I don’t know the exact number, but I know it’s high.

KJ Jefferson took plenty of hits as a 2-year starter in Kendal Briles’ offense. When you’re 6-3, 250 pounds and you initiate contact the way that Jefferson does, that’s inevitable. The Arkansas signal-caller turned himself into one of the better quarterbacks in the country running Briles’ up-tempo, run-heavy spread scheme that featured numerous designed runs for Jefferson.

But those aren’t the hits that I’m talking about.

I’m talking about the zone reads when Jefferson isn’t even the primary ball carrier. Of course, the defense doesn’t know that. The defense has to respect Jefferson’s legs as if he were a running back because in many ways, Jefferson does his best Derrick Henry imitation when he gets to the second level with a head of steam.

Thus, Jefferson would (legally) get hit on plays when he put the ball into the belly of an Arkansas tailback. It happens all the time to quarterbacks operating zone reads or run-pass options. The difference with Jefferson is the vast majority of quarterbacks aren’t built like him, so they’re not capable of taking on that kind of contact when they do call their number. Even for someone of his frame, that adds up.

That brings us to this year. Two things we know to be true: One is that Jefferson’s health is paramount to Arkansas staying afloat in the SEC West, which it struggled to do last year, especially when he was banged up in the middle of the season. The other is that Briles is off to TCU, and instead, Dan Enos is running the offense.

Dare I say, Jefferson is going to have far fewer hits taken on plays when he’s neither the primary ball carrier or passer. We actually saw that in the spring game with Jefferson operating under center and not in shotgun for the first time in his career as a college starter:

Consider that a small, but important reason Enos is exactly what the doctor ordered for Jefferson at this stage of his career.

To be clear, that’s not a knock on Briles. The past 2 years, we watched Jefferson blossom into a star as a dual-threat quarterback who was often tasked with digging the Hogs out of a deficit. Though the cumulative numbers might not reflect it, Jefferson’s Year 2 numbers as a starter were nearly identical to the previous season even though he missed 2 starts with injuries, and he did that in a post-Treylon Burks world.

He couldn’t have successfully operated the Mike Leach Air Raid, and we probably wouldn’t have been able to see his full mobility if he was lined up under center on 90% of his dropbacks. But now, Jefferson is ready for a coordinator like Enos, who figures to have much closer to a balanced offense compared to the 27.5 passing attempts per game (No. 105 in FBS) we saw with Briles.

Yes, part of the optimism is that the new scheme is better suited to preserve Jefferson’s short- and long-term health. That’s a win. Handing the ball off and not having to get blown up by an SEC edge rusher seems like a plus because it is.

It was interesting hearing Jefferson tell the SEC Network crew that he’s actually starting to like operating under center more than shotgun. I’d bet my next paycheck that at least part of that is not taking those unnecessary hits.

He’s also going to be seeing the field a bit differently. Instead of operating at a tempo that forces the defense to make last-second adjustments, he’ll get the ability to weigh what he sees at the line of scrimmage. That could mean sending an extra guy into protection or flipping the play to the opposite side of the field. That’s the beauty of having a veteran quarterback like Jefferson.

Does it mean he’s going to run the offense mistake-free? Of course not. There could be some growing pains in the fall when Jefferson is live and facing better defenses, unlike the Arkansas spring scrimmage (they didn’t really want to call it a game). Mastering that footwork isn’t a given, and Jefferson admitted there’s still a learning curve for him going into the summer.

And also remember that Enos isn’t abandoning the shotgun, nor is Jefferson suddenly ditching those zone reads. That’s still going to be a fixture of the offense. It would be foolish not to utilize Jefferson in that way.

I do, however, find myself thinking about some firsts. Like, Jefferson lines up under center with Rocket Sanders as his lone back, and he successfully operates a traditional play-action pass wherein a receiver has 3 yards of separation on a hitch and go. That’s the type of stuff that’s going to make Jefferson a more sought-after prospect at the next level and if you don’t believe me, Google “Will Levis strengths.”

But this transition to a more pro-style scheme isn’t just about trying to put some extra money in Jefferson’s bank account. This is about operating a more sustainable, versatile offense.

That’s why when Briles first flirted with the idea of leaving for MSU, Sam Pittman hit up Enos and gauged his interest in the position. Not only did Pittman know Enos from their previous stint at Arkansas, but there was also the masterful job Enos did to help develop the passing prowess of Jalen Hurts as the quarterback coach at Alabama and Taulia Tagovailoa as the offensive coordinator at Maryland. When Briles started flirting with TCU a few weeks later, Pittman already had his successor in place.

The Enos-Jefferson relationship will be one of the most crucial in the SEC West this year. If it hits right, it’s not crazy to think it can yield a 9-win regular season with Jefferson finishing as the program’s first All-SEC quarterback since Tyler Wilson in 2011. Of course, the maturation of the Arkansas wideouts and the much-needed defensive improvement could also play a pivotal role in a bounce-back year in Fayetteville.

Still, though. Jefferson has the right coordinator in place to help him take another step. Now feels like a good time to buy more shares in the Arkansas quarterback. Lord knows I’ve already got plenty.

I don’t know the exact number to that, but I know it’s high.