Razorbacks FAQ

Arkansas linebacker Brooks Ellis (51) breaks up a pass during the second quarter a game against Texas Tech at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas on Saturday Sept. 13, 2014.

The top 10 questions surrounding the Arkansas Razorbacks heading into the 2015 season:

Can the defense match its performance from last season?

This will be tough given the quality of the Hogs’ departed stars, but the defense was impressive in the first scrimmage of fall camp. Arkansas’ rise from 76th to 10th nationally in total defense last season was clearly a product of quality schemes blending with improving talent and strong technique. The Razorbacks believe they’ve recruited well enough in three seasons under Bret Bielema to put talented manpower into the plans and give them the ability to play fast. Arkansas fans, who had seen that side of the ball seemingly neglected for years in recruiting, have hope the Hogs can reproduce a unit that finished in the top quarter of the SEC and is a strength again. Defensive coordinator Robb Smith likes his personnel, although many of the key cogs outside of linebackers Brooks Ellis and Josh Williams, defensive linemen Taiwan Johnson, JaMichael Winston, DeMarcus Hodge and Deatrich Wise, and defensive backs Rohan Gaines, D.J. Dean and Jared Collins will come from a group of newcomers and underclassmen.

Will special teams take a step backward?

At punter, where Sam Irwin-Hill will be replaced by Toby Baker or Blake Johnson, it’s logical to expect the Razorbacks might slip a few spots from their 39th national finish in net punting (38.5 yards per punt) even though Baker boomed a few big punts at the first scrimmage. Personnel upgrades on coverage units and more skill talent in the return game make it look like Arkansas should be better otherwise. The Razorbacks wound up fifth nationally in kickoff returns, but the unit produced only two returns of 30-plus yards — by Alex Collins — after Korliss Marshall ran back a 97-yarder for a touchdown against Northern Illinois in Week 4. Keon Hatcher, Collins and Jojo Robinson are among the many options on kick returns.

Jared Cornelius averaged 10.1 yards on punt returns, but he could be pushed by the shifty Robinson. Place-kicking, which proved costly in losses to Texas A&M and Alabama, should be upgraded with Adam McFain, the starter for the second half of 2014, being pushed by redshirt freshman Cole Hedlund. The battle to replace high-quality long snapper Alan DAppollonio, between Drew Gorton and Matt Emrich, will be a little-publicized but critical part of the kicking game changes.

Which freshmen will make an impression this fall?

This class might not have the same number of outright stars that came in with the Alex Collins, Hunter Henry, Denver Kirkland and Dan Skipper class of 2013, but it looks like a solid group that will ultimately produce a handful of SEC standouts.

Look for some or all of the tight end trio of Will Gragg, C.J. O’Grady and Austin Cantrell to work into the offensive rotation and make a name on special teams. Tailback Rawleigh Williams III looked great in the opening scrimmage and will be needed immediately with the loss of Jonathan Williams. Defensive tackle Hjalte Froholdt came with SEClevel power and should be a star in the making. Cornerback Ryan Pulley has a knack for making plays, like his interception return for a touchdown in the first scrimmage. Linebacker Dre Greenlaw and safety Willie Sykes look like gamers and should earn playing time on special teams. Jamario Bell has the physique to attack quarterbacks early in his career if he can learn the defense and fit in at strong linebacker or end.

Who is ready to be unleashed?

Defensive end Deatrich Wise, 6-5, 272 pounds, would fit this category. A knee injury derailed him when he was the projected starter opposite Trey Flowers to open the 2013 camp. Wise didn’t play as much last season as one might have expected, considering his ability level, so the bet is he’s hungry to make a splash this fall. Safeties Josh Liddell, Santos Ramirez and DeAndre Coley, one of the team’s top hitters who has had trouble breaking into the prime rotation, would also qualify. A handful of receivers fit this bill on offense, notably the quick and slippery Jojo Robinson, former quarterback Damon Mitchell and 6-5 Kendrick Edwards, who was on the brink of exiting the roster before correcting his course, academically and off the field. Edwards still might be redshirted.

Can the Razorbacks find enough linebacker depth?

Junior Brooks Ellis has plenty of experience, junior Josh Williams has a little and the rest of this crew has combined for a handful of college snaps. Khalia Hackett’s ability to learn and produce at middle linebacker will have a large bearing on whether the unit can duplicate its successes of 2014. Williams has shown the versatility to play on the strong side, the middle and a hybrid safety coverage role, which will help in matching personnel to schemes. Sophomore Dwayne Eugene, redshirt freshman Josh Harris and true freshman Dre Greenlaw will be prominent in the two-deep to open the season. Freshman Jamario Bell, a 6-5, 253-pounder who could be a freakish edge rusher, is in the midst of finding where he can contribute the earliest.

Will play-making receivers emerge to help Keon Hatcher and the tight ends?

This position group has heard the criticism and is determined to show the doubters its skills. If some of the key young players — Jojo Robinson and Kendrick Edwards most notably — can show up on time, go to class and attack the playbook, the receiving position could be an eye-opener this fall as it appears passing-game balance is a key facet of Dan Enos' offense. Junior college transfer Dominique Reed has the pure speed to open up deep quadrants of the field to help the run game breathe, and he has shown good hands in camp. Sophomore Jared Cornelius and Robinson could form one of the more dynamic pairings in the SEC as the top slot guys. Damon Mitchell seems finally to have embraced the receiver role and he brings undeniable athletic skills. Cody Hollister is a physical threat with great hands. Drew Morgan had gone under the radar early in camp, but he flashed at the stadium in scrimmage work as usual. Perhaps speedy junior Eric Hawkins is ready to emerge.

Will Brandon Allen have his best season?

Most indicators say yes, but his first scrimmage performance threw up a question mark. Allen is in a great place mentally with an offensive coordinator in Dan Enos. They have built a strong bond. The senior is serious about his film study, his leadership and about making the Razorbacks a contender in his final year. Allen improved his completion percentage by more than 6 points as a junior, so a rise of 4 percentage points, up to 60 percent, is a reasonable expectation. Improving upon his 20-touchdown, five-interception effort of 2014 would probably put the Razorbacks among the top tier of SEC West teams.

Are there enough safeties to make it through the SEC grind?

There are enough bodies at the position, but enough who can play fast and physical in the scheme remains to be seen. Senior Rohan Gaines is capable of the spectacular — like his 100-yard interception return against Ole Miss — but he’s prone to a couple of mistakes per game. Sophomore Josh Liddell is a rising star, but the talent behind him has little or no college snaps. Santos Ramirez, a long, lean, hard hitter with good coverage skills, could have a breakout year. He had the loudest hit in the first camp scrimmage but also whiffed on a tackle for a long-distance score. Injury-plagued senior Davyon McKinney and sophomore DeAndre Coley are wild cards. If they can stay healthy and provide quality reps, the Razorbacks should have enough players to push through the season.

Is the offensive line ready to dominate?

This celebrated unit, touted as the largest in all of American football last year, was quite good but not great. There were too many notable short-yardage failures — fourth downs vs. Texas A&M and Alabama, and a goal-line whiff against Ole Miss to name a few — to say they had fully arrived. The good news is four of the starters return and they all look physically fit and hungry. The move of right guard Denver Kirkland to the key left tackle spot is going to take a few games to iron out, but it should wind up a positive, allowing Dan Skipper to take over at right tackle. New starter Frank Ragnow, a sophomore at right guard, is eager to play up to the expectations of his line mates and he got off to a strong start in camp. Sebastian Tretola is down to 325 pounds and ready for a senior season that could propel his career forward. Senior Mitch Smothers has 21 starts under his belt and should be among the SEC’s top centers. Line coach Sam Pittman loved the competition for backup roles he saw in camp among Brian Wallace, Marcus Danenhauer, Johnny Gibson, Jalen Merrick, Zach Rogers, Josh Allen and others.

Are the Razorbacks a contender in the SEC West?

Yes. All seven teams are contenders in what many consider the nation’s most competitive division. The loss of top tailback Jonathan Williams for the season will undoubtedly have a domino effect on the running back position and will create a finer line for success for the Hogs. Winning the ball-control battles, avoiding turnovers and penalties and being solid in special teams should add up to the Hogs having the opportunity to win all of their division games. The Hogs must reverse two long-running trends — failure to win tight games and failure to win SEC road games — to even become part of the conversation. Additionally, the difficulty level of Arkansas’ SEC road games — at Tennessee, Alabama, LSU and Ole Miss, as well as a neutral-site game against Texas A&M — is probably the stiffest in the conference. This has all the earmarks of an improved Arkansas team that will contend in all of its SEC games and could turn in a memorable season if it can thrive in the fourth quarter.