By Matt Smith
SouthernPigskin.com

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Matt Smith previews the 2022 Arkansas Razorbacks.

2022 SEC Season Preview: Arkansas
ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS
Head Coach: Sam Pittman 3 third season at Arkansas and overall (7-11 SEC, 12-11 overall)
Offensive Coordinator: Kendal Briles (third season)
Defensive Coordinator: Barry Odom (third season)
2021 Recap: 9-4 (4-4 SEC); defeated Penn State in Outback Bowl
Arkansas surged pack into the national rankings with a hot start and a strong close sandwiched around a three-game losing streak in early October. Sam Pittman got the most out of his team on a weekly basis, with K.J. Jefferson providing a steady, reliable presence at quarterback and the defense limiting big plays. Jefferson and the departed Treylon Burks proved to be one of the top passing combinations in the country. The Razorbacks earned their first win over Texas A&M as SEC opponents, while also winning at LSU and taking both Alabama and Ole Miss to the wire on the road.

2022 Schedule
Sept. 3 3 CINCINNATI (3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Sept. 10 3 SOUTH CAROLINA (Noon ET, ESPN)
Sept. 17 3 MISSOURI STATE (7 p.m. ET)
Sept. 24 3 vs. Texas A&M (Arlington)
Oct. 1 3 ALABAMA
Oct. 8 3 at Mississippi State
Oct. 15 3 at BYU
Oct. 29 3 at Auburn
Nov. 5 3 LIBERTY
Nov. 12 3 LSU
Nov. 19 3 OLE MISS
Nov. 25 3 at Missouri (3:30 p.m. ET, CBS)

Under Center
Jefferson, while still technically only a junior, is entering his fourth season where hell start at least one game. His biggest concern remains consistency as an intermediate passer, but he proved to be a dangerous weapon with his feet and a very capable deep passer. His 9.1 yards per attempt was the third-highest in the SEC. Kendal Briles has proven to be adept at fitting his quarterbacks strengths into his schemes, and 2021 with Jefferson was no different.

Playing in the SEC West with a challenging non-conference schedule wont offer many weeks where Jefferson can avoid taking hits, but hes a sturdy, resilient player who bounced back every time he was hit a year ago. The debate about whos the No. 2 quarterback in the SEC behind Bryce Young is a deep and competitive one, but Ill take Jefferson.

In The Trenches
Pittman, a longtime offensive line coach, wants to build his teams from the inside out. The physicality was on display a year ago with Arkansas leading the SEC in rushing yards per game. The line returns center Ricky Stromberg and tackle Dalton Wagner to anchor the veteran unit. Pittman would like to see the sacks total decline after allowing 30 a year ago, but part of that comes from Jeffersons style of play. The running game, which Jefferson led a year ago, returns three experienced backs in Raheim cRocketd Sanders, A.J. Green and Dominique Johnson.

Arkansas isnt a sack-heavy defense, instead deploying a more conservative approach under coordinator Barry Odom. Theres some work to do up front with the loss of plugger John Ridgeway and linebacker and captain Grant Morgan. Adding edge rusher Drew Sanders from Alabama out of the transfer portal could be a huge coup, while Bumper Pool elevates his role as the new leader of the linebacking corps. Increased depth should allow for a greater rotation of bodies for Odom, one of the best in the business.

On The Edge
Losing Burks is massive, who fought through injuries to answer the bell week after week and add an element of explosiveness to the Razorbacks offense. Theres no perfect replacement for Burks, but former top recruit Jadon Haselwood, an Oklahoma transfer, is the most talented receiver on the roster. Backup quarterback Malik Hornsby needs to see the field in some form with his athleticism, so look for him to be utilized in the passing game. Burks was simply too good to not have some concerns about this group.

Standout safety Jalen Catalon was draft-eligible, but the fourth-year junior opted to return to Fayetteville. Even with Catalon back, the losses in the secondary are significant, with safeties Joe Foucha and Greg Brooks transferring to LSU and cornerback Montaric Brown, the hero of the win at LSU a year ago, turning pro. The Razorbacks added cornerback Dwight McGlothern from LSU in an unofficial swap of defensive backs, adding another option for a position that has more questions than answers.

Ranking The Units
1. Offensive Line
2. Running Backs
3. Quarterbacks
4. Linebackers
5. Defensive Backs
6. Defensive Line
7. Receivers

Schedule Analysis
Punting Georgia for South Carolina is a huge benefit, and the Texas A&M game counts as a road game this season, so the SEC slate, for an SEC West team, isnt terrible. Getting Alabama and Ole Miss at home sets the Razorbacks up to make an improbable run at a division title if they can dominate in Fayetteville. The road slate isnt all that bad with trips to Auburn, Mississippi State and Missouri. The non-conference quartet is both intriguing and challenging, beginning with the opener against a Cincinnati team that hasnt lost a regular season game since 2019. Embattled former head coach Bobby Petrino returns to Fayetteville in Week 3 with Missouri State, while a mid-October trip to BYU is a rarity for an SEC team. If thats not enough, former rival Hugh Freeze brings Liberty to the foothills of the Ozarks in November.

Season Prediction
The SEC West is going to beat each other up, but I expect Arkansas to come out on the other side as the only team not named Alabama to finish with a winning record in SEC play. A three-game October losing streak, much like last season will have some questions being asked, but Pittman and staff will again right the ship to spark a 4-1 close with a highly satisfying win at Auburn and a revenge victory over Ole Miss to finish second in the SEC West.

With all of the carnage in the division and a pair of SEC playoff teams, an 8-4 finish should be enough to earn the leagues top non-New Year Six Bowl slot in the Citrus Bowl. In Orlando, the Razorbacks will face a blueblood that they were supposed to face in 2018 and 2019 before a cancellation was required to allow Michigan to face rival Notre Dame. After a 7-27 stretch from 2018 to 2020, ending consecutive seasons with bowl wins over Penn State and Michigan would be pretty remarkable.

Record: 8-4 (5-3 SEC)
CFP Ranking: 20
Bowl: Citrus Bowl vs. Michigan