Five questions for Sam Pittman, Arkansas football entering spring practice

Posted by author March 7, 2025 Football

Spread the love

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas football returns to the practice fields Monday for the opening of spring football. The Razorbacks will hold their first of 14 workouts over the next two months, all leading up to the annual Red-White Game on April 19.

Sam Pittman spoke to the media Thursday and exuded confidence about his offense and expressed hesitation about the depth of his defense. The Hogs won’t be shy in the spring transfer portal window.

Until then, the Razorbacks will try to find starters and backups with the pieces already in the fold. Here are five questions for Arkansas football entering spring practice.

How can Arkansas football replace its two best players?

All of the transfer departures stole the offseason headlines, but the Hogs’ biggest two losses from last year’s roster were wide receiver Andrew Armstrong and defensive end Landon Jackson. Their replacements in 2025 are far from obvious.

At receiver, the Hogs brought in five transfers, none of which have résumés of success at the Power 4 level. The position feels similar to 2023, when Armstrong arrived and took over a vacant room as the alpha target. Former Pine Bluff High School standout Courtney Crutchfeild is a candidate to fill Armstrong’s shoes.

Replacing Jackson’s production is even murkier. It’s impossible to win in the SEC without generating pressure on opposing quarterbacks, and Arkansas’ current defensive ends have combined for just 4.5 sacks in their entire career. Quincy Rhodes and Charlie Collins need to take leaps this spring.

What does the offensive line look like?

Arkansas brought in three tackles, one center and zero guards through the transfer portal this offseason, despite losing both of its starting guards to SEC rivals. Unless those first-team spots are handed to E’Marion Harris and Kobe Branham, one of the tackles is moving inside.

On Thursday, Pittman indicated the answer would be Fernando Carmona, who started every game last year at left tackle.

“We went in there and talked about, what do you think? (Carmona) said, ‘Well, I think they’re going to move me inside in the league, coach.’ I said, ‘Well, you’re going to want to try it now, you want to try a little center, you want to try guard,'” Pittman said.

Can second-year players earn meaningful snaps?

We’ve already mentioned Collins and Branham, but cornerback Selman Bridges, defensive end Kavion Henderson and wide receiver CJ Brown could also move up the depth chart with strong springs. Brown is a particularly interesting player after having a strong spring as a true freshman that only amounted to five catches in 2024.

Bradley Shaw will be in the rotation at linebacker, and Braylen Russell is the presumed starter at running back. All of these players were part of Arkansas’ 2024 recruiting class, and the success of this season depends on some of those players living up to their recruiting projections.

How does Taylen Green look in year two?

The face of the program, Green returns in 2025 for his second season under offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino. The coaching staff expects a jump from the quarterback who threw for 3,154 yards and totaled 23 touchdowns in the fall.

Eyes will be fixed on Green’s short-range accuracy and his timing with the new receivers. He had such a good rapport with Armstrong, it’s imperative Green develops similar chemistry with multiple targets in the spring.

Are any of the freshmen ready to contribute?

Russell and Shaw were the only first-year players to sniff the two-deep in 2024. The 32nd-ranked class in 2025 might have an even tougher time finding the field this fall.

Some candidates to be freshman breakouts are linebacker Tavion Wallace and defensive tackles Kevin Oatis and Caleb Bell. The most impactful signee figures to be Scott Starzyk, who is in line to be the Razorbacks’ starting kicker.

Jackson Fuller covers Arkansas football, basketball and baseball for the Southwest Times Record, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at jfuller@gannett.com or follow him @jacksonfuller16 on X, formerly known as Twitter.