Preview: What To Expect From Arkansas Football In 2023

Arkansas Head Football Coach Sam Pittman enters his 4th season calling the Hogs and he’s bringing a lot of new faces.

Dan Enos takes over as Offensive Coordinators this year and is looking to bring the same success he brought to Maryland with QB KJ Jefferson. Also new to the Razorbacks is Defensive Coordinator Travis Williams. Williams previously coached defense at UCF for two seasons.

After finishing 7-6 in 2022, the Razorbacks are looking to return to the success of 2021 where they went 9-4 but they will need consistent play from their top talent and strong defense. Overall, expectations are mixed among sports analysts who are high on the Hogs but the difficulty of the schedule is causing many to be cautious about their chances.

Arkansas has all the makings of a great team but they will need some games to go their way this season. Last year, the Razorbacks lost 4 games by 3 points or less and if they can avoid those types of heartbreakers this season another 9 wins should be possible.

Razorback Offensive Preview

KJ Jefferson returns at QB and Razorback fans are looking for him to make a name for himself. KJ finished with 2,648 yds on 300 attempts and a 68 percent completion rate. He threw 24 TDs with just 5 INTS. He also rushed for 640 yds with 9 TDS.

Jefferson spent some of this offseason training in San Diego as he looks to improve, lead the Razorbacks to a double-digit win season, and prepare for a potential NFL career.

Running back Raheim AKA “Rocket” Sanders returns and many are expecting big things from him. He was named Preseason All-SEC and was the second leading rusher in 2022 behind Quinshon Judkins at Ole Miss. The man they call Rocket finished with 1,443 yds rushing on 222 attempts. A 6.5-yard average with 10 touchdowns last year. Keep your eyes on him this season but also watch out for Oklahoma’s Own AJ Green who will get a lot of carries this season as well.

The Razorbacks lost a lot of their best receivers after last season which leaves room for Bryce Stephens from Oklahoma City to step up in his sophomore season. Meanwhile, transfers Isaac TeSlaa, Andrew Armstrong, and Tyrone Broden join the Razorbacks to fill out the receiving core.

Finally, Kicker Cam Little is looking for a bit of redemption this season. The junior went 13-16 last year hitting some big kicks but also missing some potential game-winners.

Arkansas finished 5th overall in offensive production in 2022 and 2nd in total rushing yards. This year they will look to continue that theme.

Razorback Defensive Preview

On the defense, Coordinator Travis Williams is looking to replace some big names. With the departure of Bumper Pool and Drew Sanders, the team will look to players like Defensive Linemen Trajan Jeffcoat and Landon Jones to help lead the 2023 squad. DB Dwight McGlothern returns after leading the team with 4 interceptions last season.

In 2022, the Hogs led the SEC in sacks but still gave up a lot of yards finishing second to last in the conference.

Breaking Down The 2023 Arkansas Football Schedule

The start of the season comes a little early this year as the match-up with Western Caroline this Saturday was moved up three hours to Noon due to the high temperatures.

After that, the Razorbacks host Kent State and BYU, two games that generally speaking, the Hogs are expected to win.

Week 4 is when the competition ramps up with a game at #5 LSU. The Razorbacks and Tigers have a storied history going back to when Arkansas joined the SEC. The two teams would meet up on Thanksgiving weekend each year in the Battle for the Golden Boot.

But since 2014 that game has moved further up the schedule, now landing as the conference opener, instead of closer. LSU is coming into the season with big expectations with star quarterback Jayden Daniels leading the way. Expect a physical game, with Arkansas as the underdog.

In Week 5 the Southwest classic returns to Arlington, Texas as the Razorbacks take on #23 Texas A&M. The 2022 match-up was a demoralizing loss for Arkansas as they looked in control for much of the first half. Then a fumble on the goal line led to an 82-yard fumble return for an Aggie touchdown and the Hogs never recovered.

This year the Aggies and the Razorbacks both feel like they have something to prove as they both finished under .500 in SEC play in 2022-23. While this is technically a neutral site, it’s still another week on the road for Arkansas. Since the SWC began 9 of the 14 games have been decided by 10 points or less.

Week 6, Arkansas goes to #22 Ole Miss who finished 8-5 last year. Lane Kiffin’s team has been the third-winningest team over the last three seasons behind Alabama and Georgia. The Razorbacks will have to contend with a strong running game led by Quinshon Judkins and QB Jaxson Dart. Dart might still be the starter, but transfer Spencer Sanders picked up nearly 2,000 yards on the ground during his time at Oklahoma State. He could be a factor as well. The potential is there for this to be a shootout with Jefferson and Sanders looking to outscore the Rebels.

The road stint comes to an end in Week 7 as Arkansas heads to Tuscaloosa to face #4 Alabama. The Crimson Tide went 11-2 in 2022 and ended the season by beating Kansas State in the All-State Sugar Bowl. Alabama is looking to replace 2021 Heisman winner Bryce Young but even with question marks around the QB position the Tide still has weapons at most key positions and strong defense. Arkansas has not beaten Alabama since 2006 and hasn’t won in Tuscaloosa since 2003.

The Razorbacks finally return home in Week 8 to host Mississippi State. The Bulldogs went 4-4 in SEC play last season but boasted good offensive production finishing 9-4 overall and bowl win over Illinois. Arkansas will be looking to avenge last season’s 40-17 loss.

In Week 10, Arkansas comes off a bye week and travels to the Swamp for the first time since 2020. Since joining the SEC in '91 the Hogs and Gators have only faced off 11 times with the most high profile being the 2006 SEC Championship game. Florida Head Coach Billy Napier is looking to turn things around but with a shaky first year under his belt, it will be interesting to see where the Gators are by November. Arkansas will be looking to pick up a big win on the road after running the gauntlet earlier in the season.

Arkansas faces Auburn in week 10 who are in some ways on the same plane as the Razorbacks, looking to break through to the next level this season after a disappointing 2022.

Barring overwhelming injuries, the Razorbacks should be in a good position when they welcome FIU in on Nov 18.

The regular season ends with the Battle Line Trophy game against Missouri on Nov. 24. Missouri has the advantage in the series winning in a 29-27 game last year.

With newcomers Texas and OU entering the SEC in 2024, it will be interesting to see if the Arkansas-Missouri game moves around the schedule as the conference realigns.