Five New Year's wishes for Arkansas athletics in 2024

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- It's time to look ahead with fresh resolutions for 2024 as the Arkansas athletics program puts a close on the previous year.

The Razorbacks struggled on the gridiron and flourished across many other sports in 2023. There were historic postseason runs, seismic upsets and national championship aspirations across the board.

Expectations will be high over the next calendar year, with many fans confident certain programs are on the cusp of either a breakthrough or a return to form.

Here are five New Year's wishes for Arkansas athletics in 2024.

Hogs get back to Omaha

There's still a slight annoyance anytime Arkansas baseball head coach Dave Van Horn reflects on the 2023 season. Van Horn believes his Hogs haven't been properly respected coming off another SEC Championship due to an early exit in a home regional.

With depth across the roster and a potentially dominant pitching staff led by junior Hagen Smith, Arkansas will look to demand that respect in 2024.

All eyes from the fans and inside the program will be on the College World Series and another early summer trip to Omaha.

Bobby Petrino fixes the offense

The mood swings around the Arkansas football program in 2023 were emblematic of a team that never formed an identity. Preseason optimism turned into midseason depression, with a new hope returning from the abyss to provide excitement for 2024.

Bobby Petrino is back in Fayetteville, now serving as the Razorbacks offensive coordinator 11 years after he was fired with cause as the head coach. Petrino has the unenviable task of reviving a offense that couldn't protect its quarterback or run the football in 2023. How many games does Arkansas win last season with even a mediocre offense instead of one of the country's worst?

If Petrino does turn things around, he'll cement his popularity among Arkansas fans and provide Sam Pittman with a huge boost as Pittman tries to get the program back to where it was in 2021.

Musselman's finds his magic touch

The ongoing Arkansas basketball campaign hasn't lived up to anyone's preseason expectations, but there will always be a sense of hope with Eric Musselman at the helm.

Musselman has consistently gotten the Razorbacks playing their best basketball during the season's most important months. It's a big reason Arkansas has reached the Sweet 16 in each of the past three seasons to go along with two appearances in the Elite 8.

Musselman has a challenge on his hands with this year's group, which has struggled to find consistency on both ends of the floor. Still, there's an entire SEC schedule left to play, and Arkansas undoubtedly has talent. Can Musselman do it again?

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Deeper runs for Arkansas soccer and volleyball

Each of these women's programs rattled off historic seasons in 2023. The volleyball team played in a regional final for the first time, while the soccer team won an SEC title and hosted at least two games in the NCAA Tournament for a third straight season.

Both teams will need to replace program legends in Jill Gillen and Bea Franklin, but head coaches Jason Watson and Colby Hale have developed two of the school's most consistent teams and will have their sights set on deeper runs in 2024.

Taliah Scott wins National Freshman of the Year

Scott has been a revelation for the Razorbacks this season. The freshman from Florida is averaging 22.9 points and 3.6 rebounds per game. She leads Arkansas in scoring, 3-pointers and free throws.

She's also been named the SEC Freshman of the Week five times in the past six weeks, which ties a school record for the most weeks a Razorback has won the conference's weekly award.

Scott will have some stiff competition for the national award, with USC's Juju Watkins and Notre Dame's Hannah Hidalgo both averaging more points and representing a deep and talented freshman class across the country. Still, if Scott can keep playing at a high level and potentially help Arkansas get back into the NCAA Tournament after missing out last season, she will absolutely be a top contender for the award.

This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Five New Year's wishes for Arkansas athletics in 2024