FAYETTEVILLE — The Arkansas Razorbacks have never been shy about stating their SEC and national championship aspirations under Coach Bobby Petrino.
The Razorbacks’ odds for being in contention for both titles improved after quarterback Tyler Wilson and tailback Knile Davis chose to return for the 2012 season.
“It’s going to be difficult to get there, but I think it’s something that we can attain,” said Davis, who missed the 2011 season after ankle surgery.
Wilson and Davis joined Petrino in a news conference Saturday at Walton Arena in the midst of a big recruiting weekend on campus.
Both players said they received favorable draft grades from the NFL’s advisory committee. Wilson said he heard he would be taken anywhere from late in the first round to the third round, while Davis said his feedback was a “conservative” second- or thirdround range.
“I don’t think it was the wrong decision either way,” Davis said. “I didn’t feel like my career here was complete. I didn’t envision myself leaving that way. I wanted to leave on a high note.”
Wilson and the Razorbacks rebounded from the loss of Davis in the preseason to forge an 11-2 record and a No. 5 final ranking in The Associated Press and coaches polls, building on the 10-3 record from 2010. Arkansas was No. 6 in the final BCS rankings released before the bowls.
The next step for Arkansas is pushing to the top of the SEC West, which has produced four of the past five national champions.
“We play against great opponents every day, so it’s tough to get there,” Wilson said. “It’s not easy by any means.
“To voice it and say it is one thing, but you do have to execute. ... We’re going to do everything in our power to get there. There’s no promises in this business, but that’s definitely our expectations, that’s our goals, and we’re not going to waver from it.”
Breaking through against Alabama, which has won two of the past three SEC and NCAA titles and has beaten Arkansas five consecutive times, will be a key. The Hogs have the Crimson Tide and LSU at home next season.
“It’s great to have them in our home stadium,” Petrino said. “If you’re going to have a special football team, if you’re going to build the program the way you want to build it, then you’ve got to win your home games, start a home winning streak.”
Arkansas enters 2012 on an 11-game home winning streak, dating to a 24-20 loss to No. 1 Alabama in 2010, and will open spring drills March 14, and the annual Red-White spring game will take place April 21 at Razorback Stadium.
In other football news, Petrino said quarterback Jacoby Walker and safety Darrell Smith were the only players who had left the program by the semester break. Smith was unable to get enrolled at Jacksonville State this week, the Anniston (Ala.) Star reported Saturday.
Sports, Pages 25 on 01/22/2012