Biggest Sign of Hope for Razorbacks is Armstrong at WR1

Plenty of holes for optimism and skepticism headed into season needing go-to pass catcher for new offense

Arkansas Razorbacks wide receiver Andrew Armstrong at spring practice March 30 inside Razorback Stadium. / Andy Hodges-allHOGS Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — It's not hard to understand why a lot of Arkansas Razorback fans have an optimistic approach about the wide receiver spot. Andrew Armstrong is the guy in that spotlight and will get a load of the credit or blame.

Unless he just drops half the passes that hit him square in his No. 2 or can't get open, don't put it all on him. I've never understood all that. In a team sport like football, there really isn't a single position that doesn't depend on a bunch of other folks doing their job.

All of the stuff we're going to read and hear about for the next couple of weeks is going to be glowingly positive. Talking season kicks into high gear tomorrow with SEC Media Days in Dallas. Armstrong will be there when the Hogs show up Thursday and those are going to be the questions.

There won't be any hint of doubt about he's going to be great. It would be a boost for the Razorbacks, who haven't had a true go-to No. 1 receiver since Treylon Burks sailed out of town before the Outback Bowl for the Tennessee Titans in the NFL. Quarterback KJ Jefferson never looked the same after he left.

Now the quarterback will be Taylen Green, who got to town back in January for spring practice. There were flashes in those practices, but they aren't games with the band playing, the stands full and pressure raised to a maximum level.

All of the positive projections right now are folks trying to convert their hope into positive results on the field. To be honest, most of that is based on new offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino. That's to be expected as well because a lot of everybody's hope for the offense is based on what he did back in 2008-11.

Right now, everybody is talking about what he's taught them. The answer nobody can provide right now is how that translates to games. It's the biggest concern Arkansas coach Sam Pittman has every year. Even when they look great in practice, he knows that doesn't guarantee anything.

Nobody can do much other than make projections right now, which is basically a strategic guess. Armstrong led the team in receptions, but that's not the critical stat to judge a No. 1 receiver.

He's the guy that turns a bad play into a big one. Those guys have to know when the pressure is likely to force the quarterback to get rid of the ball early and has to break off his planned route. Then there's the whole getting open thing, which has been a problem for a couple of years.

It won't take us long to know. By September we'll have a pretty good idea.

HOGS FEED:

• Razorbacks' Calipari not getting much respect in these preseason rankings

• Timing of Razorbacks' arrival at SEC Media Days means we don't know questions yet

• It's time to stop making allegations against Calipari that aren't true

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