FAYETTEVILLE — Four questions for four writers previewing Arkansas' special teams for the 2017 season.
How confident are you in Cole Hedlund on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being not confident and 10 being very confident?
Clay Henry: I don't know how anyone could pick a high number as far as confidence with the Arkansas placekicker. Cole Hudlund hasn't shown an ability to hold the position. He has always looked solid in spring competitions, but games are a different matter. I tend to discount anything that happens in the spring with placekickers. The thing that always has made me wonder about Hedlund is just pure leg strength. It just doesn't seem to be there. I'll go with five rating. That's not bad, but it certainly isn't good.
Bob Holt: I'm going to say a 4. He's hit some field goals at times, but he just hasn't shown the consistency and leg strength — at least not yet — to convince me he's the long-term answer at placekicker.
Jimmy Carter: Going to go with a 3. Hedlund just hasn’t been reliable to this point in his career. He’s only made 14 of 22 career field goals and hit just 1 of 5 from 40 yards or longer. Four of his attempts have been blocked. He arrived on campus as a heralded recruit, but has yet to inspire confidence in his ability to translate his ability to games.
Matt Jones: I'd place him at 5. He has shown the ability to make some kicks, but he has missed too many. Hedlund consistently looks good in practice, so at some point you have to think that will translate to game day.
What is your assessment of Blake Johnson?
Henry: Blake Johnson appears to have the leg to be an SEC punter. I don't know if he has the strength of Toby Baker, but he's more than adequate. It seems like punters add distance as they mature. If that happens with Johnson, the Hogs are probably in good shape.
Holt: His punting leg is OK, but he needs to be more consistent and apparently has to mature off the field as well after Bret Bielema suspended him briefly in the spring and put him in an "extended timeout."
Johnson was arrested as a freshman in 2015 for public intoxication and disorderly conduct, and those aren't major offenses, but if two years later — and with a shot to get the No. 1 job with Toby Baker's graduation — he's still getting into trouble with Bielema, he needs to grow up, and fast.
Carter: He was inconsistent enough last fall that Austin Allen replaced him as a backup late in the season, then, this spring he was sent home by Bret Bielema after getting himself in the doghouse. He re-joined the team and looked solid in spring ball, but he hasn’t had to be the guy yet in a game situation, so he’s a bit of a wildcard. If he can approach what Toby Baker did last year, the coaching staff will be thrilled.
Jones: He just needs to be more consistent, like Hedlund. It looks like it is his position this year.
True or false: Jared Cornelius returns a punt for a touchdown this fall?
Henry: I guess that would assume Jared Cornelius is the punt returner. That's not a sure thing. There are some talented return specialists in the freshmen group. Bret Bielema doesn't seem to like to play freshmen in the return game, but that might change this season. Cornelius is adequate as a punt returner. I don't know that I'd predict a touchdown this season, mainly because I'm not convinced he will be that guy catching punts.
Holt: I predict Jared Cornelius will return a punt for a touchdown in the opener against Florida A&M in Little Rock, but that the play will be called back because of a penalty, as happened the previous two years in War Memorial Stadium against Toledo and Alcorn State.
Carter: True. He’s overdue to get one at this point. Several have been negated by penalties. He’ll probably return one by the time October rolls around.
Jones: Cornelius' two best punt returns have come in Little Rock, but both were negated by penalties, including a 65-yard return against Alcorn State last year. So if he has one, I'll predict it's against Florida A&M in the opener. Arkansas is probably due a punt return for a score. It hasn't had one since Bobby Petrino was the coach.
Arkansas was one of the worst kickoff return teams in the nation last year. Who would you give a chance to return kickoffs?
Henry: I'd start with T. J. Hammonds and throw in some of the wide receivers, probably Jordan Jones. Several of the youngsters have the speed to help as kickoff returners, perhaps starting with Jarrod Barnes, Chase Hayden and Montaric Brown.
Holt: Deon Stewart was the primary returner last season and did OK, averaging 20.0 yards on 21 attempts with a long of 43. I'd be tempted to give T.J. Hammonds an extended look. His only return last year was for 16 years, but I think he's got the speed and moves to break some big returns.
Carter: T.J. Hammonds and Jordan Jones are two of the most explosive players on the roster, so I’d start there. Whoever it is, Arkansas’ blocking on returns must be substantially better this year. It was pitiful most of the time last season.
Jones: I've thought some younger skill players look promising there. T.J. Hammonds, Deon Stewart, Jordan Jones and La'Michael Pettway are a few that come to mind.