Arkansas Razorbacks: CFN College Football Preview 2021
College Football News Preview 2021: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the Arkansas season with what you need to know.
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– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Keys To The Season
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– Arkansas Razorbacks Schedule Analysis
– Arkansas Razorbacks Previews
2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015
2020 Record: 3-7 overall, 3-7 in SEC
Head Coach: Sam Pittman, 2nd year, 3-7
2020 CFN Final Ranking: 34
2020 CFN Preview Ranking: 68
2019 CFN Final Ranking: 121
Arkansas Razorbacks College Football Preview 2021: Offense
– The offense was a wee bit better than the versions of the previous seasons, but it sure looked a lot more interesting . The new Arkansas coaching staff had Feleipe Franks at quarterback, the passing game was more efficient, and averaging 392 yards and 26 points per game wasn’t bad.
Now the offensive line has to be better in pass protection, a third down conversion would be nice, and controlling the clock just a wee bit more – even though that’s not the style under offensive coordinator Kendal Briles – has to happen at some point.
– It starts with that O line. Head coach Sam Pittman is an offensive line coach by trade, and his group is experienced, if not fantastic. All five starters are expected to be back – guard Brady Latham is the best of the bunch – and now the production has to be there. The running backs have to do their part, too.
Trelon Smith was solid – rushing for 710 yards and five touchdowns with a 5.3 yard average – but he needs to be part of a rotation. He’s only 5-9 and 190 pounds, and the depth is very young and relatively untested. 6-1, 240-pound Dominique Johnson brings some thump, and Raheim Sanders – known as Rocket – will help the cause.
– The season is all about QB KJ Jefferson. The talented 6-3, 240-pound passer has the arm and the upside to grow into a star, and now it’s his offense to run. There isn’t a veteran Plan B – at least not yet – if Jefferson isn’t terrific. Fortunately, the receivers are there to make everything go.
It stinks that second-leading receiver Mike Woods took off for Oklahoma, but the Hogs got their own Sooner with OU transfer Jaquayin Crawford appearing to be a keeper.
There’s a good-looking tight end in Hudson Henry, and Trey Knox and De’Vion Warren could be strong if they can stay healthy, but there’s no question who the No. 1 main man is.
Treylon Burks is going to be among the SEC’s best receivers with 6-3, 225-pound size, good deep play ability, and the toughness to be a matchup nightmare.
– What You Need To Know: Defense
– Top Players | Keys To The Season
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– Arkansas Razorbacks Schedule Analysis
NEXT: Arkansas Razorbacks College Football Preview 2021: Defense
4. Arkansas Razorbacks College Football Preview 2021: Defense
– Barry Odom is a whale of a defensive coordinator. The former Missouri head coach stepped in as Sam Pittman’s DC and had a whole ton of reworking to do. There needs to be a stronger pass rush, and more third down stops are a must, but with ten starters expected to be back from a D that allowed 452 yards and 35 points – no, the stats weren’t great, but the defense really was stronger – the production should take another step forward starting with …
– The linebacking corps. The Hogs have a fantastic pair in Grant Morgan and Bumper Pool to work around – they combined for 212 tackles – and there’s plenty to do with the alignment thanks to a deep group of options to use in a variety of ways, but …
– The 4-2-5 alignment will likely be the main style to deal with all the high-powered passing games on the slate. Jalen Catalon is an outstanding young safety who leads a good-tackling group of defensive backs that need to make more big plays. Last year the underclassmen were thrown to the wolves, and now they’re going to be a plus if the pass rush helps.
There’s size on the defensive interior, but losing Jonathan Marshall – the one starter who’s not back – hurts. The combination of Dorian Gerald and Zach Williams have to lead the way along with 298-pound Eric Gregory, who led the team with just 2.5 sacks.
– What You Need To Know: Offense
– Top Players | Keys To The Season
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– Arkansas Razorbacks Schedule Analysis
NEXT: Arkansas Razorbacks College Football Preview 2021: Top Players
Arkansas Razorbacks College Football Preview 2021: Top Players
Best Arkansas Razorbacks Offensive Player
WR Treylon Burks, Jr.
The 6-3, 225-pounder earned All-SEC honors after catching a team-high 51 passes for 820 yards and seven scores, averaging over 16 yards per grab. Great from the start – he led the team in receiving yards as a freshman – now he has even more pressure on his shoulders to be a true No. 1 guy with strong No. 2 target Mike Woods gone and a new starting quarterback.
2. TE Hudson Henry, Soph.
3. OG Brady Latham, Soph.
4. QB KJ Jefferson, Soph.
5. RB Trelon Smith, Sr.
Related
2021 Arkansas Football Schedule: Analysis, Best and Worst Case Scenarios
Best Arkansas Razorbacks Defensive Player
LB Grant Morgan, Sr.
Big, tough, and experienced, the 5-11, 230-pounder is a star in the classroom and a leader on the field, coming up with a team-high 111 tackles in just nine games with two sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss.
He’s the man in the middle, but he’s strong in pass coverage with several broken u passes and a key pick six against Ole Miss.
2. S Jalen Catalon, Soph.
3. LB Bumper Pool, Sr.
4. S Joe Foucha, Sr.
5. S Greg Brooks, Jr.
Top Incoming Arkansas Razorbacks Transfer
WR Jaquayln Crawford, Jr.
He doesn’t exactly fit the bill of a current new guy from the transfer portal – Arkansas is bringing in a slew of new guys to at least add to the depth – but the 5-10, 175-pound former Oklahoma Sooner will be counted on right away.
Very quick and potentially dangerous in the open field, he has to step up and take over for Mike Woods – who left for Oklahoma. He doesn’t have Woods’ size, but he’s got the wheels.
– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Keys To The Season
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– Arkansas Razorbacks Schedule Analysis
NEXT: Arkansas Razorbacks College Football Preview 2021: Keys To The Season
Arkansas Razorbacks College Football Preview 2021: Keys To The Season
Arkansas Razorbacks Biggest Key: Offense
The offense has GOT to convert on third downs. Arkansas might be close to the bottom of the SEC again in time of possession, but as long as it’s better than 34% on third downs, the O should be a whole lot better.
It’s one thing to have a fact-paced offense that likes to keep defenses on their heels, and it’s another to not be able to move the chains and come through on key drives.
The Hogs had their moments, and the offense was steadily able to put up points, but they were brutal on third downs, bottoming out with an 0-for-10 day in the 27-24 loss to LSU.
But this is nothing new. The last three Hog teams have failed to finish the year higher than 34% on third downs and haven’t hit 40% in four of the last five seasons.
Part of the problem was the inability to do enough in pass protection. And on the other side …
Arkansas Razorbacks Biggest Key: Defense
Generate more pressure and plays behind the line. The defense has active linebackers who know how to come up with tackles for loss, but the team only averaged five tackles for loss per game. Sacks were a bigger problem with just 14 on the year and just three over the last four games.
The offensive side couldn’t convert on third downs, and the defensive side couldn’t generate sacks to generate key stops.
It’s been a long, long time since Arkansas came up with a killer pass rush, but just a little more pressures would take the heat off of everything else the D does – and would do wonders for the disastrous time of possession issue.
Arkansas Razorbacks Key Player To A Successful Season
QB KJ Jefferson, Soph.
The parts around the quarterback have to be stronger – a top running back would be nice, the O line has to be better in pass protection, and more targets have to emerge to help Treylon Burks – but even if that all works, the Hogs need the main man under center to be great.
Feleipe Franks suffered from being in the same conference as Mac Jones, Kyle Trask and Kellen Mond, but he had a nice season. He was the SEC veteran who got the new era of Arkansas football rolling, but Jefferson has to be the star who grows into the gig over the next few years.
He’s got the size, the arm, and the mobility, but he has to be more accurate and he has to take command of the attack right away and make it his.
Arkansas Razorbacks Key Game To The 2021 Season
Texas A&M (in Arlington), Sept. 25
Arkansas has a brutal schedule. As good as A&M is, it’s going to be a must-win with what’s coming.
A&M will be top ten-good, but it doesn’t get a whole lot easier with trips to Georgia and Ole Miss – this year’s Rebel team is nasty – right after. With the back-to-back November games against LSU and Alabama sill looming, there’s going to be a big issue if the Hogs can’t get out of AT&T with a win.
They’ve had their moments in a few good games over the years against Texas A&M, but they’ve lost nine in a row after winning the the previous three.
– Arkansas Razorbacks Schedule Breakdown & Analysis
2020 Arkansas Razorbacks Fun Stats
– Sacks: Opponents 34 for 186 yards- Arkansas 14 for 103 yards
– Time of Possession: Opponents 34:43 – Arkansas 25:17
– 3rd Down Conversions: Opponents 74-of-158 (47%) – Arkansas 46-of-136 (34%)
NEXT: Arkansas Razorbacks College Football Preview 2021: What Will Happen, Season Prediction
Arkansas Razorbacks College Football Preview 2021: What Will Happen, Season Prediction
That’s about as strong a 3-7 debut as it gets.
It’s what fan bases can reasonably ask for out of of a first year head coach taking on a seemingly impossible rebuilding job – provide a vision.
No one thought Arkansas was going take down the SEC West in Year One of the Sam Pittman Experience, but after a brutal run since the 11-2 2011 season, just being competitive was a breath of fresh air.
The Hogs got hosed at Auburn, but they were in a position to win that late. They were at least in the games against Texas A&M, LSU and Missouri, ad they beat Mississippi State, Tennessee and Ole Miss for more SEC wins than the previous four seasons combined.
But for all of the hope, and all of the potential, and all of the experience coming back …
Arkansas is still in the SEC West.
Set The Arkansas Razorbacks Regular Season Win Total At … 5.5
There can’t be a slip anywhere and there has to be an upset at some point.
The Hogs are away from home against Alabama, Georgia, Texas A&M, LSU and Ole Miss. If you can find an FBS team with a rougher run of a road/neutral site games without any sort of a free space win, be my guest.
And they play Texas. And they play Auburn, and an improved Mississippi State, and Missouri.
So if you assume the five road/neutral site games are losses – and if they aren’t, then 2021 is happy fun time – and you also have to assume that winning all four of the difficult home games is out, the goal is to get to that November 27th game in Little Rock against Missouri with a shot at a sixth win and a bowl game.
But don’t assume anything considering how quickly Pittman and his staff brought Arkansas football back from the dead.
– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Keys To The Season
– Arkansas Razorbacks Schedule Analysis
