FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas returned to Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium for their annual spring Red-White scrimmage on Saturday, with the Red team taking a 14-13 victory.

Redshirt sophomore quarterback KJ Jackson led the charge for the Red offense, showing maturity out of the huddle and developing chemistry with junior receiver CJ Brown.

Jackson’s competition for the starting job is Memphis transfer AJ Hill. The redshirt sophomore followed new head hog Ryan Silverfield to Fayetteville and showed flashes of athleticism at the helm of the White offense.

Defense reigns supreme

Following a 2025 season where the Hogs’ defense ranked 129 nationally, the unit came out focused on all-out disruption in the scrimmage. 

Defensive backs La’khi Roland and Miguel Mitchell made several big hits to break up completions in the early going. Roland later exited the game with an apparent injury, but walked off on his own power.

In the second quarter, sophomore corner Nsongbeh Ginyui picked off a Hill pass over the middle intended for Chris Marshall and brought it all the way back for the Red team’s first score.

“It was a double team, and the play came right to me,” Ginyui said. “If the ball is coming right to you, you have to be able to make that play.”

The front seven looked much improved as well. Kentucky transfer Steven Soles Jr. picked up two sacks, and star senior Quincy Rhodes met Jackson in the backfield on the last play of the game.

“I feel like everyone is working towards one goal,” Soles said of his new team. “I love my brothers and Fayetteville is home now.”

Offensive highs and lows

The run game stood out throughout the day, which has long been a staple of Razorback offenses.

The 2026 Hogs boast a deep stable of backs, most notably returners Braylon Russell and Cam Settles. Running behind three of the team’s expected starting offensive lineman, the pair was the engine of the White offense, with Settles rumbling in for a seven yard touchdown and attempting a pass on the following failed two-point conversion.

Settles credited the offensive line’s performance for allowing him to contribute to all areas of the game.

“I want to be able to catch the ball out of the back field, to run in and outside of the tackles,” Settles said. “So, we had the juice today.”

Hill looked comfortable on option plays, scoring the game’s first touchdown to cap off a 12-play drive. The White team passing game was lackluster, as Marshall, the Boise State transfer, dropped several passes and at times did not run routes to completion.

Conversely, the Red team found a rhythm moving the ball through the air. After leading him too far out of the end zone on the previous drive —which ended in a missed field goal— Jackson found Brown over the middle for a 65-yard touchdown pass.

Jackson also connected often with sophomore Antonio Jordan and tight end Jaden Platt often throughout the game. Jordan caught two deep passes on the game’s final drive to bring the Red team into striking distance before time expired.

“KJ and AJ have both continued to take steps in the right direction,” Silverfield said. “We saw some positives and negatives from both of them today, but they will both continue to master this offense.” 

The Razorbacks will begin their regular season at home Sep. 5 against North Alabama.