The college football season is approaching. Each SEC team will be previewed before the season. Here is the 2022 SEC Football Preview: Arkansas Razorbacks.
2021 Arkansas Schedule
2021 Record: 9-4 (4-4), 3rd in West
W vs Penn State in Outback Bowl
2021 continued the success predicted for the Sam Pittman era at Arkansas. The 9-4 season earned Pittman a five-year extension with the Razorbacks. It was the best finish in a decade since Bobby Petrino’s final year.
Arkansas had big wins against a then-ranked Texas as well as Texas A&M. They finished the season winning 5 of 6 including another big win against Penn State in the bowl game. KJ Jefferson returns after finishing strong in 2021 leading to optimistic expectations for the 2022 season.
KJ’s Offense
KJ is a legitimate danger in the SEC this year. He didn’t blow the competition away with his arm last year but he was efficient and protected the ball. He only had four interceptions and led the team with 664 rushing yards in 2021, making him one of the best dual threats in the SEC this season.
He’ll be without his top target Treylon Burks but the entire runningback room returns behind an offensive line that returns four starters. He’ll have a more balanced attack from the receivers this year but ultimately the offense should move with how KJ is performing once again.
Pittman Retained both Coordinators
Bumper Pool (photo courtesy of arkansas.rivals.com)
This is huge for Arkansas’s sustained success. The Razorbacks came off a 2019 season that saw the offense ranked 13th and the defensive ranked 14th overall in the SEC in 2019. Coming off of big improvements in 2020 Arkansas ranked 6th on both sides of the ball in 2021. Throw in much improved recruiting classes and there’s no reason to think they can’t improve on those numbers again.
The Razorbacks lost significant talent from the 2021 season but Bumper Pool is back at linebacker for his 5th year to anchor the defense. The 2nd team All-SEC senior is coming off a team-leading and career high 125 tackles last season. Arkansas did well in the transfer portal which will help fill the gaps, including LSU transfer Landon Jackson who’s expected to provide some much-needed help on the defensive front.
The preseason hype for Arkansas has been as high as 10-2 with many thinking they’re a top 3 finisher in the SEC West. That’s certainly possible with returning the most vital piece to the offense along with both coordinators. A lot will depend on Jefferson’s adjustments without his favorite target. Burks caught nearly one-third of the passes last year, someone will need to step up.
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