Five unanswered questions for Arkansas football headed into fall camp
A new season officially begins Friday when Arkansas football opens fall camp.
Speaking to the media Wednesday, head coach Sam Pittman still has a myriad of questions that need to be answered over the next few weeks before the Razorbacks travel to Little Rock and welcome Western Carolina for their season-opener.
Before fall camp opens, here are five questions Arkansas will need to answer, according to Pittman.
What does the offensive line depth chart look like?
Pittman seems very confident in the interior of his front-five. Seniors Brady Latham and Beaux Limmer are back, with Limmer shifting to center this fall. Florida transfer Joshua Braun will take his spot at right guard this season.
But everything else? Pittman said he thinks they will be good enough, but he needs to see it. Sophomore Devon Manuel and Patrick Kutas are expected to be the starters at tackle, but Pittman is hopeful 10 linemen emerge in camp to create a clear two-deep group.
“It’s hard to do. Usually you talk about eight guys and they’re rotating and all that stuff,” Pittman said. “But one move turns out to be two and you really don’t want to do that if you can.”
Some of the names under pressure to assert themselves on that two-deep roster are Andrew Chamblee, E’Marion Harris and Ty’Kieast Crawford. The Hogs also need to find a backup center for Limmer.
Who steps up at linebacker?
Chris Paul Jr. and Jordan Crook both got meaningful snaps at the end of their freshman campaigns, but they still haven’t contributed across an entire season. Antonio Grier (South Florida) and Jaheim Thomas (Cincinnati) are experienced transfers who still need to prove it in cardinal and white.
Whichever linebackers win the starting jobs will have massive shoes to fill, replacing Drew Sanders and Bumper Pool.
What exactly can the tight ends provide?
New offensive coordinator Dan Enos isn’t afraid to play two tight ends, but the Razorbacks have more uncertainty at that position than arguably anywhere else on the field.
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“Are we going to be serviceable? Are we going to be pretty good? Are we going to highlight them?” Pittman asked about his tight ends.
“I don’t know what the answer is yet. But boy, they can run, they can catch and they are bigger and more physical than we’ve had at that position.”
Transfers Var’Keyes Gumms (North Texas) headlines a group that also includes four-star freshmen Luke Hasz and Shamar Easter. There are three other tight ends vying for snaps this fall, making a position with plenty of unknown simultaneously one with a lot of potential.
Will the defensive line live up to expectations?
Arkansas’ front-four on defense has a chance to be special this year with nine seniors in the 12-deep rotation. Among those nine, there are four incoming transfers, and junior Landon Jackson is the leader of the entire unit.
Pittman is demanding a more physical football team this year, and while that might start with improvement on the offensive line, the experienced linemen on the other side should set the tone for the entire defense.
If they can perform up to expectations, it makes life easier on the linebackers and secondary.
Who wins the backup quarterback job?
KJ Jefferson has QB1 locked up, but the rotation behind him is still up in the air.
Junior transfer Jacolby Criswell (North Carolina) should have the first shot, and Pittman singled him out as someone who could even challenge Jefferson in fall camp, but senior Cade Fortin and freshman Malachi Singleton will try and make a splash over the next month.
This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Five questions Arkansas football, Sam Pittman must answer in fall camp
