During his first three football seasons in Fayetteville, Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman has helped the Razorbacks get over the Chad Morris years.
They’re now hoping Pittman can get them back to the Bobby Petrino years.
Under Petrino, Arkansas enjoyed consecutive double-digit win totals in 2010 and 2011.
Alas, the Razorbacks haven’t reached 10 victories since Petrino’s departure. Arkansas hit rock bottom under Morris with consecutive two-win finishes in 2018 and 2019.
At least the Morris disaster led to Pittman’s arrival and the return of hope. The Razorbacks are 19-17 under Pittman, which included a 9-4 campaign in 2021.
Hopes for another strong season are highly dependent on quarterback KJ Jefferson, running back Raheim Sanders, a rebuilt offensive line and an uncertain defense.
Jefferson might be the best quarterback in the Southeastern Conference. Sanders is undoubtedly among the most productive running backs.
However, three starters were lost from the 2022 offensive line, including All-SEC center Ricky Stromberg. The line goes from an area of strength to an area of concern.
“I believe you’ve got to find your tackles and your center,” Pittman said at the end of spring practice. “I’m not saying guards aren’t important. They’re real important, but you’ve got to come out there and go, ‘Who can protect the edge, and who can run the offense?’ The center is that guy.”
Pittman expressed confidence in fifth-year senior Beaux Limmer, who is expected to shift from right guard to center.
But there is much more work to be done there.
There may be even more work to be done to upgrade the defense, which last year allowed an average of 30.6 points and ranked dead last in the nation against the pass.
Losing standout linebackers Bumper Pool and Drew Sanders also creates doubt about the Razorbacks' run defense.
As usual, Pittman addressed defensive issues by going to the transfer portal to bring in edge rusher John Morgan III and defensive linemen Trajan Jeffcoat and Anthony “Tank” Booker Jr.
The Razorbacks must upgrade the defense to take pressure off Jefferson and the offense. Last season, Arkansas scored 27 points or less in six games. All were losses.
2022 record: 7-6, 3-5
Returning starters
Primary Area of Strength: The backfield may be the best in the SEC. KJ Jefferson might be the league’s top quarterback. He passed for Raheim Sanders, one of the best running backs who rushed for 1,443 yards and 10 touchdowns a year ago. The Razorbacks have running back depth, too. AJ Green rushed for 412 yards in 2023. Freshman Isaiah Augustave was a four-star prospect.
Primary Area of Concern: Arkansas’ pass defense was the worst in the nation last season. The outlook for this season isn’t a lot better. The safety position is especially worrisome. Senior Hudson Clark and junior Jayden Johnson are returning starters, but again, Arkansas allowed an average of 294.7 passing yards last year. Transfer Al Walcott, who earned second-team All-Big 12 recognition at Baylor, could provide help but sustained a knee injury in offseason conditioning. His status is uncertain.
Significant additions
Significant losses
Top Players
2023 Arkansas Schedule
