As Arkansas gets ready for its first spring practice, three important questions
Could a sluggish offensive be sparked by Bobby Petrino?
At a really awkward press conference in April of 2012, Bobby Petrino last donned Razorback gear. Most Arkansas fans are focused on the here and now, and if Petrino can revive the team’s offense, which was virtually nonexistent in 2023—averaging just 20 points per game in SEC play—regardless of his past with the Razorbacks,.
The fans are nostalgic for Petrino’s captivating and spectacular offenses from his time as Arkansas coach in Fayetteville, but if the team doesn’t progress in the here and now, they can quickly get disenchanted with him.
The quarterback for Petrino is who?
With the exception of the Chad Morris debacle, Arkansas hasn’t had a close quarterback competition in almost ten years, so Sam Pittman is unaccustomed to having two or three Hogs with equal chances of starting by August 31st.
Transfer Boise State Though UNC transfer and former Morrilton High School quarterback Jacoby Criswell, who played briefly for Arkansas in 2023, shouldn’t be written off, Taylen Green seems to be the front-runner for the position. Young guns Malachi Singleton and KJ Jackson will also have an opportunity to start at quarterback, but most analysts think Green or Criswell will win out.
And yet, Arkansas needs a steady hand to lead the offense in 2024, or else the memories of Chad Morris’s QB “competitions” in 2019 will resurface in Northwest Arkansas.
Who becomes “the guy” among return receivers?
This offseason, offensiveness—and especially the receiving core—is the top goal for Arkansas, despite a few defensive problems.
Two prominent Razorbacks, Andrew Armstrong and Isaac Tesla, will return in 2023, and Tyson Broden and Isaiah Sategna may have breakout seasons. Andrew Armstrong became Arkansas’ top receiver in 2023 with 56 receptions for 755 yards and five touchdowns, despite being limited, like his peers, by poor offensive line play and coaching changes.
Arkansas’ starting quarterback ought to identify a major receiver with whom he can connect, especially with a solid offensive line that ideally does not leak like a sieve. It looks to be a fight between Tesla and Armstrong, two of the top candidates, similar to the quarterback race. However, don’t be shocked if Sategna or Broden receive extra reps during spring training; both receivers displayed 2023’s finest moments.
The rivalries that involve fervent supporters, sold-out stadiums, and contentious on-field arguments are one of the most exciting aspects of every college football season. The rivalries, complete with hip prizes and oddball names, take center stage starting in late November. Our ranking of the top 25 college football rivalries, both active and ones we hope to see return, is provided below.