It was going to be so excellent. Main Texas A&M 14-7, the ball in his fingers, the aim line proper in entrance of him, Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson knew he may punch the Aggies within the throat with a landing. Beneath heart, he jabbed ahead, then tried to leap up excessive of the crimson-and-white pile for a decisive assertion.
Jefferson goes 6-foot-3, 242 kilos. He’s a locomotive, all however unstoppable on the aim line. There was only one drawback this time: he wasn’t on the aim line. He was ranging from the 4. And so reasonably than thundering down a windmill dunk of a landing, all he did was give A&M defenders a juicy goal. One punch-out later and A&M was off on a momentum-shifting and game-shifting full-field landing run, a 14-point swing that altered the remainder of the night and led to Arkansas’ first lack of the season.
The loss knocked Arkansas down 9 spots to nineteenth within the nation, a intestine kick proper earlier than the hardest opponent on the entire slate — Alabama — involves city. Jefferson’s aim now: shrug off the irritating previous, put together for a treacherous future.
“It’s all about the way you reply and get again to work,” Jefferson advised Yahoo Sports activities Tuesday. “You’ve acquired to ensure this doesn’t divide the group.”
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Jefferson is aware of Arkansas let a possibility slip away. Had the Hogs held on to win Saturday, they might have been arrange for a marquee nationwide matchup with No. 2 Alabama. School GameDay seemingly would have chosen Fayetteville over Clemson. He additionally is aware of he has to overlook about these what-ifs, and overlook about that fumble, too, or Alabama will peel much more out of him.
“You’ve acquired to not let the second get too huge, keep on a fair keel, take management of the curler coaster and maintain a impartial mindset,” he stated.
Jefferson responds to most questions that approach, spiraling out little curlicues of knowledge and soccer aphorisms that every one lead towards a central level. It’s not not like the way in which his fortunes, and people of Arkansas as a complete, have tracked over the previous couple of years, from irrelevancy to curiosity to problem to borderline menace.
After a get-acquainted 3-7 season in 2020, head coach Sam Pittman and Jefferson led the Razorbacks to 9 wins in 2021, greater than the prior three years mixed and probably the most Arkansas had managed in a decade. For the primary time in class historical past, Arkansas claimed all three of its rivalry trophies — the Southwest Basic (A&M), Battle Line (Missouri), and Golden Boot (LSU). The Hogs reached a excessive of eighth within the nation, ending the 12 months ranked twenty first after a win over Penn State within the Outback Bowl.
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Main that cost is Jefferson, who’s leveled up since what was already a formidable 2021 season. A real dual-threat quarterback, he’s thrown for 941 yards and eight touchdowns in opposition to one interception. On the bottom, he’s averaging 68.5 yards on 16 carries per recreation, with 4 touchdowns already. Alabama’s Bryce Younger and Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud are (rightfully) gaining all of the requisite Heisman hype, however Jefferson is on a path that might earn him an invite to the ceremony.
“Massive, robust man, laborious to deal with, laborious to sack, laborious to get on the bottom,” Alabama head coach Nick Saban stated of Jefferson on Monday. “(He can) push the pile, run over folks when he runs quarterback runs, a really bodily participant. However you may’t decrease the effectiveness of this man as a passer. Actually good, robust arm, he throws the deep ball properly.”
“He is our quarterback,” Pittman stated not too long ago. “He makes us go. He units the tone for our soccer group.”
He’s additionally — like most star athletes within the NIL period — a mini-corporation of his personal. Along with his soccer duties and classroom work, he holds NIL offers from Walmart and Outdated Spice. He’s advocated for charitable endeavors in his dwelling state of Mississippi. He’s the general public face of a group that’s introduced pleasure again to Fayetteville’s soccer devoted.
That’s plenty of weight to bear, and Jefferson says he handles it by staying humble — repeating his mantra of “a impartial thoughts, taking management of the curler coaster.”
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Nonetheless, there are challenges to preserving a chill mindset once you’re a marquee SEC quarterback. “There’s much more eyes on you,” he stated. “You’ve acquired to look at the whole lot you do, each time you work together with totally different folks. I simply attempt to present my true character, take a while out to make somebody’s day higher, whether or not it’s taking an image, signing a ball or having a dialog.”
He decompresses with self-care like mani-pedis — “it eases my thoughts, lets me take into consideration one thing aside from soccer” — and by enjoying Madden, a method he says lets him decelerate the true recreation in entrance of him. His chosen group in Madden ‘23: the Miami Dolphins. (“I like throwing to these receivers,” he says, and in contrast to most Madden gamers, he’s on a observe to do this for actual.)
Earlier than he can take into consideration life after Arkansas, he’s acquired to get via this season, preventing via a schedule that ESPN projected because the hardest Energy 5 slate within the nation. That’s what occurs once you’re within the SEC West and schedule two ranked non-conference opponents (Cincinnati and BYU) on prime of that.
Final season in opposition to Alabama, Jefferson threw for 326 yards and three touchdowns, preserving tempo with Younger. Arkansas was inside six factors with lower than six minutes left within the recreation, however a 40-yard move from Younger to Jameson Williams ended that dream. However Arkansas left Tuscaloosa with the assumption that extra was attainable.
“Alabama has been a troublesome group for I don’t know what number of years. However the entire group believes we may pull an upset. It’s all about maximizing alternatives,” Jefferson stated, “and ending drives.”
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Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback KJ Jefferson (1) is placing up huge numbers this season and he is feeling good about his group’s possibilities in opposition to No. 2 Alabama this week. (Picture by George Walker/Icon Sportswire by way of Getty Photographs)
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Contact Jay Busbee at jay.busbee@yahoo.com or on Twitter at @jaybusbee.
The Arkansas Arts Council’s 2025 Small Works on Paper touring exhibition debuts Monday and remains on display through Feb. 16 at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s Windgate Center of Art + Design, 2801 S. University Ave., Little Rock.
A reception, 5-7 p.m. Jan. 30, will feature presentations by the 35 Arkansas artists whose 40 pieces, no larger than 18-by-24 inches, are part of the exhibition. Refreshments will be served.
Admission to the reception and the gallery is free. Gallery hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, 2-5 p.m. Sunday.
The visual art exhibition is in its 38th year, spotlighting Arkansas artists who are members of the Arkansas Artist Registry, an online gallery maintained by the Arkansas Arts Council. Most works will be available for sale with all proceeds benefiting the artists. The exhibition will tour nine venues statewide.
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This year’s juror, New Jersey-based artist Mario A. Robinson, reviewed more than 200 entries and chose the work of three artists — Jennifer Barnett and Derek Slagle, both of Little Rock, and Richard Stephens of Hot Springs — for purchase awards that will become part of the Small Works on Paper permanent collection. The artists receive cash awards that are equivalent to the value of their artwork.
“Weird Weather,” acrylic painting by Susan Chambers of Little Rock; “Good Days,” acrylic on newspaper by Alexia Lams of Pine Bluff; “Offerings,” watercolor and thread on paper by Rhaelene Lowther of Magnolia; “Hillside Hives,” pastel and graphite on brown paper by David Mudrinich of Russellville; and “The Old Neighborhood,” pastel by Dennis McCann of Maumelle, are part of the Arkansas Arts Council’s 2025 Small Works on Paper touring exhibition, debuting Monday and on display through Feb. 16 at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s Windgate Center of Art + Design. (Special to the Democrat-Gazette)
The exhibition will be on display:
◼️ March 3-26 at the River Valley Arts Center, 1001 E. St., Russellville (rivervalleyartscenter.org)
◼️ April 3-30 at the Walton Arts Center’s Community Creative Center, 505 W. Spring St., Fayetteville (communitycreativecenter.org)
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◼️ May 5-28 at the Ouachita Center, University of Arkansas Rich Mountain, 1100 College Drive, Mena (uarichmountain.edu/index.html)
◼️ June 6-28 at the Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas, 701 S. Main St., Pine Bluff (artx3.org/home)
◼️ July 11-Aug. 22 at the Delta Cultural Center, 141 Cherry St., Helena (arkansasheritage.com/delta-cultural-center)
◼️ Sept. 4-29 at Southern Arkansas University’s Brinson Art Gallery, 100 E. University St., Magnolia (saumag.edu)
◼️ Oct. 6-28 at the Glassblock Gallery, Taylor Library, University of Arkansas at Monticello, 346 University Ave., Monticello (uamont.edu)
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◼️ Nov. 4-22 at Harding University’s Stevens Art Center, 915 E. Market Ave., Searcy (harding.edu).
For more information, call (501) 324-9767, email at cheri.leffew@arkansas.gov or visit ArkansasArts.org.
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Due to the ongoing winter storm sweeping through the Natural State, DoorDash has activated its Severe Weather Protocol and temporarily suspended operations in Little Rock and various parts of the Natural State.
According to a release Friday night, the precautionary measure comes as the winter storms deliver hazardous conditions across the city, including heavy snowfall and strong winds.
Cities with suspended operations include Little Rock, North Little Rock, Conway, Pine Bluff, Jacksonville, Cabot, Searcy, Malvern, Lonoke, Heber Springs, Star City, Clinton, Rison and Sheridan.
“With heavy snowfall and low visibility, the snowstorm is a serious threat to our community, and we’ve taken decisive action by activating our Severe Weather Protocol,” DoorDash spokesperson Julian Crowley said. “We deeply appreciate the patience and understanding of Dashers, merchants and consumers, and will resume operations as soon as it’s safe to do so.”
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Officials said they will continue to monitor conditions on the ground and will communicate additional changes to their operations as needed.
Gainesville, Fla. – The Florida Gators men’s basketball team’s next destination is Fayetteville, Ark., as they’ll take on the Arkansas Razorbacks (11-4, 0-2) on Saturday for their third SEC matchup of the season.
Florida is currently sitting at 14-1 on the season and 1-1 in conference play. They opened their SEC slate with a nail-biting loss to the Kentucky Wildcats, losing 106-100 in Lexington.
However, the Gators were able to avenge this loss with one of the most dominant wins in men’s basketball history on Tuesday over No. 1 Tennessee. They trounced the Volunteers 73-43 in the O’Dome, marking the Gators’ first regular-season win over an AP No. 1-ranked team in program history and the biggest win over a No. 1-ranked team in the NCAA since 1968.
But enough about what Florida has done this season, let’s shift the focus to their opponents, the Razorbacks, and see who they are.
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Arkansas’ season started out nice with a win over Lipscomb. However, it wouldn’t be the same for them in their second game of the season against then-ranked No. 8 Baylor, as they found themselves on the losing end of a tightly contested battle.
Then, following a good stretch for the team in red, they were tasked with the current No. 13 in the AP Poll, Illinois, and things wouldn’t go so well for new Razorbacks head coach John Calipari. His team was outclassed in this game 90-77, which ended their winning streak at four.
Arkansas did make amends with their fans a few games later, though. While participating in the Jimmy V Classic, they matched up with then-ranked No. 14 Michigan, who they narrowed past 89-87.
This win over the Wolverines helped maintain a three-game win streak that would eventually turn into a six-game streak. However, since SEC play started for the Razorbacks, they are 0-2 with losses to Tennessee and Ole Miss, who are currently ranked in the Top 25 AP Poll.
These pair of losses put Arkansas at just a 1-4 record against teams on their schedule to have been ranked or that are currently ranked.
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While it was a complete roster overhaul for Calipari and the Razorbacks this offseason that was fueled by the transfer portal, their biggest grab has been from the high school ranks.
They added highly ranked players like Johnell Davis, Adou Thiero and Jonas Aidoo all from the portal, but it’s former five-star guard Boogie Fland who’s been arguably the best player for the Razorbacks this season.
Fland is averaging 15.5 points, 5.9 assists and 3.6 rebounds per game through 15 games this season. He is also connecting on 35.7 percent of his threes, which shows he’s more than just an inside scorer. Additionally, his 5.9 assists rank 24th among his competitors.
But in these first two SEC games, Fland is just 10-for-35 from the field and 3-for-17 from deep.
If the Gators can’t keep him in check like he’s been over these last two, then it might be a long afternoon for the visitors on Saturday.
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Despite bringing in tons of talent that should’ve resulted in a great offense, Arkansas has been anything but that.
They currently rank inside the bottom five teams in the SEC in scoring offense, averaging 79.4 points per game. They do have two players scoring at least 15.0 points per game, but that’s pretty much it. Outside of Thiero (16.9) and Fland, they only have one other player in double figures (DJ Wagner, 10.5).
Moreover, if this becomes a free-throw-dominated affair, the Gators shouldn’t be too worried about the Razorbacks’ performance at the line. They are shooting 71.1 percent from the charity stripe, which is good for 12th in the league.
And, lastly, they have little to no presence on the glass. They are the worst team in the SEC in offensive rebounding, and they are 13th out of 16 teams in overall rebounding. These are two areas where the Gators dominate, and if things play out like they have been this season, then the visitors should outmuscle their counterparts.
This game will be televised on Saturday at 4 pm on ESPN.
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