Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback KJ Jefferson and tight end Luke Hasz on coming close without getting win against the LSU Tigers on Saturday night in Baton Rouge, La.
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00:00 and as a top man in the league,
00:03 how do you think you played
00:05 and I don't know if you got to see any of that,
00:06 but what did you think about how you all played
00:08 and stepped up for the big moment?
00:10 I was really good. I mean, of course,
00:11 we want the outcome that we wanted,
00:12 but I mean, I feel like I came in, we was prepared.
00:14 We had great preparation throughout the week
00:16 and we knew everything that was going to do
00:18 and we just got to finish drives.
00:21 I mean, that's the main thing going into it.
00:22 We got to finish drives and it starts with me up front
00:25 and just being able to be a leader
00:27 and just finish drives and pull my team
00:29 and rally my team together when I'm getting the red zone
00:31 to put up points on the board.
00:32 You got kind of like a shootout
00:34 with him in the second half
00:35 when you're offensive.
00:37 Yeah, I mean, it's the SEC.
00:38 I mean, that's what you come to the SEC for.
00:39 I mean, two elite quarterbacks going at it, battling.
00:42 So, leaving it all out there on the field.
00:44 I mean, that's what we talked about.
00:46 Even after the game, I mean, we shook hands
00:48 and we both gave each other respects
00:50 and I mean, we moved on.
00:52 Isaiah, what can you say about the game
00:54 that Luke had decided?
00:56 Oh, man, a tremendous game.
00:57 I mean, just him being in the right place
01:01 at the right time.
01:02 When I do break the pocket, he's making sure
01:04 he's working scramble rules and me finding him
01:07 and it was a great job by him even working up the field.
01:10 So, to me, just finding him and making a great catch
01:12 and then on the last touchdown,
01:14 we needed that touchdown, big touchdown
01:15 and he came through.
01:17 So, just shout out to him.
01:18 I mean, he's maturing, he's growing
01:19 and I mean, in close situations, I can count on him.
01:21 And Luke, what did you say on your first touchdown?
01:25 Well, I know that no matter what,
01:26 KJ is going to make the play last long.
01:28 So, I got to do whatever I can to get open for him
01:31 because I mean, he's a big quarterback
01:33 and he's 250 plus pounds.
01:34 I mean, he's not going to come down easy.
01:36 So, just being able to realize that he's going to make
01:40 chances for me to scramble and get open
01:42 and he connected with me and I was excited for it.
01:45 Did they play off of you defensively at times?
01:48 You were getting underneath quite easily, it seemed like.
01:51 They did a bunch of different stuff on defense.
01:53 I mean, I'll have to go back and look at it on film,
01:55 but they did some good stuff.
01:57 But I mean, we were prepared for it.
01:58 We just needed to execute better
02:00 and go back to Monday and keep working.
02:03 Okay, that was your fourth game,
02:04 but how much do you think about KJ?
02:07 I mean, he's played such a high level in the competition.
02:10 I'd say every game, KJ's going to bring it.
02:12 I mean, since I've got here,
02:14 he's helped me in the passing game,
02:16 just like the chemistry we built in the off season
02:20 and then just him being him.
02:22 I mean, he's been starting here for a while now
02:25 and I've got a lot of confidence in him
02:27 and it's been nice getting to play with him.
02:30 Yeah, for both of y'all, obviously tough loss,
02:32 not the outcome you wanted,
02:33 but really, I thought y'all played great
02:36 and can you maybe build on this going into the end?
02:39 How do you feel like the team bounced back
02:41 from a tough loss and now moving forward?
02:43 Maybe KJ first, then me.
02:45 Just being able to get back to the drawing board.
02:46 I mean, this game right here showed
02:48 that we have a great amount of potential on our team.
02:51 We didn't divide at all when adversity hit us.
02:54 I mean, we came together and you can see on the field
02:56 that we was all locked in, we was all about in,
02:58 we was cheering on defense, defense cheering us on.
03:00 So it was a real team effort.
03:02 I mean, we came up short, true enough,
03:03 but it also showed the growth and the maturity
03:06 that we have on our team
03:07 and that we're in a great spot right now.
03:09 I mean, we just got to do the look things right, penalties
03:11 and things like that,
03:12 cleaning up the mistakes on our part
03:14 and don't shoot ourselves in the foot.
03:16 I mean, moving forward, we know that.
03:18 So just being able to go take each day, day by day,
03:21 focus on the small details and to get back in the win column.
03:26 - Manny hit on a lot of the points, but just, like he said,
03:29 going back this next week, flushing this week
03:31 and going back to practice,
03:33 getting ready to get a game plan for 6 a.m.
03:35 And I mean, every team we're going to play
03:38 the rest of the way is going to be really good.
03:39 So, I mean, just going to practice every day,
03:42 giving it our all like it's our last game.
03:44 So that's exactly what we're going to do.
03:48 - When you were a freshman,
03:49 when you were first stroked here in Devon Valley,
03:51 you looked like a much older guy.
03:53 What was it like for you?
03:56 - Oh, it was definitely a great experience.
03:57 I knew coming in here, it was going to be a good atmosphere.
04:00 And I mean, I just go by every game.
04:03 I just got to play like it's a normal game.
04:05 So, I mean, that's exactly what happened.