KJ Jefferson facts for kids
.jpg)
Jefferson with Arkansas in 2023
|
|
| No. 1 | |
|---|---|
| Position | Quarterback |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | May 20, 2001 Sardis, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
| Weight | 266 lb (121 kg) |
| Career history | |
| College |
|
| Bowl games |
|
| High school | North Panola (Sardis) |
|
|
Kenneth Dewayne "KJ" Jefferson Jr. is a talented American football player. He was born on May 20, 2001. KJ is a quarterback, which means he leads his team's offense. He played college football for two teams: the Arkansas Razorbacks and the UCF Knights.
Contents
Early Life and High School Football
KJ Jefferson grew up in Sardis, Mississippi. He went to North Panola High School. During his time in high school, he was an amazing player. He threw for over 9,500 yards and ran for over 2,900 yards. He scored 143 touchdowns in total. Because he was such a great player, many colleges wanted him. He decided to play college football at the University of Arkansas.
College Football Journey
KJ Jefferson had an exciting college football career. He played for the Arkansas Razorbacks for five seasons. Then, he transferred to the UCF Knights for his final year.
Starting at Arkansas (2019-2020)
When KJ first joined the Arkansas Razorbacks in 2019, he was a true freshman. He was a backup quarterback that year. He got to start one game against LSU. He threw for 197 yards and ran for two touchdowns. He then took a "redshirt" year, which means he could practice but play fewer games to save a year of eligibility.
In 2020, KJ was a redshirt freshman. He was still a backup quarterback. He played in five games and started one. He threw for 295 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for two touchdowns.
Becoming the Starter (2021)
The 2021 season was a big one for KJ. He became the starting quarterback for Arkansas. He started all twelve games. He helped the Razorbacks have a great season, finishing with eight wins and four losses. They even beat Texas!
Arkansas also won three special trophy games that year. They beat Texas A&M, LSU, and Missouri. This was the first time in the team's history they won all three in one season.
KJ led Arkansas to the 2022 Outback Bowl. They won the game 24-10 against Penn State. KJ was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the Outback Bowl. He finished the season with 2,676 passing yards and 21 touchdowns. He also ran for 664 yards and six touchdowns.
Continued Success (2022)
KJ was the starting quarterback again for Arkansas in 2022. He started twelve of their thirteen games. He helped the team win seven games that season. Four of their six losses were by a very small number of points.
KJ led Arkansas to another bowl game, the 2022 Liberty Bowl. It was a very exciting game against Kansas. Arkansas won 55-53 in three overtime periods! KJ was named the MVP of the Liberty Bowl. He threw for 287 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for 130 yards and two more touchdowns.
Final Season at Arkansas (2023)
In 2023, KJ returned for his final season with the Arkansas Razorbacks. He threw for 2,107 yards and 19 touchdowns. He also ran for 447 yards and two touchdowns. The team finished with four wins and eight losses, so they did not play in a bowl game that year.
On December 16, 2023, KJ announced he was leaving Arkansas. He left as one of the best quarterbacks in the school's history. He holds records for the most career passing yards, passing touchdowns, and completions. He also has the highest career completion percentage for the team.
Transferring to UCF (2024)
On January 1, 2024, KJ Jefferson announced he was transferring to the UCF Knights. He played five games for UCF in 2024. He threw for 1,012 yards and seven touchdowns. He also ran for 193 yards and two touchdowns.
During the season, KJ was benched during a game against Cincinnati on October 12, 2024. He did not play in the next game against Iowa State and did not play again for UCF after that.
College Statistics Summary
KJ Jefferson had a strong college career. He played a total of 49 games, starting 43 of them. He helped his teams win 23 games.
- Passing: He completed 690 passes out of 1,070 attempts, which is 64.5% accuracy. He threw for a total of 8,923 yards and 74 touchdowns.
- Rushing: He ran the ball 584 times for a total of 2,069 yards. He scored 23 rushing touchdowns.
