Razorback report

Jefferson gets his deep pass

FAYETTEVILLE -- KJ Jefferson stacked another impressive deep-passing performance onto his resume Saturday.

The University of Arkansas sophomore leads all FBS quarterbacks with 18.4 yards per completion after connecting on multiple deep balls in the Razorbacks' 20-10 win over No. 7 Texas A&M last Saturday.

Jefferson completed just 7 of 15 passes, but the completions were daggers for the Aggies, who entered with the nation's top-rated passing and scoring defense.

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Jefferson passed for 212 yards and two touchdowns for an average of 30.2 yards per completion and also ran for 50 yards. Jefferson went out for three series in the second half with a bruised knee but returned for the final two Arkansas possessions.

The native of Sardis, Miss., helped Arkansas close out the game by running through safety Leon O'Neal for a 10-yard gain on a second-and-9 play to the Texas A&M 17 with about 1:40 remaining.

"He's tough," Coach Sam Pittman said of Jefferson. "He didn't want to let the guys down. I think he's beat up. We knew we needed another first down so we could start the celebration."

Jefferson hit Treylon Burks with a go route for an 85-yard touchdown to put Arkansas ahead 10-0. His short wheel pass to tailback AJ Green broke open for a 49-yard score to make it 17-0.

"We knew the QB run game was going to work," Jefferson said Saturday. "We knew outside zone with the running backs was going to work as well.

"And also just taking advantage down the field, with shots and stuff like that with their corners and our receivers. The main thing I just had to do was give my guy a chance to make a play on the ball, and that's what I did."

2 Hogs honored

Arkansas junior wideout Treylon Burks and senior defensive end Tre Williams pulled down weekly honors from the SEC office Monday.

Burks was named SEC co-offensive player of the week along with Florida quarterback Emery Jones. The junior from Warren had season highs of six catches for 167 yards and a touchdown. He is the first Razorbacks to earn SEC offensive player of the week honors since running back Rawleigh Williams on Nov. 19, 2016.

Burks' 85-yard touchdown reception, paired with a 91-yard catch-and-run score the week before, made Burks the first Razorback to have two touchdown catches of 85-plus yards.

Burks, who got off to a slow start, ranks second in the SEC and 22nd nationally with 373 receiving yards.

Williams, a senior grad transfer from Columbia, Mo., was named SEC defensive lineman of the week after producing 2 sacks for 13 yards in losses, 3 quarterback hurries and forcing 3 holding penalties against the Aggies.

Williams and the Razorbacks held Texas A&M to a season-low 272 total yards. He is the first Razorback to be named SEC defensive lineman of the week since Deatrich Wise on Sept. 3, 2016.

Williams was named to Pro Football Focus College's defensive team of the week.

Injury report

Arkansas Coach Sam Pittman said at his weekly news conference Monday he thinks quarterback KJ Jefferson and wideout Treylon Burks will be ready to go by game time at 11 a.m. on Saturday at No. 2 Georgia.

Jefferson wore a left knee brace and a compression sleeve for Monday's practice in shoulder pads and shorts, while Burks ran through drills like normal.

The Bulldogs have a number of players either out, injured or on the brink of returning.

Ace receiver George Pickens (knee), receiver Dominick Blaylock (hamstring) and defensive tackle Julian Rochester (knee) have not played yet this season.

Georgia Coach Kirby Smith said tight end Darnell Washington (foot) and defensive back Tykee Smith (foot) would be back at practice Monday and should be ready for Saturday.

Washington, a 6-7, 265-pounder, had a 26-yard catch for the Bulldogs on their late field goal drive in the first half of last year's 37-10 victory in Fayetteville

Otherwise, receivers Arian Smith (shin) and Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint (ankle) and running back Kendall Milton (shoulder) have been ailing. Not expected to play for Georgia on Saturday are cornerback Jalen Kimber, offensive guard Tate Ratledge, and linebacker Rian Davis.

Tube talk

Arkansas' road game at Ole Miss next week has been chosen for a six-day window option with a couple of different options.

The game on Oct. 9 will kick off at either 2:30 p.m. on CBS or at 11 a.m. on ESPN. The times and networks will be determined after games this weekend and announced by Sunday.

AC, please

The high temperature for Fayetteville is supposed to be 88 degrees today, the same as Monday.

That's a concern for Coach Sam Pittman, whose No. 8 Razorbacks worked in shoulder pads and shorts inside Walker Pavilion on Monday, five days away from facing No. 2 Georgia in an 11 a.m. kickoff in Athens, Ga.

"Right now, we can't get away from the heat," Pittman said. "Our indoor [facility] is not air-conditioned. I'm sure it will be -- that's my plug, by the way -- so we can't get away from the heat. That's the most concerning thing, more than even the travel."

The forecast for Saturday at Athens, Ga., is 84 degrees at kickoff.

"We caught a break with this game being at 11, knowing we have to go on the road again next week," Pittman said. "I thought that was a break for us. It could have been a night game and back at 2 or 3 o'clock in the morning.

When the Razorbacks practice in Walker Pavilion, the doors are open with large ceiling fans on to help the air flow.

"We know it's hot on the inside, but at least the sun's not beating down on you in there and we've got our fans fixed and all that," Pittman said. "So it should be a lot better there."

The Razorbacks got a break from the heat last week when they beat Texas A&M in climate-controlled AT&T Stadium.

Tip, catch, crunch

Long-distance touchdown receptions by Treylon Burks and AJ Green were the defining plays by the Razorback offense against Texas A&M. Perhaps the defining defensive play came on a double-tipped interception by Montaric Brown that, if set to a soundtrack, would've featured a crash of cymbals followed by an ice cream treat for linebacker Hayden Henry.

Zach Calzada's pass over the middle from the Texas A&M 33 glanced off the helmet of Aggies center Bryce Foster, then was tipped by Arkansas linebacker Bumper Pool into a rolling motion. Just about the time Arkansas cornerback Montaric Brown snared it firmly with two hands as the ball went to the turf, Henry smashed Aggies running back Isaiah Spiller, the intended target.

Some on social media claimed the Henry hit should've been flagged for targeting, but it appeared Henry led with his forearms and made contact with Spiller's upper chest.

Henry said earlier this year that particularly hard hits like that one earned him a Dairy Queen treat from his father Mark, the former Arkansas offensive lineman.

The fourth quarter interception set up a nine-play, 42-yard drive conducted by Malik Hornsby that resulted in Cam Little's 24-yard field goal and set the final score of 20-10.

Booster shot

Tailback AJ Green's 48-yard touchdown reception featured three broken tackles and a helpful push from a Texas A&M defender.

Green scooted out of a diving tackle try by linebacker Edgerrin Cooper, whom he beat to the left edge, at the 37. Green then pulled off a spin move to elude safety Leon O'Neal near the Razorbacks' sideline. Aggies linebacker Aaron Hansford dealt Green a two-forearm shot at the 28 which actually propelled the 5-11, 200-pound freshman from Tulsa Union past converging safety Demani Richardson.

The long-distance touchdown gave Arkansas a 17-0 lead early in the second quarter.

Happy AD

Arkansas Athletic Director Hunter Yurachek had the floor for a moment in the victorious locker room at AT&T Stadium on Saturday.

After the team called the Hogs, Yurachek shouted, "I reserve the right once a year to give a game football. ... We're 4-0, we just kicked Texas A&M's ass, we kicked Texas' ass. That's the Texas two-step!" as he handed the game ball over to Coach Sam Pittman.

Wydermyer stuff

Arkansas limited Texas A&M tight end Jalen Wydermyer to one catch for 18 yards as the Aggies failed to establish a downfield passing attack.

Wydermyer burned Arkansas with 6 catches for 92 yards and 2 touchdowns in the Aggies' 42-31 win last year at College Station, Texas.

Series stats

Arkansas increased its lead in the all-time series with Texas A&M to 42-33-3 after snapping its nine-game slide.

The Aggies lead 6-4 in games called the "Southwest Classic" at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, since its renewal in 2009. The first game in the series, won 6-0 by Texas A&M, was also played at Arlington in 1903.

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