Arkansas Razorbacks: Post-spring stock report
With spring football in the rear view mirror, it’s time to fully embrace the Head Ball Coach’s “talkin’ season.”
The transfer portal carousel is still spinning, so rosters aren’t totally finalized just yet, but we at least have a sense of foundation for each SEC program. So let’s take a stock report of every team in the conference, examining their offense, defense and overall outlook heading into the 2022 season.
Today we look at the Arkansas Razorbacks.
OFFENSE — STOCK UP
Veteran coordinator Kendall Briles knows how to dial up offenses, and now for the first time in his seven-year career as an OC, he’ll have a returning starter at quarterback.
With a perfect blend of physical traits and arm talent, KJ Jefferson is among the most intriguing QBs in the country this fall. But can he take the next step? Jefferson was efficient last season (21 touchdowns to just four picks) but the Razorbacks mostly leaned on a physical running game as the spear of their attack, leading the SEC in rushing yards per game (227.7).
That won’t change in 2022, with four veteran starters on the offensive line back, plus the the three-headed ball-carriers of Jefferson, Dominque Johnson, Raheim ‘Rocket’ Sanders and AJ Green. Arkansas is also looking for more ways to get backup quarterback/hybrid receiver Malik Hornsby, a true burner, involved in various facets of the offense. Hornsby is a true X-factor for the Hogs’ offensive upside in 2022.
Head coach Sam Pittman has built the Razorbacks into a tough, nasty, blue-collar team, but for the program to truly compete for the SEC West, it needs Jefferson to become a more dynamic passing threat — especially when teams know Arkansas has to throw the football.
Top target Treylon Burks is gone to the NFL, Jefferson actually has a deeper pool of playmakers at his disposal entering 2022. Pittman dipped into the transfer portal and grabbed former 5-star Jaden Haselwood from Oklahoma. Warren Thompson is back and expected to have a big senior season if he erase his issue with drops, same for sophomore Ketron Jackson Jr., who really impressed throughout the spring. Arkansas’ tight end room should be better, too, as Hudson Henry is a year older and Trey Knox, a converted receiver, flashed this spring.
DEFENSE — STOCK HOLDING
The Razorbacks lost a lot — their top three defensive linemen, multiple linebackers and three key pieces in the secondary — off a defense last season that played a very bland, yet sound bend-but-don’t-break scheme. Barry Odom’s unit wasn’t all that outstanding at anything last year aside from picking off passes (13) and keeping teams out of the end zone once they reached inside the 20-yard line.
Still, the strategy mostly worked. So why stock holding with so many pieces to replace?
Pittman pounded the portal for immediate help and landed as many as five starters in former Alabama linebacker Drew Sanders, Georgia safety Latavious Brini (Georgia), LSU corner Dwight McGlothern, LSU end Landon Jackson, and Georgia Tech end Jordan Domineck. The Hogs are looking for more additions post the May 1 entry deadline, too, looking to add another nose tackle or interior body.
Sanders is expected to pair with Bumper Pool (125 tackles) at linebacker in Odom’s 3-2-6 scheme, but the Hogs are also expected to flex the former 5-star as a wide rusher on passing downs. His speed and length off the edge could boost an Arkansas pass rush that finished second-to-last in the SEC in sacks in 2021 (25).
Arkansas’ secondary is completely revamped with Greg Brooks Jr. and Joe Foucha now playing for division rival LSU and team-leading INT leader Montaric Brown off to the NFL, but there’s confidence that Brini (12 starts for the national champion Bulldogs last season), McGlothern and a healthy safety Jalen Catalon, who was awesome as a redshirt freshman in 2020, will be the foundational pieces of a solid unit.
If the Razorbacks can shore up their defensive line, this is a unit that looks very similar to one that finished in the middle of the pack in the SEC last season.
2022 OVERALL OUTLOOK — STOCK UP
Few programs have as much burgeoning optimism as Pittman’s Hogs. The Arkansas Razorbacks ended the 2021 season ranked inside the Top 10, winning five of their final six games. Although Arkansas sustained some substantial losses in the transfer portal this offseason, Pittman was quick to fill up his own grocery cart.
Few teams in the country have the Razorbacks’ combination of overall team experience, a returning starting quarterback and both coordinators still on staff.
While Georgia is not on the schedule in 2022, Pittman still has a gauntlet to navigate this fall if he wants to reach 9+ wins for the second-straight season. The Arkansas Razorbacks open the season against Cincinnati and also travel to BYU in the middle of SEC play. The host a rising South Carolina squad in Week 2. Also on the slate: Missouri State and the return of former Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino. The good news — if there is a silver lining — is most of their toughest games are in Fayetteville, playing host to Alabama, LSU and Ole Miss.
Ultimately, I’m not sure Arkansas can replicate last season’s overall win-total, but there’s little doubt that Pittman has built a roster that programs are no longer excited to see pop up on their schedule. Win a couple toss-up games and the Razorbacks could certainly have their first 10+ win season in a decade.