Grading the SEC's recruiting situations: Arkansas Razorbacks
In the coming weeks, SDS will grade each team’s current state of recruiting based upon the factors listed below. Today we continue the series with one the SEC’s only team with a first-year coach this season, the Arkansas Razorbacks.
ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS
HOME-STATE TALENT: B+
Three of six commits for the SEC’s 12th-ranked 2016 class are from the state of Arkansas, which Bret Bielema hasn’t necessarily made a point during his recruiting infancy with the Razorbacks. Through his first three complete cycles (including the shortened 2013 class), only 26 percent of Bielema’s signees have been in-state kids, with much of that coming as a result of being housed in a state not known for being talent-rich. Arkansas has produced only one consensus five-star prospect since 2010, Auburn running back Michael Dyer (2010). The Razorbacks’ 2015 class was an exception to Bielema’s out-of-state rule after Arkansas signed nine of the state’s Top 11 players. When there’s in-state talent available comparable to the rest of the SEC’s incoming players, the Razorbacks go after those guys. But that’s a rarity.
RECENT SUCCESS: C+
The Razorbacks haven’t finished inside the top half of the SEC for recruiting since Bobby Petrino welcomed the league’s seventh-best class in 2008 (in his first season to boot), a 29-player haul featuring Joe Adams, Tyler Wilson and Jarius Wright. While Arkansas is firmly planted inside the top 25 nationally on average, there’s a substantial gap between the program and say, Auburn, from a recruiting perspective in its own division. Even SEC West newcomer Texas A&M has quickly lapped the Razorbacks in the recruiting ranks. Bielema has an uphill climb from an elite-level talent standpoint every February, but he’s one of college football’s no-nonsense coaches intent on finding players that fit his system, ignoring outside opinion during the process. Based on his commendable track record of developing countless three-stars at Wisconsin, think Gary Pinkel-lite as it pertains to on-field success.
FAN SATISFACTION: B+
Even amidst 2013’s cataclysmic winless SEC season, Bielema’s first in Fayetteville, the Razorbacks’ fanbase never wavered and that’s a rarity in fair weather college football. Hog Nation believes this program is heading in the right direction and last season’s baby steps made it that much more gratifying. A fourth-place — or better — finish in the division this season would provide an ultimate boost heading into Year 3 and give Razorbacks fans a sense of optimism behind the current regime. Athletic director Jeff Long has been in Bielema’s corner since Day 1 and has encouraged the Arkansas fanbase to stay the course in hopes of a dramatic turnaround post-John L. Smith’s ruins.
COACHING STABILITY: B+
On the surface, the acquisition of new offensive coordinator Dan Enos during the offseason looks to be an above-average addition to one of the SEC’s most underrated staffs. Bielema’s name seems to always come up when comparable openings arise, but says he came to Arkansas for a reason and that’s to win the SEC. In January, the Razorbacks were proactive in their approach to keeping coaches, locking up defensive extraordinaire Robb Smith with a three-year extension. In his first season at Arkansas, Smith helped the Razorbacks climb from 76th nationally in total defense to No. 10 last fall. His defense was one of only 11 units in the country to allow less than 325 yards per game.
SUM IT UP: If the Razorbacks could improve their efforts just a bit on the recruiting trail, it appears Bielema has everything else in place to establish Arkansas as an annual contender in the Western Division. He has both administrative and outside support, is ahead of the pace many expected after two seasons and has brought a welcomed hard-hat mentality to the SEC in the era of flashy, no-huddle offenses. Bielema’s an admirable face for the program and most are expecting the wins to come.
Editor’s note: Any reference to recruiting ratings in this series – team or individual – are to 247Sports’ industry composite ranking.
At the end of the series we will rank the SEC’s recruiting situations from 1-14 based on the grades we assign each program. Here are last year’s recruiting situation rankings:
