Arkansas Razorbacks
Interim Head Coach: John L. Smith
2011 Record: 11-2 overall, 6-2 SEC West
2011 Bowl Result: Beat Kansas St 29-16 in the Cotton Bowl
Odds to Win SEC West: 5/1
Odds to Win SEC Championship Game: 8/1
Odds to Win 2013 BCS Championship: 25/1
Over Under Regular Season Wins: Over 8 1/2 -130 / Under Even
All Odds Courtesy of Bovada
In April of this year, Arkansas football coach Bobby Petrino was involved in a motorcycle accident. He broke four ribs, and cracked a vertebra in his neck. The physical injuries healed up in time, but the ramifications would be felt not only for Petrino but the university and the football team. You see, the married 51 year old Petrino lied about a 25 year old female passenger on the bike when it crashed. The woman was a former Arkansas volleyball player, that Petrino had hired for the football support staff. It was revealed Petrino was in a sexual relationship with her. The university fired Petrino days after the crash when all of this came to light.
Arkansas then signed former Michigan St coach John L. Smith as the interim coach. He had just signed as the head coach at his alma mater Weber St weeks before. Smith is a veteran coach that won’t panic, and will be a nice caretaker for a year. It also helps that he inherits a a top 10 program from Petrino.
Last season, Arkansas went 11-2 with the only losses coming on the road at Alabama and LSU. They were outscored in those two games 79-31, but beat every other team on their schedule, including Texas A&M, Auburn, South Carolina, and Tennessee. The Razorbacks beat #8 Kansas St in the Cotton Bowl 29-16.
Offense
The meetings between Smith and his offensive coordinator have to be a little awkward. Paul Petrino, brother of Bobby, was named the OC in December. He was the coordinator at Illinois last year, but found himself out of a job when Ron Zook was fired as head coach of the Illini. Garrick McGee was the Arkansas coordinator last year, but left to become the head coach at UAB. Arkansas averaged 438 yards per game last year, including the 13th best passing offense in the country at 301 yards per game. The Razorbacks were 15ht in scoring averaging 36.8 points per game.
The Razorbacks caught a break when quarterback Tyler Wilson decided to come back for his senior season instead of entering the NFL draft. He and Georgia’s Aaron Murray are arguably the best quarterbacks in the SEC. Wilson completed 63.2% of his passes for 3,638 yards, with 24 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. Wilson was sacked 26 times and had 4 rushing touchdowns. Junior Brandon Mitchell was 22/32 passing for 271 yards, with 2 touchdowns and an interception, along with 15 carries for 58 yards, and 2 scores. He was the back-up and played mostly in garbage time. His status as the back-up could be in jeopardy with the arrival of Brandon Allen, a redshirt freshman.
Running back Knile Davis missed all of last year with a broken ankle. He was the Hogs’ leading rusher in 2010 with over 1,300 yards, 13 touchdowns, along with 19 catches, 136 yards, and a touchdown. He returns healthy this year. Dennis Johnson and Ronnie Wingo split most of the carries last year when Davis was injured. Johnson had 106 carries for 670 yards, and 3 touchdowns, along with 24 catches, 255 yards, and 2 touchdowns. Wingo had 104 carries for 458 yards, and 3 touchdowns, and 20 catches, 187 yards, and 2 touchdowns. Both return, but neither are as explosive as Davis. Kody walker had five touchdown runs last year on 20 carries. The freshmen was injured early in the season, and was granted a medical redshirt, so he still has four years of eligibility left. Fullback Kiero Small is mostly used as a blocker but he did have a touchdown run on his only carry last year for one yard.
The receiving corps already had to replace their top two receivers in Jarius Wright and Joe Adams. The unit took a further hit when Marquel Wade and Maaudrecus Humphrey were kicked off the team after being arrested for burglary. Wright and Adams combined for 120 catches, almost 1,800 yards, and 15 touchdowns. Wade and Humphrey had only 9 catches last year, but were expected to play a bigger part in the offense this season. So who does return? Cobi Hamilton will be the #1 receiver after he had 34 catches, 542 yards, and 4 touchdowns. Senior tight end Chris Gragg had 41 catches, 518 yards, and 2 touchdowns. Besides the running backs, no other returning receiver had more than 9 catches last year. Javontee Herndon and Julian Horton will get more targets this year as will junior tight end Austin Tate.
The line struggled at pass protection but was better at run blocking. Sophomore Bray Cook has the potential to be a star at left tackle. Senior Jason Peacock returns at right tackle. Guard Alvin Bailey and center Travis Swanson are both multi-year starters. Mitch Smothers will start at the other guard. The line should improve just because of experience.
Defense
If Arkansas was in the Big 12, giving up 22.2 points and 363 total yards a game would give them one of the best defenses in the conference. However, in the SEC numbers like that cause your defensive coordinator to lose his job. Willy Robinson was fired (or resigned according to multiple sources), and Paul Haynes who coached the secondary at Ohio St was brought in as the new coordinator.
The defensive line must replace Jake Bequette who made 10 sacks last year. Trey Flowers will start at one end after he made 28 tackles, including 5.5 for loss. Chris Smith will start at the other end after making 31 tackles, including 3.5 for loss last year. Colton Miles-Nash and Austin Flynn will also get time at end. The tackles will be Byran Jones, Alfred Davis, Robert Thomas and DaQuinta Jones. The defensive line needs to improve their run stopping as Arkansas gave up 168 yards per game last year. Texas A&M rushed for 381 yards and 5 touchdowns against the Razorbacks and LSU rushed for 286 and 3 scores.
The Razorbacks also have to replace their leading tackler linebacker Jerry Franklin. Defensive end Tenarius Wright moves to middle linebacker]. He made 25 tackles including 5.5 for loss, and 1.5 sacks. He missed 5 games last season, so he needs to stay healthy. Alonzo Highsmith tore his pectoral muscle in the offseason. He made 80 tackles last year with 12.5 for loss and 4.5 sacks while starting every game last season. Matt Marshall and Jarrett Lake will rotate at the other outside linebacker spot. Braylon Mitchell will also get some time at linebacker.
Tevin Mitchell will start at one corner after making 56 tackles last year. He only broke up one pass and had no interceptions though. Darius Winston will start at the other corner. He had 18 tackles, but like Mitchell only broke up one pass and had no interceptions. Safety Eric Bennett made 74 tackles, including 3 for loss, and 3 interceptions. Ross Rasner and Jerry Mitchell will rotate at the other safety. Davyon McKinney and Alan Turner will also see time in the secondary. The Razorbacks put up good numbers in the secondary but mainly because they didn’t play a lot of great passing offenses other than Texas A&M and Tennessee.
Special Teams
Junior kicker Zach Hocker made 21 of 27 field goals, including his last 7. He is pretty solid from 50 yards and in.
Senior punter Dylan Breeder averaged 45.3 yards per return forcing 16 inside the 20 along with 16 fair catches. Despite the brilliance of Breeder, the punt coverage team struggled allowing 14 yards per return with 2 touchdowns. The kickoff coverage team also struggled allowing more than 22 yards per return.
Running back Dennis Johnson averaged 25.6 yards per kick return last year with a touchdown. Marquel Wade was supposed to return punts, before he was dismissed. Look for Johnson to handle both. He must replace one of the nation’s best punt returners in Joe Adams, whose sick 60 yard punt return for a touchdown in the Tennessee game made all the highlight reels.
Schedule
Arkansas opens at home against Jacksonville St, before a game against Louisiana-Monroe in Little Rock. Then Alabama comes to Fayetteville, followed by a home game against Rutgers. The rest of the schedule includes road games at Texas A&M, Auburn, South Carolina, and Mississippi St. The Razorbacks have home games against Kentucky, Ole Miss (in Little Rock), Tulsa, and LSU.
Outlook
The offense will be fine with Wilson at the quarterback, even if depth at receiver is a question. The return of Davis at running back will help open up the passing game as well. The defense must be better at stopping the run. Arkansas doesn’t have the talent of Alabama or LSU, but the Razorbacks host both teams. The schedule is manageable but road games at South Carolina and Auburn will be difficult. I think the Razorbacks win 9 games.
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