An offensive line failure: Position-by-position grades for Arkansas football in 2023

A disappointing Arkansas football season is in the books. The Razorbacks won just one conference game and finished 4-8 in Sam Pittman's fourth season as head coach.

A year that began with heightened optimism finished with a program searching for its identity. Pittman will return in 2024, but he will be on the hot seat right from game one against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

Before turning the page on the 2023 season, here's a look at positional grades for the Razorbacks, with one unit in particular wanting a complete redo on the fall.

Quarterbacks: B

No, this wasn't the senior year any Arkansas fan imagined for KJ Jefferson. In his three full seasons as the Hogs' staying quarterback, 2023 represented Jefferson's lowest output in passing and rushing yards, while he also experienced an uptick in interceptions.

However, Jefferson's struggles were more due to the pieces around him, including an offensive line that failed to protect him and a lack of explosive weapons at receiver. The quarterback still produced some brilliant moments — especially in the win over Florida — set a handful of records and should be remembered as one of Arkansas' greatest quarterbacks of all time.

Running Backs: C-

Similar to Jefferson, the running backs struggled behind the Hogs' offensive line, but this group also couldn't make life easier for the big bodies up front.

Rocket Sanders battled injuries all season and finished with just 209 rushing yards after running for more than 1,400 in 2022, while AJ Green and Rashod Dubinion couldn't pick up the slack in any meaningful way. Thankfully, Arkansas looks like it has its running back of the future in Isaiah Augustave, who came on toward the end of the year.

Wide Receivers: C

Andrew Armstrong was consistent all year, racking up 764 receiving yards and proving to be a reliable target for Jefferson, but there was no second option who came close to matching his production.

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Arkansas must address this issue in the transfer portal, or there needs to be significant player development during the offseason. In today's college football landscape, elite receivers are an easy way to create productive offenses.

Arkansas didn't have either in 2023.

Tight Ends: A

Would this year have looked any differently if freshman Luke Hasz hadn't suffered a season-ending injury against Texas A&M? Hasz looked like Arkansas' most dominant offensive weapon through four games, and the offense never recovered after he went down.

Ty Washington admirably replaced Hasz for a few games before he too suffered a season-ending injury. If those two return for 2024, Arkansas will have one of the best tight end rooms in the country.

Offensive Line: F

This was the biggest failure of the season. Arkansas had become a dominant force running the football in Pittman's previous three years, but that foundation crumbled in 2023.

Where do the Hogs go from here? That's the biggest question entering the offseason. Can Arkansas rely on any of this year's starters to play meaningful snaps in 2024? Like the wide receiver position, this feels like a major need in the transfer portal, and Pittman knows it. Thankfully, Arkansas is already beginning to address the issue.

Defensive Line: B-

When the Arkansas defense played well, the defensive line was causing havoc in the backfield. The Razorbacks entered Friday 32nd in the country with 29 sacks.

There were some big-time lapses, including the blowout losses to Auburn and Missouri, but this was a productive group on the whole. Coach Deke Adams can be proud of the development here, but he will need to go back into the transfer portal this offseason due to upcoming departures.

Linebackers: C+

There were times this season when Jaheim Thomas looked like Arkansas' best defensive player. The Cincinnati transfer led the team in tackles and contributed 3.5 sacks, but there was a lack of depth in this position room.

Chris Paul Jr. struggled in pass coverage and Antonio Grier had too many lows to go with some memorable highs.

Arkansas is high on freshmen Brad Spence and Alex Sanford, and those two could provide the needed depth next season.

Cornerbacks: A-

Dwight McGlothern was the highest-graded cornerback in the country, according to Pro Football Focus. Jaylon Braxton had a terrific freshman season and Lorando Johnson brought a needed edge to this group while splitting time at nickel and outside.

Overall, this was probably Arkansas' most pleasant surprise on the season. The Razorbacks ranked last in the country in 2022 in passing yards allowed per game. This season, Arkansas was NUMBER. That's a terrific improvement from Marcus Woodson's unit.

Safeties: B-

Alfahiym Walcott, Jayden Johnson and Hudson Clark got nearly all of the snaps at safety this season. All three were good and created their fair share of turnovers, but they all had lapses that contributed to some of the Hogs' losses this season.

Still, that trio helped the Arkansas pass defense complete a miraculous turnaround. Walcott is the only one without any remaining eligibility for 2024.

Kicker and Punter: B+

Cam Little was one of the best kickers in the country and a serious Lou Gross Award contender until a pair of missed field goals against FIU. Max Fletcher made serious strides this fall, but he still had the occasional shank.

Both players should be back for Arkansas in 2024, and they are a reliable duo that the Hogs will be happy to welcome back.

This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Position-by-position grades for Arkansas football in 2023