Pittman Riding it Out with Razorbacks' Starting O-Line

Arkansas coach hoping current starters remain in those roles throughout this season

Arkansas Razorbacks offensive lineman with quarterback Taylen Green against the Texas A&M Aggies at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. / Michael Morrison-Hogs on SI Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas' offensive line is going to just have to tough it out. For the second straight season the Razorbacks are trying to figure it out on the fly up front on offense.

Right tackle Keyshawn Blackstock's PFF pass blocking grade against Texas A&M was 36.9, well below average. Center Addison Nichols' snapping issues have been well-documented. However, coach Sam Pittman does not anticipate making any changes to the starting five.

Arkansas Razorbacks offensive lineman Fernando Carmona (55) celebrates with fans after the Razorbacks beat the Auburn Tigers at Jordan-Hare Stadium. / John Reed-Imagn Images

"We’re trying to fix it," Pittman said. "I don’t believe a personnel change right now is going to help us. I think the only way that we can get better is maybe take a little bit of the pressure off, like and run the ball a little bit more and hopefully stay out of those third-down situations."

Pittman is hoping that the issues that the Razorbacks have had up front so far in the season don't snowball into a full-blown crisis issue like 2023 for both the quarterback and the offensive line.

"I think we’ve had so many pressures that we’ve got a lot of problems," Pittman said. "We’ve got a confidence problem. We have a quarterback that’s not confident. There’s times when he can stand in the pocket that there is one there. There’s times when he stays in the pocket and he gets hit."

According to Pittman, there are signs that the play is trending in the right direction, but the lack of a clean pocket for Taylen Green is the root of many of the issues on offense.

"I’d say we have to protect the front of the pocket better," Pittman said. "I thought they [the tackles] played better than they played the week before. But there’s no place for him {Green] to step up, so the pocket’s getting collapsed on him, which makes you look worse at tackle."

Arkansas will look to patch up its offensive line issues against No.4 Tennessee . Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Saturday and will be broadcast on ABC.

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