How new offensive coordinator Kenny Guiton is impressing Arkansas football coaches and players

Will Kenny Guiton be able to ignite a sputtering Arkansas football offense after two weeks in charge?

The answer to that question won't be available until Saturday afternoon, after Guiton's first game as offensive coordinator when the Razorbacks (2-6, 0-5 SEC) hit the road and face Florida (5-3, 3-2).

But after two weeks of practice and adjustments — cutting down the playbook by 30% and catering to the player's strengths instead of the foundations of a scheme — players and coaches believe Guiton can thrive in his new position.

"Everybody is excited to go out there and play for Coach Guiton. He's excited as well to have an opportunity like this one he has coming up," Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson said. "Everybody is buying into the process of what he's trying to get done with the offensive side. Everybody is bought in. It's been a great environment."

A former college quarterback under Tom Herman with experience working alongside Kendal Briles, Guiton is receiving his first chance at calling plays and coaching quarterbacks with the Razorbacks. He played under center at Ohio State from 2009-13, appearing in 22 games while throwing for 893 yards and 16 touchdowns.

Before this promotion, Guiton had worked exclusively with wide receivers in his career. He started teaching the position at Houston with Herman, eventually landing in Fayetteville and overseeing productive seasons from the likes of Treylon Burks, Jadon Haselwood and Matt Landers.

And while working with the receivers, players could get a sense that Guiton was eventually destined for this role as quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator.

"When we were in meetings, the way he describes certain zones and certain defenses, you just know that he knows defenses inside-out," Arkansas wide receiver Andrew Armstrong said. "He points out a stud, or what side the nickel is going to play on. Things like that. He just knows exactly what he’s talking about. You can tell he played quarterback at a high level."

It took two days into the promotion for head coach Sam Pittman to realize Guiton had a surprisingly deep understanding of run concepts, in addition to his knowledge on the Arkansas passing game. Pittman said during Wednesday's SEC Teleconference that combination was a big reason Guiton was tagged with the interim-role as offensive coordinator.

Additionally, Pittman said the play-caller has shown an ability to dissect blitzes and correctly provide the right solution to what a defense is asking.

More: Arkansas football's Rocket Sanders questionable for Florida game

More: Cutting down the playbook is priority No. 1 for Arkansas football's new offensive coordinator

"Anybody can call a play, but it’s the answer for the what ifs that you need to have success," Pittman said.

Still, Guiton's biggest impact might come in the emotions he elicits from offensive players. Pittman has repeatedly said the offense lost its spirit under former coordinator Dan Enos. The head coach was disappointed with his team's mentality in the 7-3 loss to Mississippi State that prompted this change.

Through two weeks, Guiton seems to have brought good vibes back inside the Arkansas football program.

"I felt like they would, but I didn’t know that the offense would rally around him. That surprised me a little bit," Pittman said. "I knew that they would be happy for him and things of that nature, but they’ve seemed to rally around him, want him to have success and things of that nature."

Similar sentiments came out of fall camp surrounding Enos. The true test of progress will come Saturday afternoon in The Swamp.

This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: How new OC Kenny Guiton is impressing Arkansas football coaches and players