Three looming questions about Arkansas football in 2025: Quarterbacks

The offseason is in full swing, and there’s a little less than a month before the Arkansas Razorbacks will start fall camp ahead of the 2025 season opener against Alabama A&M on Aug. 30.

There question marks all over this year’s Arkansas team. It lost almost all of its wide receiver production from last year, there was offensive line shuffling and a crew of transfers up front, and the defense is littered with new faces both in the secondary and along the defensive line.

With so much unknown about the Razorbacks’ squad heading into 2025, HawgBeat has three looming questions about each position group ahead of next season. Up first in the series is the quarterback situation.

There’s no new face under center for the Hogs this season. Second-year quarterback Taylen Green is back for another season under offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino. Last year, he threw for 3,154 yards and 15 touchdowns to nine interceptions.

The Boise State transfer was also electric with his legs and rushed for 602 yards and eight touchdowns on 156 attempts. That said, there’s room for improvement, and here are three looming questions for the Hogs’ second-year signal caller.

Should we expect more from Green in Year 2?

The short answer is yes. Last year, Green was, well, that. Green. It was his first year playing in the Southeastern Conference, and it was also his first year playing under Petrino, whose offense is known for being complex and tough to run in the first year.

“I would say my confidence level is higher because it’s my second year in the offense,” Green said during spring practice in March. “Just where I was just last year, my eyes was like, ‘Oh,’ with the offense and getting on the same page with Petrino and the different plays in the run game and different responsibilities I had to do.

“So I would say my confidence level is higher, but at the same time, I’ve got a lot to get better at and that’s what I’m really focused on. I’m not really content.”

Green flashed a ton of potential last season, but he still has a ton of room to grow. His accuracy was questionable at times, and his pocket presence left a bit to be desired. Part of that is because of the offensive line, which allowed 26 sacks across 13 games, but faster processing by Green could lead to less sacks overall.

Is there a clear-cut backup behind Green?

If true freshman quarterback Madden Iamaleava had stuck around, he could have made this question more interesting, but it seems redshirt freshman K.J. Jackson will be the man at QB2.

Jackson doesn’t have experience playing in big games yet, as the only reps he had last season were in the first game against UAPB in mop-up duty. But should Green go down with an injury, he’ll be thrust into action.

Green said during spring ball that he’s doing everything he can to help Jackson learn the ropes.

“KJ’s been stepping up in the role that he has,” Green said March 10. “I have to do my part. Being my last year, I have make sure that anybody is after me that’s going to take the ropes, that’s what I’m really big on, just leaving this place better than what I found it.”

When Iamaleava bolted for UCLA, the Hogs brought in Florida State transfer Trever Jackson, but unless he shines during fall camp, he’ll find himself battling it out with true freshman Grayson Wilson.

Wilson has a lot of upside, but he likely won’t be making noise on the field unless the Hogs get into a lopsided game.

How will Green gel with new wide receiver corps?

The Razorbacks are headed into 2025 with a bunch of new faces at the wide receiver position. Gone are Andrew Armstrong, Isaac TeSlaa and Tyrone Broden to the NFL, and both Isaiah Sategna and Dazmin James hit the transfer portal after the season ended.

To combat that portal attrition, head coach Sam Pittman refilled the wide receiver room with a bunch of transfers.

Fresno State’s Raylen Sharpe, Charlotte’s O’Mega Blake, Alabama-Birmingham’s Kam Shanks and Stanford’s Ismael Cisse showed potential during spring practice, but how well they gel with Green will play a big role in how successful he’ll be next season.

One thing that may help is Sharpe’s understanding of Petrino’s offense. He played under the former Head Hog at Missouri State and said going through spring ball, he picked up on the playbook pretty easily after a season at Fresno State.

“To be honest, I didn’t know I knew the playbook that well,” Sharpe said on March 13. “When they started speaking it again, it all came back to my memory. They’ve got some new stuff that I’ve got to get a grasp on, but everything else has been pretty good.”