Red-White Game Shows Some Personnel Answers, but Still No Way to Predict Anything

Transfers highlight offense, but still plenty of questions, but will have clearer picture fairly quickly

Arkansas Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman watching the offense during Saturday's Red-White game at Razorbacks Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark. / Michael Morrison-allHOGS Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas' spring practice came to a close Saturday afternoon and, as usual, we got a clear picture of the things we suspected early in the spring. It's still impossible to start making anything but hopeful guesses about the 2024 season.

Nothing unexpected happened. We've heard from Sam Pittman and everybody else about the speed of quarterback Taylen Green, the transfer from Boise State. The same holds true for Utah running back Ja'Quinden Jackson. Both of those guys were able to make some big plays against a Razorbacks defense that makes you wonder what's going to happen against the type of schedule they'll face.

Maybe the only thing we know for sure is we won't have long to get a fairly clear picture of what to expect for the season. That will come in the second week of the season on the road against Oklahoma State, who is likely to be ranked in the Top 25 once we get around to that point.

If there's any news from the opener against UAPB in the season opener in Little Rock it won't be good. The Golden Lions will have a spirited effort, but simply don't have the players to seriously jeopardize the Hogs. The score will probably be lopsided unless a disaster occurs. At least it will be at night so everybody in the stadium won't cook on an August afternoon, which Pittman acknowledged in a Pittmanese-filled filibuster Saturday.

"Everybody at Little Rock and probably everybody everywhere wants to play the game at night because it’s so dang hot, right?" Pittman said. "Well, if you play at night, then we’ll have a home game that we get home at 3 o’clock in the morning. It’s always earlier in the year and we’ve got a six- or seven-game stretch before our bye week, right. Now this year is different because we have six, a bye and then another bye. So this year’s a little bit different. But to me, playing on Thursday gives you a lot of reasons to play on Thursday night. No. 1, it’s a night game. So the folks will be able to tailgate and it won’t be as hot. It won’t be as hot on our guys. And you gain two days on your next opponent. I believe that was the best decision and really the only decision we could make other than say we’re going to go over there and play at night on our first game. That just didn’t give us any type of advantage at all. And I think, I believe we’ll get people to come out and see us on a Thursday night over there."

Here's the simple translation: Sam's glad to be playing on Thursday night because it gives everybody an extra couple of days to rest up before playing the Cowboys in Stillwater, Okla., that is going to give everybody a clearer picture of where this team stands. He knows all this. Pittman wanders right after any sort of game because he has to worry about a lot of things besides watching the game live. Things have probably already been sorted out by the time you read this from the film.

The one thing that is clear is depth is still a concern with this team. There are playmakers and some good ones scattered throughout the starting lineup. The problem with the quality of competiton the Razorbacks will see all year is they're going to need more than just 22 players.

Especially in the kicking game. With the best threat the Hogs have had the last couple of years headed to the NFL, making field goals may be adventurous for a bit. Whether it's the kicker or not isn't something most folks don't want to hear about. They tend to forget the kicker is the third person in the process to touch the ball and he's the last, so if the snap and hold aren't perfect, then everything goes haywire in a hurry.

Arkansas Razorbacks running back Ja'Quinden Jackson runs for yardage during Red-White game at Razorback Stadium on Saturday, April 13, 2024, in Fayetteville, Ark. / Michael Morrison-allHOGS Images

Green is clearly the No. 1 quarterback and Jackson is probably going to be the top running back. Now they both just have to stay healthy, which sometimes gets a bit tricky through an SEC schedule. They both have the ability to make plays is they can stay upright long enough to do it and have the blocking consistently in front of them to make it possible.

That gets us to the defense, which right now is full of nothing but hope. To be honest, with rules that favor the offense these days, it's almost impossible to expect much stopping any offense consistently. All you have to do is look at the scores in the playoff games to figure that out.

We have no idea what happens in the fall right now. We will have a better idea after Sept. 7. All of the hope has been about new offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino lighting up the scoreboards. Everybody seems to forget that's only a third of the equation. Solving those two-thirds may be the biggest question of all.

HOGS FEED:

• It's clear to see how Taylen Green has emerged as the clear No. 1 quarterback through spring practice

• Razorbacks' bats disappear in first shutout in awhile as Hogs drop first SEC series of the season

• What could be the future of ProHog Traylon Burks?

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