Sam Pittman updates practice plan for KJ Jefferson amid injury concerns

Rivalry week is ahead of the Arkansas Razorbacks, with a scorching hot LSU Tigers team coming to Fayetteville. Looking to pull off a massive upset and help a couple of teams out still in the SEC West hunt, head coach Sam Pittman may have to do so without quarterback KJ Jefferson.

Pittman was asked about the status of Jefferson heading into the latter week of practice, saying he is not fully sure yet. He knows Jefferson wants to be out there, especially if a good performance against LSU is going to play out on the field. But soreness and pain tolerance is going to be something he may have to push through in order to play.

CLICK HERE to subscribe for FREE to the On3 YouTube channel

“I don’t know I guess is the answer,” Pittman said. “We’re going to talk to him. If he can throw today then we’ll throw him a little bit more and if he can’t then we won’t. But that’s kind of been a talk to him before practice. He wants to, it’s bothering him. He wants to be ready, he wants to play. He wants to practice because he understands he needs to practice to play well.

“I think we’ll just have to wait and see at practice today and see how he feels. He’s sore. Depending on what he can tolerate or where it’s at. Maybe it’s not as sore today, I don’t know. This morning, it was a little better. I don’t know what that means as far as what kind of velocity he can put on the ball.”

Problems have been there for Jefferson for more than just this week, dealing with some issues heading into the Liberty game. The Razorbacks mightily struggled against Hugh Freeze’s ball club, losing a close one at home by two points.

Sam Pittman ‘getting ready’ for other options

Pittman continued to say he does not know how the Jefferson situation plays out, saying there are a few factors. However, he did say Arkansas is getting ready for a couple of different options if/when Jefferson is not ready with Malik Hornsby and Cade Fortin.

“It was about how he felt,” said Pittman on Jefferson not throwing in practice. “He felt much better early in the week than what he felt a little bit on Monday. Didn’t set so well on Tuesday. Not a lot but he certainly threw more than he did a week ago.

“Again, he feels better this morning, so, I don’t know. Depends on do we not throw him and throw him tomorrow. Is he not going to play? I don’t know right now. Right now, we’re getting ready to play Malik and Cade and wait on to see how KJ feels.”