14 in 14: Arkansas
The dormant Razorbacks showed some life in 2020. Has Sam Pittman turned a corner with this Arkansas program? Wild Hog takes us for a ride to find out.
By: Wild Hog
Fresh off an Elite 8 run and a truly historic, but admittedly anticlimactic baseball season, Arkansas sports are in a great place. But we’re not here to talk about those other sports, we’re here to talk about the one that pays the bills – football. And while the picture may not be as rosy in the Pitt Stop as it is on the Muss Buss or for the Omahogs, there’s a bright future fans are eager to see realized.
Since that infamous incident with He Who Crashed His Motorcycle Even Though He Gifted His Mistress a Car, Arkansas football has been languishing somewhere between hockey puck and doorstop on the Biscuit Scale. Crippled at the very height of their power, the fall from grace was fast and hard. There’s definitely another Petrino joke there but I’ll leave it to your imagination.
The state of Arkansas football, 2012-2019 (Photo: Gareth Patterson, Associated Press)
The next 7 years were helmed by John “including L. as my initial because otherwise, my name would literally be the most boring name of all time” Smith, Bret “Hop on the Wife” Bielema, and finally Chad “High School Hero” Morris. One was a one-and-done, one helped bring Arkansas back to a few bowl games, and the last couldn’t find a win if you stuck it right under his nose, but hey, Club Dub right?
Eight seasons fraught with too many losses, even more choke jobs, and a collective state of sustained heart palpitations for the denizens of the Natural State. A quick look at the span from 2012-2020:
37-69 overall record, and 16-58 in the SEC (just kill me now)
2-1 Bowl Record (all 3 under Bielema)
SIX seasons with 2 or fewer conference wins.
Can I get a sad woo pig?? Anyway, the university finally said enough is enough, sent Jeff Long packing to disappoint someone else’s school (he did), let Chad Morris go to ruin someone else’s offense (he did), and turned their gaze toward a former players’ favorite, hiring Sam Pittman to be the next head coach. They didn’t know it yet, but somewhere in the distance someone was plugging in a jukebox and the faint sound of Arkansas by Chris Stapleton began to warble through the hills and dales of the Ozarks.
State of the Program is...cautiously optimistic, on the rise; 7/12 biscuits
The freshman season for Pittman, while not flashy on paper, gave Hog fans a lot to be grateful for, and a glimpse into a brighter future. This is a program that is going places, but the road ahead is very long.
Sam Pittman has taken a short runway in stride and proven he’s a strong playcaller with the capabilities to recruit competent staff, and, most importantly, bring out the best in his players. Plus jukebox sales have hit an all-time high.
Posting a 3-7 record against what many argued was one of the most difficult schedules in the country, Sam Pittman and the wayward Hogs put on a real show for beleaguered fans, winning more conference games than the last three years combined. While the record doesn’t stand out, if you watched the games, you know these Hogs looked different.
Recent years have made the “Heartbreak Hogs” moniker more of a reality than we’d like, but we’re ready to dust off the ole hog call and get hurt again. Nothing makes the wins sweeter than really, truly earning them through loyalty in the dark years.
What went right in 2020
There was a lot to be proud of for the Razorbacks in 2020, and none more so than defense. Three of the top five leaders in tackles for the SEC were Razorbacks, and they got it done as a team – five Hogs were in the top ten for tackle assists, and Grant Morgan and Bumper Pool went 1-2 in assists on tackles. Jalen Catalon and Hudson Clarke were also a nightmare for opposing QBs, racking up a combined 6 interceptions over the course of the season, and the Razorbacks as a whole ranked second in the SEC with 13 on the season. With the majority of their defense returning and Barry Odom getting another year of rapport with these guys, expect the defense to be the underpinning of any success the Razorbacks have this year.
Prior to last season, the QB room for the Razorbacks was like a revolving door in a busy hotel, with each emergence a roulette of painful choices that included a guy who believed that his Bieber tank imbued his game with elevated skill. Then enters transfer Feleipe Franks, and sheesh, look what happens when a competent QB steps under center: a 2,100 yard season and a top-five SEC finish for the Florida transfer. As a direct correlation, Razorback receivers feasted, and Treylon Burks became a household name in Fayetteville. This receiving corps is a strong foundation for an offense desperate for a spark next season.
What went wrong in 2020
The most glaring problem for the Razorbacks was a lack of offensive momentum. While improvements were seen in both rushing and receiving, these were largely a result of Feleipe Franks bringing competence to the QB position and making some great plays rather than great playcalling from the Razorback coaching staff. Out of 128 FBS teams, Arkansas ranked 87th in points scored per game, and while I just talked all about some quality defense that we could hang our hat on, the result of this lack of offensive consistency meant that the Razorbacks couldn’t keep their offense on the field long enough to let the defense rest, and subsequently our biggest obstacle was stamina. Another telling stat? Out of 128 FBS teams, Arkansas ranked 126th in opponents’ time of possession. That’s right, in 60 minutes of a college football game time, Arkansas opponents were allowed to hold the ball for an average of nearly 35 minutes of each game in 2020. Acknowledging that, it’s actually a wonder we were able to score more than once in any game.
Speaking of a tired defense, the Razorbacks made plenty of waves downfield, but opposing QBs had all day to make plays – our defense just couldn’t seem to get home, and ended up ranking 12th in the SEC in sacks, totaling 14 for the whole season. Stepping up QB pressure is going to be a critical aspect for an improved defensive front in 2021.
Finally, our toughest opponents all season were those damn zebras. I would give my day job to Marc Curles if it meant he never reffed another Razorback football game.
In reality, bad calls happen to teams all the time, so I won’t really chalk any failures up to the boys (and girls) in black and white, but it always feels good to rant a little bit. Hopefully, the Hogs come out on the positive side of a few of those inevitable dice rolls this season in a sort of karmic payback.
What the Hogs need in 2021
There’s a lot of information above, both good and bad, so what do the Razorbacks really need more than anything? Consistency and, real loud for the people in the back, PATIENCE. We’ve got a strong foundation, we’ve got players who want to be there, and a coaching staff that has proven its competency, and now we just have to build on that momentum. Arkansas fans are notoriously mercurial, which is one of the worst qualities in a fanbase, and we need to calm down and let this staff work.
Three areas that will help buoy the existing momentum: QB clarity, offensive replacements and conference wins.
Feleipe’s tenure in Fayetteville demonstrated that we have offensive firepower and a will to win, we just need someone to sling the ball. KJ Jefferson is the unconfirmed but likely next-man-up, and the burden will be on him to guide this team to success. What HE needs is confidence from the coaching staff and the chance to prove himself. If we can find consistency in the QB room, the offense will follow.
The (likely) next-man up has big shoes to fill and momentum to carry forward (Photo: Jay Biggerstaff, USA TODAY Sports)
Last season was refreshing on offense for many reasons. The Hogs’ WR corps looked strong, and back-up RB Trelon Smith stepped up to the plate admirably in the initial slump and eventual opt-out of previous powerhouse Rakeem Boyd. But the Razorbacks, unfortunately, lost WR Mike Woods to the portal, and now that Rakeem is off the field entirely, the onus is fully on the shoulders of Smith. Gaps in the starting lineup are double-edged swords, offering a weakness for opponents but an internal chance for someone to step up. Let’s hope the Razorbacks fall on the latter side of the sword.
Now I know that saying we need conference wins on paper probably seems like cop-out commentary worthy of Marv Albert, but these wins aren’t about SEC rankings or bowl eligibility, the need for these wins is rooted in something much more critical to our success: proof of concept. More important than any fan or coaching hire or university official, we must show RECRUITS that what is happening in Fayetteville is something they want to be part of. The Hogs signed a top-25 recruiting class in 2021, and currently hold a top-15 class for 2022, but Arkansas has been leaking in-state talent for years. Building a top-flight program starts with convincing recruits they won’t be wasting their career by staying in-state or coming to the Ozarks, and that all comes back to winning the games we’re supposed to, plus a few surprises (lookin’ at you, Texas).
How they can earn some extra biscuits
So what does all this mean? In short, the Razorbacks have thrown off the shackles of SEC West oppression we’ve worn for several years now and stepped into the light. There are still several demons to exorcise, but the Hogs are on the right track, and fixing some of their offensive woes to capitalize on Pittman’s initial momentum will be the key to earning some extra biscuits this season. Admirable play against another tough schedule is the overall goal.
A realistic season looks like 5-7. A good season would probably be a 6-6, 3-5 in conference. A great season would meet that threshold and include some marquee wins like beating Texas in Fayetteville, finally beating A&M (demon #1 for exorcism), or (pipedream incoming) sneaking a win against Georgia. Even if some of those dreams aren’t realized, snagging a 6-6 record and a chance to go bowling would demonstrate proof of concept for Pittman and his team and add a biscuit to the basket.
Did we get it right? Completely wrong? What’d we miss? Chirp us on Twitter @biscuitsandsec.
Next up:
Kentucky (again)