Arkansas will have several true freshmen in key roles Friday afternoon when it travels to Missouri for a 1:30 p.m. matchup with the Tigers.
That youthful list will include tailback Devwah Whaley, tight ends Austin Cantrell and Grayson Gunter, fullback and Columbia native Hayden Johnson, defensive linemen McTelvin Agim and Austin Capps and linebacker De’Jon Harris — the latter three of which are expected to be lynchpins of next year’s defense.
“We are all just going to go down there, play Arkansas (football) and do whatever we can to help our team win, just as we have been trying to do all year,” Agim said.
Whaley is coming off a SEC-high 105 yards rushing in the Razorbacks’ 58-42 win at Mississippi State and has rushed for 575 yards this season as a compliment to Rawleigh Williams III’s team-high 1,209 yards.
“It’s been a lot different,” Whaley said of the start of the season until now. “I would say for me the game speed has slowed down a lot. That’s the most important thing. And the pass protection I’m getting a little bit better at it and there is always room for improvement.”
Cantrell (11 catches, 108 yards) has slowly become a big part of the offense, including catching a touchdown pass from Williams last week.
“It was cool, man,” Cantrell said of seeing his touchdown on the big screen. “It felt like high school again being able to get some yards.”
Cantrell is certain what his biggest improvement has been during the year.
“Definitely blocking,” Cantrell said. “My form wasn’t great but during fall camp something clicked and I started figuring it out. It was definitely the coaching. (Tight ends coach Barry Lunney Jr. had been barking that since the day I got here but it finally started catching on.”
Arkansas quarterback Austin Allen has seen enough of Cantrell to know that defenders should fear him coming downhill.
“I know I sure wouldn't want to see him coming at me with the football.”
Agim, who enrolled early in January, has 24 tackles this season with four tackles for lost yardage, 1 1/2 sacks and two quarterback hurries.
“I can honestly say that I have grown so much as a player from the start of the season until now,” Agim said. “I’ve been getting more snaps each game and I feel like I have been producing.”
Capps has 11 tackles this season with a sack and two tackles for lost yardage.
“Capps has been a nice addition to the D-line,” Agim said. “We need him a lot. So him being able to play and make a big impact has been helpful to the D-line.”
Harris has seen his most snaps in the last two weeks and is now up to 33 tackles this season after a team-leading 10 against Mississippi State.
“As I get more snaps and experience, everything is getting easier for me out there and slowing down,” Harris said. “I am just going to try and have my best game in this last game.”