FAYETTEVILLE — If KJ Jackson's performance against North Alabama in Week 1 was a smoke alarm, his effort in Arkansas' (1-1) 43-10 loss to No. 20 Utah (2-0) on Saturday was a five alarm fire.

After struggling in the first half against North Alabama, Jackson seemed to settle in during the second half of the season opener. Conversely, he appeared comfortable early on Saturday, completing eight of his first 12 passes for 72 yards and leading Arkansas on a long field goal drive to open Saturday's contest.

But things quickly went downhill for Jackson and the Utah offense. He threw his second interception of the season on a screen and nearly threw two more picks on the night: one on a ball that somehow went through the hands of a Utah defender and into the hands of Ismael Cisse and another that was tipped and then dropped by the Utes.

Jackson also had trouble putting the football in a position where his receivers could get it. Several times throughout the night, Jackson either airmailed his receivers or was a victim of miscommunication and put the ball in the wrong spot.

Jackson ended the night having completed only 14 of his 34 passes for 139 yards, no touchdowns, an interception and 4.1 yards per attempt.

In Jackson's defense, he didn't have much help from a run game. Jackson himself was Arkansas' leading rusher and did have a nice game on the ground, running for yards on carries, not that it mattered all that much at the end of the game.

Several of the same issues that popped up in Week 1 plagued Jackson again on Saturday. He appeared timid and scared to make a mistake at times and tried to do far too much at others. There were also several throws that Jackson simply has to make to be an SEC-caliber starting quarterback that he did not convert.

While head coach Ryan Silverfield and offensive coordinator Tim Cramsey did keep Jackson on the field to start the second half, giving AJ Hill a look to start the third quarter wasn't the worst idea in the world. Nor is trotting Hill out to either start against No. 2 Georgia on Sept. 19 or at least giving him a series or two of live game action.

Hill did eventually make his way into the game in the fourth quarter and, to his credit, led Arkansas on a touchdown drive; though his touchdown pass to Ismael Cisse was a product of a dropped interception.

Jackson looked like an entirely different quarterback for Arkansas in 2025, when he threw three touchdowns, no interceptions and was far more willing to push the ball downfield. This year, with a new playcaller in Cramsey, Jackson doesn't look at all like the quarterback he was 10 months ago.

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