SEC Spring Football Preview: Arkansas Razorbacks
2011 Record: 11-2
Returning Starters: 13
Key Losses: Joe Adams, Jarius Wright, Greg Childs, Jake Bequette, Jerry Franklin
Breakdown:
It’s difficult to imagine that you could lose firepower on the edges like Adams, Wright, and Childs and be better offensively, but Bobby Petrino and the Arkansas Razorbacks just might have that opportunity. They return an All-SEC quarterback in Tyler Wilson and they return tailback Knile Davis from injury.
Last season the offensive line wasn’t great, but they do return four guys with starting experience so they should be improved. Obviously, we’ll have to wait to see exactly how healthy Knile Davis actually is, but if he can be even a shell of the player he was in 2010 (when he rushed for 1,322 yards) the Razorbacks should see a significant improvement from their 80th-ranked rushing offense in 2011.
Defensively, Arkansas continues to make significant strides. The Hawgs will definitely miss Bequette along with linebackers Jerico Nelson and Jerry Franklin. However, the Razorbacks return a ton of talent up front and even more in the secondary, plus Alonzo Highsmith will still be leading the defense.
This should be the best defense that Arkansas has put on the field during the Bobby Petrino-era.
What to watch for:
Clearly the loss of experience and explosiveness at the wide receiver position will be a major concern for Bobby Petrino and Arkansas. Despite what should be a really nice running game, Petrino is still going to want to sling the ball all over the yard with Tyler Wilson, but there are some serious question marks as to who will be able to step up and fill the void of Wright, Adams, and Childs at receiver. Unfortunately, Arkansas missed on an opportunity to fill one of those spots when they missed on the nation’s top player, Dorial Green-Beckham.
Tight end Chris Gragg should provide some relief for an ailing receiving corps, and Cobi Hamilton is coming off a solid season, but the Razorbacks haven’t had a lot of production after that.
On the other side of the ball, the Razorbacks will be pressed to find replacements for the production they’re losing at linebacker with the departure of Nelson and Franklin. Highsmith is a stud and he should be even better in 2012, and Ross Rasner played a ton of snaps in 2011, but the Razorbacks don’t have a lot of experience after that.
On the defensive line, the Razorbacks have plenty of experience but they’d certainly like to see more production. Bequette was responsible for over half the defensive line’s sacks in 2011.
Spring Game: 4-21
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