Whew! The end of the 2022 season is way behind us, talkin’ season is amongst us and soon, we will wake up to the smell of BBQ, beer and Hog calls.

2023 means a new season has come. Arkansas did plenty of remodeling during the offseason, between the coaching staff and rounding out the roster. There were certainly some bad vibes ousted from the program, and now it looks like a new start is brewing.

Head coach Sam Pittman feels like there is plenty of confidence in the locker room, and the jukebox should be turned up loud plenty.

What is to come for Arkansas football in 2023? The answers vary when you ask anyone with a pulse. The consensus has told me the floor for this season is 6-6, similar to the outcome of last year due to so many unknowns. However, a few think the ceiling could be shattered by what was an underachieving 2022 team.

There are a lot of key pieces returning this season, and that should be reason for optimism and this 1st prediction.

1. KJ Jefferson and Raheim Sanders duel it out for Heisman candidacy

Both of the Razorbacks’ backfield mates have been considered dark-horse Heisman candidates following an impressive stretch of football from 2021-22.

Arkansas is going to need to win at a much higher level if it plans to have 2 players considered for the most prestigious award in college football.

2. Jefferson shatters most Arkansas quarterback records

Statistics speak for themselves. Jefferson could go down as the best quarterback to ever suit up as a Razorback. His impact on this program has been greater than many before him. Arkansas football was in a dark spot during the beginning of his career, but he has been instrumental in its turnaround.

Here is what Jefferson needs to break many of the school records:
• 357 more career passing attempts;
• 158 more completions;
• 1,950 passing yards;
• 17 touchdown passes;
• 5 rushing touchdowns (most by QB is 24);
• 1,148 total yards;
• 11 total touchdowns.

Jefferson was also 0.6 percent away from the school’s season completion percentage mark in 2022.

3. Sanders becomes 2nd-leading rusher in school history

If the Rockledge, Fla., native continues his upward trajectory in production similar to last season, Sanders could top Alex Collins’ mark for career rushing yards.

The star tailback needs 1,683 yards to surpass his fellow Sunshine State brother. Unfortunately, the rushing record is untouchable, at least for 2023. Sanders is 2,659 yards away from Darren McFadden’s school record.

4. Arkansas has had only 4 players go for 1,000 yards receiving …

And it will not see anyone surpass 1,000 yards this fall. This group of wideouts is as diverse as any that has been put together in the past decade.

The transfers are highly capable of making a splash at the SEC level, but they’ll likely do things by committee.

If there is a best guess for a single 1,000-yard receiver in 2023, money would be on Isaac TeSlaa. He’s the Hillsdale College transfer who catches everything, according to his college film and Pittman.

TeSlaa was named Great Midwest American Conference Offensive Player of the Year and team MVP after hauling in 68 passes for 1,325 yards and 13 touchdowns.

5. Ending a long losing streak

Not trying to beat a dead horse here, but isn’t it old losing to Alabama every year? Yeah, I feel the same way. The Razorbacks have lost 15 in a row to the Crimson Tide, their longest losing streak to an opponent in the modern era.

This is the year the Razorbacks could pull off some kind of stunner in the now lopsided series. The Crimson Tide don’t have a solid quarterback situation, among other questions on offense.

6. Arkansas pulls off the upset …

… this time around against LSU to spoil its early plans for a College Football Playoff bid. The Hogs were very close to pulling off the upset at home in 2022, when they lost by 3 points to the eventual SEC West champions.

7. The defense pulls together to be a top-50 unit

Defensively, the line should be very stout, with 11 players likely to receive playing time this season. Getting to the quarterback wasn’t the issue last season. It was letting the receivers torch the secondary that was the main issue.

The Razorbacks were the nation’s worst defense against the pass, yielding 294 yards per game (131st). With additions including star transfers Alfahiym Walcott, Lorando “Snaxx” Johnson and Jaheim Singletary joining the fold alongside Dwight McGlothern, the Razorbacks look to flip the script in 2023.

8. Landon Jackson exceeds 12 sacks

Not a single Razorbacks defender has recorded double-digit sacks in a season since Jake Bequette in 2010. Drew Sanders was close last season, finishing with 9.5 sacks.

Jackson is the best guess at a prediction here based off his growth from last season, which included gaining 45-plus pounds of pure muscle. He also picked up 2 mph worth of speed during the offseason to 20 mph.

9. Arkansas wins 9 regular-season games plus a bowl

This certainly isn’t some earth-shattering prediction, but the Razorbacks have plenty of experience to supplement last year’s win total. Their only tough stretch on the schedule is 4 straight on the road against LSU, Texas A&M (in Arlington), Ole Miss and Alabama.

Should they go 1-3 in the stretch, it’s very possible the Hogs win 9 games due to the other 8 games being very winnable.

10. It has been a long decade …

… since the Razorbacks have won 10 games in a season. 2011 was the highest the program has been during the modern era of college football. An 11-win season, including a huge Cotton Bowl victory over Kansas State, placed an exclamation point on the Bobby Petrino era before it quickly dissolved.

There’s plenty of confidence in not only the players but Pittman. He believes this team has the most chemistry of any he has coached at Arkansas.

”I really like this team,” Pittman said.