Ryan Silverfield assesses KJ Jackson at midpoint of Arkansas football season

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas football head coach Ryan Silverfield sees considerable improvement in starting quarterback KJ Jackson at the midpoint of the 2026 season. After poor starts, both the Razorbacks (3-4, 1-3 SEC) and Jackson have shown progress in recent weeks, playing their best game against Vanderbilt, a win that also marked the first SEC victory in two years.

Silverfield attributes Jackson's improvement to various factors, including trusting his progression, making great decisions, and taking checkdowns. The head coach has been pushing for better decision-making from Jackson, particularly in throwing checkdowns instead of holding onto the ball in the pocket. Jackson's best statistical game of the year came against Vanderbilt, where he was 21 of 31 for 251 yards and did not commit a turnover, despite the team's star receiver, Chris Marshall, being sidelined for the entire second half.

Jackson's rushing output also contributed to the team's breakthrough, with 11 carries for 58 yards and a touchdown. His previous career-high in rushing yards was 34 against Utah. The offensive line did not allow a single sack against Vanderbilt, and Jackson's ground game coincided with the team's best rushing performance of the season.

Overall, Jackson has thrown for 1,444 yards, seven touchdowns, and four interceptions on the season, with 140 yards and three scores on the ground. While his quarterback rating of 124.1 ranks second-last among SEC starters, Arkansas sees signs of growth in Jackson, and last week's victory was affirmation for the quarterback. Jackson expressed his confidence in continuing to work hard and focus on the little things, emphasizing that consistency will ultimately lead to success.