5 things I want to see during Arkansas' spring game Saturday
The wait for next year is finally over for the Arkansas Razorbacks. Next season begins now for the Hogs, who will take the field at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium for the Red-White Spring Game at 1 p.m. (EDT) Saturday, weather permitting.
After a rocky 2016, Arkansas will feature plenty of changes on both sides of the ball. Saturday is the Razorbacks’ first opportunity to showcase those changes on a large stage and, although there is plenty of time before the season kicks off for real, Arkansas fans should be looking for improvements in various areas.
Here are five things I want to see:
Active players across the new defense: The Razorbacks had one of their worst defenses in program history last season, as they routinely allowed yards – and points – in bunches on their way to a disappointing 7-6 season that was capped off by a 35-24 loss to Virginia Tech in the Belk Bowl.
Nothing was more embarrassing than the Auburn game, though, when the unit allowed the Tigers to run wild for 543 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground. Enough was enough, and head coach Bret Bielema ultimately decided to make a change.
Although 2016 defensive coordinator Robb Smith wasn’t technically fired – many believe Bielema helped Smith land his job at Minnesota in an effort to save face for the unit’s shortcomings – it was clear the defense needed a total overhaul.
Bielema pegged Paul Rhodes, a defensive backs coach on last year’s staff, as the new coordinator, and Rhodes immediately expressed interest in changing from a 4-3 to a 3-4 front. Saturday will be our first opportunity to really see how the defense is coming along.
The running game, especially early enrollee Maleek Williams: Last season, the Razorbacks had one of the more formidable backfield tandems in Rawleigh Williams III and Devwah Whaley. Williams was the workhorse, but Whaley made an immediate impact as an incoming freshman.
When the Razorbacks were able to get their running game going, the team had strong results. They’ll hope that is again the case this season, as the passing game lost three of its four leading receivers from 2016. While Williams and Whaley should be expected to shine, Arkansas fans should be intrigued by incoming freshman Maleek Williams, who showed some signs of being a playmaker during spring camp.
In the team’s last scrimmage, the newest Williams ran for 75 yards and a score on 19 carries. Bielema and his staff might try to limit Rawleigh Williams and Whaley’s carries on Saturday, which should give Maleek Williams time to show what he can bring to the table during his debut season.
Signs of progress from the new receivers: Three of Arkansas’ top pass-catchers from a year ago – Keon Hatcher, Drew Morgan and Jeremy Sprinkle – are gone.
That is the bad news.
The good news for Razorbacks fans is that there is an impressive crop of receivers who will join the offense in 2017.
Some of them, including early enrollee Brandon Martin, the nation’s top JUCO wide receiver, are already on campus making an impact. Martin was impressive in the Hogs’ second scrimmage, making six catches for 75 yards and a touchdown.
While the Razorbacks should know what to expect in the backfield, Saturday will be a good chance to see what can be expected out of the passing game. Martin is expected to be a difference-maker right away, while sophomore LaMichael Pettway is projected to be a key contributor. The development of another sophomore, T.J. Hammonds, who has been transitioning to wide receiver during the spring, is another intriguing storyline.
Can the offensive line pass protect? If the line protects Austin Allen like it did last season, 2017 could be a disastrous year for the Razorbacks. In 2016, the team allowed its first-year quarterback to be sacked 35 times, which ranked 101st in the country.
Although the defense shouldn’t be taking Allen to the ground Saturday, the pass rushers will want to make a strong impression on their new defensive coordinator, which means the signal-caller might face pressure often.
Even in a controlled environment, it will be interesting to see what strides the offensive line has made. However, the unit might not be fully intact as senior center Frank Ragnow has sat out both scrimmages the team has already had in an effort to limit his workload.
The battle for the backup QB job: Allen will lead the Arkansas offense, but who will win the battle among the backup quarterbacks?
Last season, Ty Story held the reins, but even then, true freshman Cole Kelley impressed Razorbacks coaches during practice.
This spring, the two have been going at it hard, with each trying to position himself to possibly become the starter in 2018. Story completed 7 of 11 passes for 69 yards in the second scrimmage, while Kelley, a redshirt freshman, went 6-of-9 for 57 yards and an interception. The competition for the backup job should ramp up Saturday.