Arkansas Razorbacks Mid-Season Surprises and Disappointments
By Jose Harber
Six weeks in and we can all sit down, relax, look back and see what surprised us as Hogs fans and what disappointed us. I will admit this season, so far, has been just a teeny, tiny disappointment. Okay, I lied, it’s actually been a pretty big disappointment, but that doesn’t mean there haven’t been a few surprises along the way.
DISAPPOINTMENT: BAD START TO THE SEASON
When I first sat down to start a list of the Hogs’ surprises and disappointments the very first thing (obviously) that came to mind was the bad start to the season. I wrote that down in the disappointment section of my little T-graph but it was at that moment I also realized just how big of surprise the bad start has been. Hog fans were sitting pretty in the off-season. The media loved the Hogs and they loved Bret Bielema. Hog fans and experts alike agreed that the Hogs were a force to be reckoned with and many had the Hogs winning the SEC West. Now, of course, that is
Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
nothing but comical nonsense. They are again the butt of many jokes but it’s not entirely their fault. The loss of Jonathan Williams, Keon Hatcher, Cody Hollister and Jared Cornelius has really made it difficult for the offense. It’s like a jouster riding his horse full speed towards his opponent and all of the sudden his lance breaks within the first few strides. Loses to Toledo and Texas Tech made everyone in the country, not just Arkansas, take a step back and face palm for over estimating so badly. This team should be 5-1 or 4-2, not 2-4.
DISAPPOINTMENT: OFFENSIVE LINE
This is one I can’t fully understand. Everyone knows we have the biggest line in all of football, pro or college. Everyone knows we had four of five returning starters from last year’s great line. Everyone knows Arkansas and Bielema love to run and we have yet to really seem them flex their muscle. Sure, we had 275 rushing yards against Tennessee but also had 44 to Alabama and before you’re quick to say, “But c’mon, Jose, that’s Bama”. Let me remind you of the 103 we had against Tech. The fact is the Hogs are ranked 50th in the country in rushing yards per game, last year they were 28th. Now, I know, a big factor to the dent in rushing yards is the loss of Jonathan Williams but for so much praise, the O-line have shown trouble opening holes for Alex Collins or Rawleigh Williams III. Hog fans are hoping the next six games the O-line can reach their full potential.
DISAPPOINTMENT/SURPRISE: BRANDON ALLEN
Oct 10, 2015; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback Brandon Allen (10) passing during pre game warm ups before the start of their game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports
I know fans out there will be divided on this one but honestly I feel Allen can fall into both the nice surprise and disappointment category. The surprise to me is how much he has improved from last year. Everyone saw it in the first game when he torched UTEP for 308 yards and a career-high tying 4 TD’s. His mechanics are better, his arm is stronger, his progressions have improved and he has a passer rating of 151.5, good enough for 25th best in the nation. But unfortunately, the disappointing Allen we know from years prior is also still playing on the field. The Allen that has yet to lead Arkansas to 4th quarter comeback. The Allen that misses a wide open Hunter Henry and Jeremy Sprinkle. The Allen that, despite his improvements, is still unreliable in crunch time. I am personally a fan of Brandon Allen. I believe he is a good quarterback but he just hasn’t delivered in the way Hogs fan would have hoped for and because of that, he goes in the disappointment column as well.
SURPRISE: DRE GREENLAW AND RAWLEIGH WILLIAMS III
Before I start, there have been other freshman who have contributed to the team throughout the first six games but these two are the ones that really jump out. Greenlaw, a Fayetteville graduate and Williams III, a Dallas product (Bishop Lynch) have had to become major contributors on both sides of the ball. The Hogs believed that if they could lose anyone and not take a step back production-wise, it would be Jonathan Williams because of their depth at running back. However, with the injury to Kody Walker as well, Arkansas was left without a strong style running back. That is, until Rawleigh decided to become the new Williams everyone needed to know. He’s no Nick Chubb but there aren’t many high school running backs that can come in and compete in the SEC right away and do it effectively. He has 236 rushing yards (100 at Tennessee) on 52 carries, that’s 4.5 yards per carry, one yard less than Collins.
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Besides having the coolest name on the team, Dre Greenlaw has made his presence felt on the defense. In an already thin linebacker group, Greenlaw found him self playing major minutes when Josh Williams was lost for the season with a broken leg, but he has not disappointed. He has 37 tackles on the year, including ten he recorded against Tennessee, and two tackles for loss. At 6 foot and 222 pounds, he has the size needed to be physical (he added 12 pounds of muscle during the off-season) and the speed (4.53) to compete in the SEC. Sure, he’s had his mistakes but what freshman in SEC doesn’t? In fact, how many seniors make mistakes in the SEC? Greenlaw is a much needed force and will one day be the leader of the Hogs Defense.
Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
There are only six games left in the regular season with four winnable home games. There’s a chance the Hogs could go 5-1, finish the year strong and head to a bowl or they could make us all face palm and go 2-4, again. Personally, I think the Hogs are on the rise and four games till bowl eligibility is within their grasp and hopefully I’ll be writing an end of the year look back with more surprises.