Razorbacks Looking for Stars to Drum Up Summer Excitement

Team in transition , looks for new crop of stars to rejuvenate program after main one last few years have left

Arkansas Razorbacks tight end Luke Hasz at Thursday's practice indoors in Fayetteville, Ark. / Andy Hodges-Hogs on SI Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas football is coming off a 4-8 season, fans can be forgiven for taking a wait and see approach to see how this team shakes out. On top of all the pressure on the staff to perform in year six, this is a team in transition, trying to find its identity.

For all the trials and tribulations that K.J Jefferson faced in his final year as a Razorback, this is the first time since the start of 2020 camp that he isn't the starter. Raheim "Rocket" Sanders in nowhere to be found on the back fields in Fayetteville. It's becoming less common to keep a running backs/ quarterback combo intact for three seasons in the age of the transfer portal. Even perhaps the best defensive player from last year, Trajan Jeffcoat's presence will need to be replaced.

The byproduct is the pressure placed on the young returners and the newcomers. Luke Hasz is no longer the freshman phenom, with just four games under his belt, he's been tapped as a focal point of the offense, with the Razorbacks choosing not bring in receivers of note out of the portal. Andrew Armstrong has been tasked with potentially even more, with Issac TeSlaa seemingly with the second group of receivers.

With the pressure on the coaching staff to perform at a boiling point, the team is in a weird state of flux with old fan favorites (albeit with a poor finish) gone. The door is wide open for a new crop of players to fill that role. Not only are the fans yearning for it, they may be under a new regime if the players come up short.

Opening week kickoff is quickly approaching. The season gets underway 6:30 p.m. Aug. 29 against UAPB and will be broadcast on ESPNU.

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