We're continuing to preview each SEC team entering the 2024 college football season. We last looked at Alabama, and now, we head to Fayetteville where Sam Pittman and the Arkansas Razorbacks are in desperate need of a bounce back season after an awful 2023.
Can Pittman orchestrate the turnaround needed to save his job? Here's what he's working with...
Examining the Arkansas Razorback offense
After the transition away from Kendal Briles' Veer and Shoot and to Dan Enos' pro style system went predictably awful, Arkansas is now making the, frankly, desperate move of bringing none other than their old HC Bobby Petrino back to Fayetteville as OC to fix their offensive woes. Off-field concerns notwithstanding, he should provide a clear upgrade as a play-caller.
KJ Jefferson is off to UCF, so the Hogs brought in another big, running QB to replace him with Boise State's Taylen Green. Green was a far better runner than passer at Boise, but he looked comfortable throwing in the spring. Utah-transfer RB Ja'Quinden Jackson gives Arkansas a much-needed leader in that room, and he and Green should be a strong rushing duo.
Practically the entire receiving corps returns. The talent in the group doesn't jump off the page, but WR Andrew Armstrong and TE Luke Hasz are good options. The OL will make or break the offense. It was atrocious last season, and it's on a group of transfers, headlined by former San Jose State LT Fernando Carmona, to fix things.
Examining the Arkansas Razorback defense
Arkansas was quietly solid defensively in 2023. The overall numbers don't jump off the page, and they had some struggles down the stretch. But for a large chunk of last season, DC Travis Williams' unit did a respectable job of limiting opponents. And despite some losses, there are some strong pieces to work with in 2024.
The DL might be on par with some of the SEC's best. 1st Team All-SEC DE Landon Jackson returns and is joined by Albany-transfer Anton Juncaj, who led all of FCS in sacks last season. Multi-year starter Eric Gregory anchors things at DT. Safety duo Hudson Clark and Jayden Johnson and young but promising CB Jaylon Braxton provide protection on the backend.
LB is a major question mark for Arkansas. Georgia-transfer Xavian Sorey will need to make an immediate impact. At nickel, Tennessee-transfer Doneiko Slaughter leads the way.
Thoughts on the Arkansas Razorbacks entering 2024
It's do or die time for Sam Pittman. He enters 2024 on one of the hottest seats not just in the SEC but in the entire country. His fate largely rests in the hands of Bobby Petrino, who may or may not be actively attempting to take his job.
The pieces are there to for Petrino to produce a good offense if, and it's a massive if, the OL can be merely average. But if that group struggles again, it's hard to envision things being significantly better. The defense should be good enough to keep them competitive but is unlikely to be strong enough to overcome horrid offense.
The issue for Arkansas is their schedule doesn't afford them many easy wins or chances to build momentum. Within the first six weeks of the season, they play at Oklahoma State, at Auburn, Texas A&M in Arlington, and Tennessee at home. They have to find a win in one of those to have any chance at making a bowl, and winning any would mean pulling off an upset.
If they go 0-4 in those? Pittman may not make it to the end of the season.