FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas might not have a single player on its roster able to duplicate the production of defensive end Trey Flowers in 2014.
The Razorbacks hope their growing array of talent at end, led by juniors Deatrich Wise Jr. and JaMichael Winston, can fill in capably.
Defensive end glance
RETURNING STARTER JaMichael Winston (12 starts)
KEY LOSSES Trey Flowers
WHO’S BACK Deatrich Wise Jr., Tevin Beanum, Brandon Lewis, Mitchell Loewen, Anthony Brown
WHO’S NEW Jake Hall (redshirt)
SIGNEES Jamario Bell, Daytrieon Dean
"We have so many guys who have playing experience under their belt," defensive line coach Rory Segrest said. "You have some guys who can be potential standouts."
Wise, injured much of 2014, is one of those potential standouts. The 6-5, 271-pounder has moved to Flowers' rush end spot to pair with sophomore Tevin Beanum and inured junior Brandon Lewis. Wise is atop the depth chart at the other end spot, ahead of Anthony Brown and Jake Hall and injured senior Mitchell Loewen, who came on late last season.
"JaMichael and I want to become leaders, so we're stepping up our game and learning how to lead the defense," Wise said.
Flowers and tackle Darius Philon, a junior, leave two big voids on the Arkansas defensive front.
"We've got a lot to prove," Winston said. "We've been out to prove that we can be a top-notch D-line with those guys gone. Those guys were freaks of nature at their technique, Darius making plays and Trey making plays all the time.
"You know what you were going to get from them each and every day, so you just try to bring that approach and try to fill that void."
Wise appeared poised to take a starting job last fall after posting 17 tackles, including two sacks, as a redshirt freshman. But he suffered a knee injury during fall camp, which impacted much of his season.
After recording four tackles during a five-game stretch in the middle of the season, Wise returned to notch 1 1/2 sacks and a hurry in Arkansas' 17-0 victory over No. 17 LSU.
"Deatrich Wise is a guy who, when healthy last year, was as good as anybody," Smith said.
"I started out, messed up my knee real bad right before the season even started," Wise said. "I tried to come back too fast and just missed a lot of games. ... I had ups and downs. I'm just glad to be back."
Winston started 12 games last fall, posting 26 tackles, 2 for lost yardage. His emergence during preparation for Arkansas' 31-7 Texas Bowl victory over Texas caught Bielema's eye.
"You really saw it evolve during bowl prep, he kind of knew he needed to take over that leadership role," Bielema said. "I kind of put a little bit in his ear. ... There's a little bit of maturity and some things that have come out.
"Deatrich, I think, is trying to do all those same things but has a little bit more focus that he needs to do."
Lewis and Loewen, the most experienced backups at end along with Beanum, had surgeries after the season and probably won't make it back for the spring. Lewis, who showed promise with 13 tackles as a redshirt freshman in 2012, was sidelined with a knee issue much of last season and mustered seven tackles in his limited duty.
Loewen bounced back from major knee surgery and a position switch from tight end last season to become a mainstay in the rotation in the second half of the year. The 6-5, 276-pound Hawaii native recorded 14 tackles, including two for lost yardage and a half-sack last year.
Early enrollee Daytrieon Dean of Fort Smith Northside has also undergone surgery and is being held out.
Sports on 03/20/2015