3 questions about this year's Arkansas football season
The Razorbacks are coming off of a 4-8 season. It's the worst performance of Sam Pittman's tenure, but the football team has been increasingly disappointing year after year since 2021 when the Hogs won nine games for the first time since 2011.
Regardless of how last season ended, the transfer portal offers teams a chance to flip their roster and field a much better squad the following season. That same 2021 season, nearly everyone in the country had Arkansas pegged as the last or second-to-last-place team in the SEC West. They finished third. That's not to say this season's team will be that successful, but dismissing them outright is just as extreme as predicting a double-digit winning season and a New Year's Six bowl.
The reason is that there are many questionable aspects of the 2024 Arkansas Razorback football team. Sure, everyone has an opinion about them, and if it comes true, I'm sure they'll shout it from the rooftops on social media. But in reality, no one knows.
Here, we'll cover a few of those questions and explain why you should contemplate them as the season progresses.
3 questions about Arkansas Football this season
When SEC play starts, Can Talen Green Stand the heat?
If what we saw in the spring game is what shows up against the SEC, then the answer is yes. Holy cow, was Talen Green good. Unfortunately, SEC defenses will be a more challenging opponent than Arkansas's second-teamers.
At Boise State, Green was inconsistent, to say the least. He had games like the Mountain West Championship game when he tore up UNLV. He threw for 226 yards for two touchdowns and an interception and tacked on another 90 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
Here's an example of just how explosive he can be.
Hogs’ transfer commit Taylen Green is truly versatile. Look at these 3 TDs:
— Austin Farmer (@FarmersaurusRex) December 11, 2023
-57-yd pass💪
•throws off his back foot 42 air yds & hits receiver in stride.
-70-yd run🏃 💨
•incredible speed at 6’6, 220 lbs and good vision
-16-yd pass🎯
•puts the ball where only TE can catch it pic.twitter.com/AOPtN8S7XZ
On the other hand, Green failed to reach 100 yards passing in six games last season. He was pulled multiple times because of the inconsistencies. However, it looks more like Andy Avalos wasn't decisive about which quarterback he wanted to start, and it might have cost him his job.
As a runner, Green is gifted. He shows flashes of a prime Matt Jones, with his combination of blazing speed and a 6-foot-6inch frame. His passing still needs work, but only a few months with offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino looks to have made an impact already.