Clear Front-Runner at Quarterback Emerging, Like Everyone Predicted

Senior transfer Taylen Green shows his experience getting comfortable, in front of competitors for top spot

Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback Taylen Green throwing a pass in warmups before the scrimmage Saturday morning at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark. / Andy Hodges-allHOGS Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — It's not exactly surprising to hear Taylen Green is clearly the guy Jacolby Criswell and Malachi Singleton have to beat out in spring practice to become No. 1 quarterback. His experience and the resulting maturity Green has is clearly above the other guys.

It showed in Saturday's scrimmage inside Razorback Stadium. The (very) unofficial stats show him with 156 yards on 10-of-23 passing with two touchdowns and an interception. More importantly, though, his maturity showed up big-time. He acts like a guy that expected to be the starter when he transferred from Boise State. You could see it with the media following the scrimmage.

One of the touchdowns came on the first possession from the 25, hitting Luke Hasz for a 24-yard score, throwing into double coverage. He had earlier completed a third-down pass to Isaiah Sategna for 26 yards on one of those crossing routes offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino loves.

"It was a concept, just reading the safety and the corner," Green said later. "Saw Luke (Hasz) open and made a throw and he made the play. It slowed down a little bit, it was self-inflicted errors. We put a big emphasis on starting fast. Throughout the week we had our fastball, we call it, starting the practice and I think it was Tuesday we didn’t start how we wanted to. That was a big emphasis for us. First quarter, setting the tempo and having the mentality of we’re about to go score on the first drive."

Things bogged down a little bit for the offense. Green, who has become one of the leaders on the team, made it clear that was something which can't happen down the road.

Arkansas Razorbacks quarterbacks Malachi Singleton and Taylen Green throw a pass as offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino watches during Saturday morning's spring practice in warmups before a scrimmage at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark. / Andy Hodges-allHOGS Images

"Even though we get tired, it’s a four-quarter game," Green said. "We know we got to have the mental endurance to stay in our technique, to stay in our reads, just the ins and outs and the details of doing it in the fourth quarter or the two minute even when you’re tired. Everyone can do it when you’re 100% healthy, when you’re 100% in your tank, but the champions and the great teams do it in the fourth quarter."

Green already had a relationship with Petrino, who had recruited him at Missouri State during the COVID year. After Petrino found a home in the annual coaching portal, it didn't take long for him to connect with Green.

"The whole process was really, really fast," Green said. "Entered the transfer portal, he texted me and we visited. We talked ball for about two hours. I already knew it. He knows way more than me. So I decided to take a visit. That was my first visit and it was actually my first official visit because of COVID and everything. I couldn’t take any visits. We visited and we were watching Louisville and Lamar Jackson and all that. His vision for me was what I really fell in love with."

Petrino's well-documented attention to every little detail has also jumped out at Green, especially the intricate way he explains to his quarterbacks what to look for and what to expect.

"The details and the knowledge he was talking about when he gets on the whiteboard," Green said. "I just fell in love with this place and I prayed about it and talked to my family about it. I had other visits planned but after the visit, I knew that I didn’t need to take any more visits. This is where I was going to be. I could see myself in the red and white. That’s what I fell in love with. The visit and coach Pitt and everybody.

Arkansas Razorbacks quarterbacks Jacolby Criswell (6) and Taylen Green (10) in warmups before Saturday morning's scrimmage inside Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark. / Andy Hodges-allHOGS Images

“He goes into detail every single play. Literally the ins and outs. He’s never surprised at any look of the defense. Every single question that we have, he has an answer for. It’s not going to give him a minute. He’s going to answer it like that. That what I love and what we love as quarterbacks. They can add to the whiteboard.”

Every other quarterback has seen that, too. "When (Petrino) gets up there, he can draw you five different blitzes for that formation, that protection," Malachi Singleton said after the scrimmage. "Everything can be picked up. We have the chance to change the protection to pick it up. He gets into real detail with it and it's real easy for us to pick up on. He just makes it real easy for us."

Now they just have to execute it in games. That's what Razorback fans expect from Petrino, who set high expectations after the offenses he had at Arkansas in his four years here over a decade ago. To start, Green is the obvious choice but he hasn't been named by the coaches. They are just trying to give fans something to talk about. Every indication is Green is No. 1 and it doesn't really look that close.

HOGS FEED:

• Lockett, several recruits visit Arkansas

• Highlights: Watch key moments from Hogs' dramatic extra inning walk-off win over No. 8 LSU

• Petrino breaks down key offensive players for Arkansas fans

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