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As if their season couldn’t get any more difficult, this happened.
Just 20 days until the season opener against UTEP, Arkansas Razorback star running back Jonathan Williams goes down with a foot injury. Razorback fans (like myself) thought no big deal, he’ll be back in a few days and get crackin’ again. But it was officially announced on Sunday that Williams will be undergoing surgery on his left foot, and that he will be missing a substantial amount of the season.
Williams, Arkansas’ No. 10 all-time leading rusher, opted to not enter the 2015 NFL draft and finish out with a four year career at Arkansas. The last time Arkansas had a player that made a similar decision was former star quarterback Tyler Wilson, who then went under a torturing senior year with former Head Coach John L. Smith. Is staying for a senior year at Arkansas a curse? Probably.
This is not the season to be losing a key player for Arkansas. The Razorbacks have one of the toughest schedules in all of the country, including away games at Alabama, LSU and Tennessee. So the heavy load just a got a lot heavier with the heartbreaking news. The Hogs were destined to have such an improving year, and Williams returning was going to be partially responsible for that. Now, Hog fans are going into the 2015 season scared out of their minds, having to rely on other people to step up their game.
With the loss of Williams, there is still a glimmering ray of hope in the form of Alex Collins. Collins and Williams have been two peas in a pod ever since their arrival at Arkansas. The two have been the best duo Arkansas has seen since the Felix Jones/Darren McFadden era. With each other, Collins and Williams have busted for over 1,000 yard seasons individually, but it’s hard to tell what will happen when Collins is left alone. Don’t get me wrong, Collins is an extremely talented back who has a chance to go to the NFL this year if he wants to, but Williams has always been the go-to guy for Arkansas.
Collins will not be able to handle that load all by himself, that’s why Kody Walker and Rawleigh Williams III will be other key factors this coming season. Walker has improved tremendously from what we’ve seen so far. He pulled off an insane performance at the spring game that really got Hog fans excited to see him on opening day. Walker could never replace Williams, but neither could Collins.
What will come of this season for the Hogs? Still great things hopefully. The loss of Williams is one of the most tragic things Arkansas could have imagined for this season, but his return later on will be something to watch.
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