FAYETTEVILLE – Some things are easy to tell.
The starting quarterback will lead the team in touchdown passes, yards. The usual statistical subjects. A defensive end or outside linebacker is going to be the team’s sack leader. A cornerback or safety will be tops in interceptions.
What about fumbles forced, special teams tackles or touches on third down?
Today we look at some of those traditional statistics and tell you who might surprise and lead (or, at least, threaten) and also some of the much less ballyhooed, but just as important, stats and who to watch.
Swat Master – Jared Collins
The pass break-up is arguably the most underrated number on the defensive side of the ball. An incompletion in the era of the up-and-down, shoot-it-up-the-field-as-quick-as-possible offense can stall a drive and allow an exhausted defense a moment’s rest.
Arkansas was borderline great at that last year. The Razorbacks could use a few more of the batted balls to turn into interceptions, but Jared Collins was superlative in keeping opposing wide receivers from making hay.
Collins largely was the man guarding Alabama wide receiver Amari Cooper last year when the Razorbacks held the Crimson Tide All-American to just two catches for 22 yards. Collins’ 13 PBUs tied him for the SEC lead last year.
Considering the lack of hype he and the rest of the Hogs defense have entering 2015 (despite a top 10 national finish last year), he’s the most likely candidate to put up another double-digit spot this year, too.
Captain Extension – Hunter Henry
Catches, total receptions – they’re all well and good. A team can’t move the ball through the air without catching it, obviously. But sometimes those numbers are inflated. Or even meaningless.
To gain a better idea of how significant the catches are, certainly, you can look at touchdowns. But for an even better idea, see who is getting open the most on third down. See who is most often going beyond the yard sticks.
At Arkansas, that duty will belong most often to Hunter Henry. The junior tight end likely won’t lead the Razorbacks in total catches. That will almost assuredly go to wide receiver Keon Hatcher. But Henry is more than a safety valve, too. He’s Jason Witten. Not Dallas Cowboys’ Jason Witten (he’s not there yet, sorry, fans), but he’s certainly Tennessee Volunteers Jason Witten.
Henry is quarterback Brandon Allen’s favorite target when he’s not staying in to block. He caught 37 passes last year, 15 of which came on third down and 27 of which resulted in a first down. Henry may have been a second-team All-SEC pick, but he also may be a second-team All-American – or better – before the year’s done.
Mr. Stripsearch – Brooks Ellis
Martrell Spaight burst on to the national scene last year almost by default. The SEC’s leader in tackles will tend to do that. His junior year at Arkansas, a year in which the Razorbacks won precisely zero SEC games, a saying developed around campus: Spaighted.
Spaight was a hard hitter but hadn’t shown himself a sure tackler. That changed when he slid into the weakside linebacker spot in defensive coordinator Robb Smith’s system. The WILL spot is one that sees the rest of the defense funnel plays toward it. That combined with the ‘Spaighting’ led to a team high in forced fumbles for the now-NFLer.
Brooks Ellis returns as the unit’s only starter and has made the move from his middle spot last year to the one vacated by Spaight. Almost no one in or around the team denies Ellis is the best linebacker on the roster and with his ability plus the position change, it wouldn’t surprise to see three or four forced fumbles from the Fayetteville native.
The Bowling Ball — Kody Walker
In hockey there is a stat called ‘efficiency.’ And let’s be honest, in this day and age there is a stat for everything. But in football, especially with Arkansas football, efficiency might best be described by Kody Walker.
Walker is a 260-pound change-of-pace running back and part-time fullback. His job this season will be simple – pound. Then pound some more. After that, pound again. Walker looked so good in the spring, having stolen some carries from Arkansas’ No. 1B running back Alex Collins after Collins found himself in the coaches’ doghouse, that Walker earned himself the right to vulture some situational touches come fall.
It’s most likely Walker has the best touchdown-to-touch ratio on the roster. He isn’t likely to see more than six or eight carries a game unless Collins or Jonathan Williams get injured, but in short-yardage situations, especially around the goal line, Walker should get the call.
Of course, it was Walker who fumbled on the goal line last year against Alabama in a game the Razorbacks ultimately lost by one point. But he’s impressed coaches since then and could be the third option Arkansas needs to relieve their workhorses.
Eric Bolin is a contributing writer for Saturday Down South. He covers SEC football and Arkansas.
