During the offseason, the UCF Knights brought in quarterback KJ Jefferson, a transfer from the Arkansas Razorbacks. While at Arkansas, Jefferson accumulated 7,911 passing yards, 1,876 rushing yards, and a total of 88 touchdowns.
Even before Jefferson takes a snap for UCF, head coach Gus Malzahn made a notable statement about him at the Big 12 Media Days, as reported by On3 Sports’ Griffin McVeigh. Malzahn claimed Jefferson is the “closest thing” to Heisman winner Cam Newton in terms of physical attributes.
Malzahn, who coached Newton in 2010 with the Auburn Tigers, led the team to a national championship that season. At Big 12 Media Days, Malzahn described Jefferson as a “dual-threat guy,” adding, “Physically, he’s the closest thing to Cam (Newton) that I’ve had. He’s like a running back. He throws a great deep ball. We’re a run, play-action team with emphasis on throwing the ball downfield.”
Jefferson’s physique is comparable to Newton’s during his time at Auburn. Jefferson stands at 6-foot-3 and weighs 247 pounds, while Newton was 6-foot-6 and weighed 250 pounds in college.
It will be intriguing to see if Jefferson meets the high expectations at UCF. Given Malzahn’s experience coaching Heisman winners, there’s potential for Jefferson to excel. Should he live up to Malzahn’s comparison, he could become UCF’s first Heisman Trophy winner.
Last season, UCF ended with a 6-7 record after losing the Gasparilla Bowl to Georgia Tech. They will kick off the 2024 season against the New Hampshire Wildcats on August 29.
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