for almost 240 yards that game and three touchdowns," Diffee said. "He ran different than I've ever seen him run. Running over the top of guys, and he would just hop back up.
"After the game, he was physically shaken, you could tell. I think that was the first game his mom had missed in a long time."
Jefferson, 6-3, 228 pounds, won 40 games in his career at North Panola while passing for 9,582 yards and 119 touchdowns, and rushing for 2,922 yards and 24 touchdowns prior to inking with the Hogs over more than 20 scholarship offers from schools such as Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Texas A&M, Missouri and others.
KJ Jefferson at a glance
POSITION Quarterback
HEIGHT/WEIGHT 6-3, 228 pounds
HOMETOWN Sardis, Miss.
HIGH SCHOOL North Panola
AGE 18 (born May 20, 2001)
NOTEWORTHY Mississippi’s Mr. Football in Class 3A. … Played in the 2018 Alabama vs. Mississippi All-Star Game. … Four-year letterman in football and basketball. … Led Cougars to Class 3A semifinals as a junior and a senior. … School’s all-time leading passer.
"They recruited across the board," Diffee said of Arkansas. "Their entire program recruited KJ. It wasn't just one coach, it wasn't just a couple of coaches. It was every single person on staff who made sure they formed a relationship with him and made him feel comfortable.
"A lot of those other guys that committed with KJ, he was able to form a relationship with."
Jefferson pledged to the Razorbacks on May 18, 2018, and stayed firm with his commitment.
"I don't think he ever wavered," Diffee said. "I think some people put some pressure on him, but at the end of the day you form those relationships, as the Arkansas staff did and as they did as a class. That kept him locked in on what he wanted to do at Arkansas.
"He's a competitor. He's a committed kid. That's something kids are missing these days. All through the recruiting process, he stayed committed from the very beginning through."
Jefferson reported to Fayetteville for the first summer session.
"It's been a good transition so far. I'm getting to know the coaches a lot better," Jefferson said. "Being around my teammates and adapting to how they are in different circumstances. It's been a good transition overall."
He had a quick reply when asked about the biggest adjustment thus far.
"I would say the workouts and conditioning is very different from high school," Jefferson said.
He's adjusting to life as a college football player with freshman roommates and receivers Treylon Burks and TQ Jackson, along with defensive lineman Marcus Miller.
Burks and Miller love the outdoors and fishing. Jefferson said he and Jackson don't share the same affinity.
"Me and TQ are the same. We don't have patience for all this fishing," Jefferson said. "After the first 10 minutes, if we haven't caught nothing, we're ready to go. It gets boring.
"When those two are fishing, we're either studying or we're going shopping somewhere. I love shoes and clothes. I have to make sure my apparel is looking right."
Jefferson is putting an emphasis on time management.
"We did a couple of courses in our tutor sessions about ... how to manage your time and focus on the important things other than just going out every night," Jefferson said.
Being away from his mother and grandmother has been an adjustment.
"I still reach out and talk to them whenever I can," he said. "They know why I'm here, and I know why I'm here, too. They keep reminding me I need to take care of business."
A consensus four-star prospect by recruiting services, Jefferson was ESPN's No. 17 quarterback in the nation.
He appreciates that veteran quarterbacks Ben Hicks and Nick Starkel have taken him under their wing since his Fayetteville arrival.
"They've been a lot of help because they're upperclassmen, and they know what it's like to be a freshman and the obstacles you go through," Jefferson said. "Learning different plays and getting into the playbook and learning how to watch film. They've been real helpful. I can call them anytime I have a question."
In mid-July, Jefferson weighed 228 pounds.
"Actually, I'm on a diet right now," he said. "I'm trying to drop a few pounds. I'm trying not to go into fall camp being heavy. I'm trying to get back down to either 220 or 215.
"I'm laying off of fried food. I'm trying to eat more grilled or baked [foods]. A lot of veggies and fruits."
Sports on 07/29/2019