Returning to a bowl game, watching a new high-flying offense light up the scoreboard, pulling off an SEC upset. Those were goals Arkansas fans hoped for coming into the 2018 season. None of those hopes sounded all that crazy, either.

A bowl game seemed plausible with a very manageable schedule. The offense putting up loads of points was expected with Chad Morris taking over. Knocking off an obviously superior SEC opponent was a stretch even in July, but every fan is a little over-optimistic that time of year.

After four games in 2018, it has become very obvious none of those things are going to happen in the near future. Arkansas is 1-3 with two losses to Group of 5 opponents and a schedule that still includes six teams ranked or receiving votes in the AP Poll.

Now that we have a better idea of where the Hogs stand in their first season under Morris, here are my five goals for the rest of the season:

1. Beat one FBS team

Seriously, just beat one FBS team this season. Arkansas is very likely to be an underdog in every remaining game with the exception of an Oct. 20 home game against Tulsa. Even if Tulsa is Arkansas’ only win the rest of the way, at least that would cast some doubt as to whether this is the worst season in program history. But if the Hogs’ lone victory is over Eastern Illinois, this team will be known for that unfortunate distinction. No one wants to be associated with that.

2. Hold on to the recruiting class

Arkansas’ 2019 recruiting class is No. 23 nationally according to the 247Sports composite rankings. It’s a group with 19 commitments headlined by four 4-star prospects. So far, the Hogs haven’t sustained a decommitment despite the rough start to the season. It’s extremely important Arkansas’ staff does whatever it can to make sure it stays that way along with potentially adding some other top talents.

3. Find the left lane

Remember how many times we heard Morris say some version of “we’re going to put it in the left and put the hammer down” in reference to his offense? It’s only four games, but that claim hasn’t been validated in any way. The Hogs are averaging just 15.7 points in three games against FBS opponents and scored only a field goal at Auburn last week. At the very least, Arkansas’ offense needs to get out of the parking lot and prove it can find the left lane.

4. Fix the special teams

Arkansas has been embarrassingly bad on special teams. Morris has vowed to fix that going forward. He must if the Razorbacks are going to achieve goal No. 1 on this list. Allowing opponents to continually gain great field position, or even score, via special teams isn’t a winning recipe against anyone.

5. Continue the roster turnover

Wide receiver Jonathan Nance, who led Arkansas in receiving last season, announced Monday he will redshirt and leave the program in December. It’s a good move for everyone involved. Nance, who had just 1 catch in 4 starts this season, gets to preserve his final year of eligibility to be used elsewhere. Arkansas now has more snaps coming available for younger players that could be key pieces for the future. A few more similar departures in the coming months wouldn’t be a bad thing. I’m not sure openly calling this a “goal” is necessarily the right way to put it. I just know if that’s how things play out, it won’t be a bad thing for the program.