Receivers Ready to Shine for Razorbacks

Last year at this time, Razorback fans were wondering “Can Brandon Allen become an SEC caliber QB?” After a junior season with 20 TD’s, only 5 interception (none in the last 4 games including the bowl win over Texas) and a QB rating of 129.2 (second highest in the SEC for returning QB’s), that is no longer a major concern for Hog fans. If you were to go back and watch footage from last year’s games, particularly in the first half of the season, you would see many dropped or tipped passes by the Razorbacks receiving corp. To put it bluntly, fans soon realized that the problem wasn’t with the person throwing the ball, but with the people who were supposed to be catching it. And that cloud has hung over the Razorback receivers all off-season and through preseason practice.

New Arkansas Offensive Coordinator Dan Enos has been up front about the group’s struggles in his short time in Fayetteville. ”The first part of spring, I’ve got to be perfectly honest, I thought, `We’ve got some work to do here,”’ Enos said. ”You look ahead to now … That area is trending toward becoming an area of strength for us, hopefully in the near future.”

The future is (hopefully) now for the Razorbacks. With the loss of Johnathan Williams last week, the Hogs have to replace an 1100 yard rusher who commanded serious respect from the defense. The Razorbacks are going to depend upon their receivers being able to spread the field and open the defense up this season.

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It’s no secret that Keon Hatcher is the leader of the wideouts. He led the team in all receiving categories last year with 43 catches, 558 yards, and 6 touchdowns. The 6’2, 210 pound senior from Owasso, Oklahoma had the honor of being double teamed in all 3^rd and long situations last season. If the Razorbacks can get other wideouts to step up and become legitimate threats down field, this could be a huge year for Hatcher, who has been Arkansas’ only deep threat for the last few seasons.

Dominique Reed has the potential to change that for Hatcher. The 6’3, 180 pound transfer from Coffeyville, Kansas CC boasts 4.3 speed and long arms. He has already become one of the most hyped players on the squad, and Arkansas fans have never seen him play in a game. He was an All American at Coffeyville, and was a top 25 JUCO player according to ESPN. Reed brings a legitimate speed threat to the Hogs, and has fans cautiously optimistic about the downfield possibilities this season.

Redshirt Freshman JoJo Robinson is vying to be the next big thing on the Razorbacks receiving roster. The Miami native has had some off the field issues and injuries, but that seems to be a thing of the past. When Robinson flipped to the Razorbacks from Florida State on signing day in 2014, it was a big get for the Hogs. The 4 star receiver had some big time plays in the spring and preseason scrimmages, and is flying just below the radar due to Reed’s hype. Robinson is poised for a breakout year. The last time the Razorbacks had 3 good receivers on the field, it was the man in the 3^rd spot, Jarius Wright, who had the breakout season. Not many teams can boast to having 3 shutdown corners. If Hatcher and Reed take precedent, look for Robinson to get open over the middle, especially if they try and cover him with a linebacker.

Sep 20, 2014; Fayetteville, AR, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks offensive tackle Frank Ragnow (72) lifts wide receiver Jared Cornelius (1) as offensive tackle Dan Skipper (76) looks on after Cornelius scored a touchdown during the first half of a game against the Northern Illinois Huskies at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Beth Hall-USA TODAY Sports

The Razorbacks are looking for improvement from their returning receivers as well, particularly Jared Cornelius, Drew Morgan, and Cody Hollister. All 3 players combined for 41 catches, 530 yards, and 4 touchdowns. (Note that their combined numbers are less than Hatcher’s from last season.) Cornelius in particular has a chance to play a big role in the passing game. The junior from Shreveport had at least 1 catch in the final 4 games of the season, and could play the possession receiver role perfectly for the Hogs. Drew Morgan, the sophomore from Greenwood, Arkansas, showed his promise in the Ole Miss game, snagging 3 catches for 51 yards.

The Arkansas Razorbacks, even without Johnathan Williams, should have one of the best rushing attacks in the SEC this season. Brandon Allen showed last year that he can be a controlled, accurate QB in pressure situations. The last piece of the puzzle for the Razorbacks is the receiving corp. And with the addition of Reed and Robinson, maybe those pieces are finally in place.

Arkansas opens the season on September 5^th against the UTEP Miners at 3:30 on ESPNU.

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