Carl Diffee knew that he needed to be around a TV last Saturday because his former quarterback KJ Jefferson was likely going to be leading Arkansas into its game at Missouri.
Diffee, who coached Jefferson at Sardis (Miss.) North Panola High School before moving on to his current post at Belton, Tenn., had gotten a head's up that Razorback senior starter Feleipe Franks’ playing status was iffy.
“KJ had told me Wednesday that there was a chance that he might get to start,” Diffee said. “But he said, 'If I don’t start, I think I am at least going to play.’”
Jefferson (6-3, 236 pounds), making his first start of the year and the second of his Razorback career, responded in a big way by completing 18 of 33 passes for 274 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed 13 times for 32 yards and another score.
He led Arkansas to a season-high 566 yards total offense and his touchdown pass to Mike Woods and ensuing two-point pass to Woods gave Arkansas a 48-47 lead with 43 seconds left.
Missouri used that time to get itself in position for the game-winning field goal as time expired.
“I let him know that I was proud of him and that everybody that has been involved in his journey knew that he was capable of that and now he kind of put everybody else on notice,” Diffee said. “When you spend as much time with him as I have and seen him grow and mature into the player that took the field Saturday, there was no doubt that was in him. He was just looking for the right time and opportunity.”
Jefferson’s other start came against No. 1 LSU in 2019. The Tigers downed the Razorbacks 56-20.
He was forced into that role because of injuries to other quarterbacks. He finished 7 of 14 for 105 yards passing, and had 12 carries for 27 yards.
“I didn’t think the right opportunity was against LSU last year,” Diffee said. “That is just not a good one to start with. To go against the eventual national champions, no one is going to look great. I think that wore on him a little bit mentally and you start questioning yourself if you are talented enough to compete at that level.
“That can be tough on an 18- or 19-year-old kid, but super proud of the way he has come back and just been patient and just continued to work.”
Diffee is happy that Jefferson's head coach now is Sam Pittman, who took over last December for the fired Chad Morris.
“I think it says a lot about Coach Pittman that at halftime when the reporter asked him, 'Did you know Feleipe was going the out?’ And he said, 'Let’s talk about KJ Jefferson playing great,'" Diffee said. "That says a lot for Coach Pittman and I glad that KJ is playing for a coach like that.
“From day one, I think KJ was a priority for them for what I understood. They have been fair and open and honest with him. Kids appreciate honesty, even if it is negative. Just let kids know where they stand.
“When they brought in Feleipe, they gave KJ every opportunity to compete against him. When it became evident that Feleipe was going to be the guy, they still allowed him to get better and run the offense with the first and second team to stay ready.
“Those are reps he didn’t get last year. It goes a long way for a kid in being prepared because you are just one snap away from being the guy. This staff has done a great job and he is in a system that fits him and you saw that Saturday.”
Jefferson chose Arkansas over Georgia, Baylor, Texas A&M, Missouri, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Vanderbilt, Kentucky, Indiana and others.
He did so after four-year high school career that saw him win 40 games and accumulate 9,582 passing yards, 2,922 rushing yards and 143 total touchdowns, including 119 through the air.
“The first time I saw him he was a 6-foot, 180-pound eighth grader,” Diffee said. “That’s a pretty big eight grader. He broke his leg in the next-to-last game of his eighth grade season. He couldn’t play eighth grade basketball so he and I got in our field house across from one another and just started throwing and working on simple mechanics since he couldn’t move.
“He had some talent, but it really wasn’t until the summer before his freshman year that he got a chance to throw in our 7-of-7. I had a four-star running back (Ole Miss signee Justin Connor), who was a 2,000-yard rusher on a 3,000-yard rushing team at the time, and I really just needed him to hand the ball off to him and complete simple throws.
“In between his freshman year and sophomore year, he had a big growth spurt and he went from 6-foot, 180 to about 6-2 and 205 pounds. He got a lot more zip on the football, became more of a quarterback and we really knew he was elite by the end of his sophomore year.”
Diffee was 42-10 at North Panloa before talking over this season at Belton, which he led to a 12-2 mark and state runner-up finish.
Jefferson had appeared in six Arkansas games before his start at Missouri. While others have wondered if the lack of playing time was wearing on Jefferson, Diffee said that was not the case.
“You know in the big scheme of things, he hasn’t waited that long,” Diffee said. “It is what it is. You are a redshirt freshman, a sophomore in school, and for what was required for Arkansas football this year with Coach Pittman changing that program around, I am glad that brought somebody in like Feleipe that had taken a lot of snaps.
“KJ has learned a lot from Feleipe and his head seems to be in a good place. He really likes the coaching staff and every time I have talked to him he has nothing but great things to say about his experience at Arkansas.”