KJ Jackson’s Manning Star of Week nod rewards game at Vanderbilt

Information from Arkansas Communications is included in this story.

KJ Jackson finally got to play quarterback Saturday instead of just trying to survive the position. The difference showed up all over the stat sheet at Vanderbilt.

The Allstate Sugar Bowl noticed. On Monday it named the Arkansas junior a Manning Star of the Week for his work in the Razorbacks’ 31-21 road win.

Jackson completed 21 of 31 throws for 251 yards. He also kept the ball 11 times for 58 yards, and one of those runs ended in the end zone.

All told, he accounted for 309 yards. Those are good numbers and the 12 is what jumped out at me, though.

That’s how many different Hogs caught a pass from him. Quarterbacks under constant pressure don’t do that, because they lock onto one guy and get rid of the ball.

Jackson had time to look past his first option and find a second or third. Nothing in the box score measures how clean the pocket was, but 12 receivers says plenty on its own.

What the coaches have likely been seeing

If you’ve wondered what the Arkansas staff has been watching from him in practice, this was probably the best look so far. He played like a quarterback who knew he’d have a second to breathe.

Practice doesn’t come with an SEC defense lining up across from you. Saturday did, and he didn’t seem any different.

The rest of the offense followed his lead. Arkansas finished with 438 yards and put together three touchdown drives.

That kind of balance matters for a team that hadn’t won a league game yet. The Razorbacks needed a day when the passing attack and the run game both showed up.

Jackson’s legs were part of that. Fifty-eight rushing yards from a quarterback keeps a defense honest and opens lanes for everybody else.

Still, it’s the arm that earned the honor. Hitting on about two-thirds of his passes while spreading the ball to a dozen targets is a tough combo for any defense to handle.

The company he’s keeping

Jackson also did something Arkansas hasn’t seen much over the last three decades. He’s just the third Razorbacks quarterback since 1995 to throw for more than 250 yards and run for 50-plus in a regulation win over an SEC team.

A lot of quarterbacks have taken snaps in Fayetteville since then. Only two others pulled it off.

There was more riding on this one than a stat line, too. It was the Hogs’ first SEC win of the season.

It took until the middle of October. Nobody in the locker room is complaining about the timing.

Jackson is a Montgomery, Alabama, native. He gave his teammates something to feel good about heading into an off week.

League wins on the road don’t come easy. Getting one with the quarterback this sharp gives the staff something to build on.

About the award and what’s next

The Sugar Bowl launched the Manning Award in 2004 to honor what Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning did in college. Bowl games count in the voting, and no other quarterback award works that way.

Forty quarterbacks made the preseason watch list. That list will grow Oct. 23.

Finalists will be chosen in early December. The winner gets announced after the College Football Playoff national championship.

One weekly honor won’t decide any of that. It won’t hurt Jackson’s case, either.

Arkansas doesn’t play this week. The Razorbacks return to Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium on Oct. 31, when Missouri comes to town for a 6:45 p.m. kickoff.

Jackson showed what he can do with time to throw. Whether he gets that again against the Tigers depends on the five guys in front of him.