Since he arrived at Arkansas, coach Bret Bielema has established the beginnings of a pattern on defense.

One of the starting ends has represented the focal point of the entire unit in each of Bielema’s seasons: Chris Smith in ’13 and Trey Flowers in ’14.

But with Flowers (not to mention standout defensive tackle Darius Philon) headed to the NFL, will that cycle become a certifiable tradition in ’15, or a two-year anomaly?

Smith (6-foot-1, 266 pounds) was a better pass-rusher, while Flowers (6-foot-3, 270 pounds) served more like an immovable object who drove back an opposing offensive tackle on every snap.

If you’re looking for a playmaker, Deatrich Wise is your man. Despite nagging injuries that limited him to 10 games and one start in 2014, he still finished fourth on the team in sacks.

On Saturday, Bielema bumped Wise to the second-team defense, telling the media, essentially, that his defensive end was getting too busy between football, academics, track and a fraternity and suggesting he’d be back to starting when he gets his priorities in order. Still, Wise made three sacks during Saturday’s scrimmage and seems like the team’s best pass rusher.

JaMichael Winston started opposite Flowers in ’14. Now a junior, he should provide steady, if unspectacular, play.

Bijhon Jackson and Taiwan Johnson should start on the inside of the four-man front, with newcomers Jeremiah Ledbetter and Hjalte Froholdt adding to what should be a deep, balanced group. That should take some pressure off the ends and Brooks Ellis, who is filling the role vacated by standout linebacker Martrell Spaight.

Bielema has proven an equal-opportunity coach when it comes to disciplining players or getting guys to fall in line. It doesn’t seem like he’s riding Wise solely because that’s his most important defensive lineman.

Overall, the expectation level for all of Arkansas’ defensive linemen — even for some of the backups — falls within a tight range. With such little variance, it’s hard to project a single player taking a leadership role like a Smith or a Flowers, even if Wise is the closest thing the Razorbacks have.

“We say ‘D-Line Pride,'” Wise said, according to the Southwest Times Record. “Our first edge, our first rule on the Arkansas Edge is to play with physical and mental toughness. Trench Hogs is kind of a motto we have between us. That’s what we do.”

Both Winston and Wise have gotten bulkier since the team beat Texas in the Texas Bowl.

Big and physical has failed against some of the SEC’s uptempo offenses in recent seasons — just ask Alabama — but it may be a sound strategy for 2015. Judging by scrimmage stats and the performances we saw from the quarterbacks in the spring games last weekend, the Hogs may be able to get away with bludgeoning opposing offensive lines in the running game and hoping for the best if the team doesn’t field an elite pass rush.

While the team would love to identify a cornerstone type defensive end, more likely the Razorbacks will rely on eight or nine solid contributors that can smash into opposing linemen in waves.

If better depth can overcome the loss of some elite SEC talent along the defensive line in 2015, causing the overall effectiveness and production at the position to hold steady, Arkansas’ front seven again should be a bear for the SEC West.