FAYETTEVILLE – There will be several things worth watching for when Chad Morris and the Razorbacks head south for Saturday’s Red-White game at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. The Hogs are happy with their progress, but they’re still searching for answers at a number of different positions on both sides of the ball.
Offensively, Morris has already said that the competition at quarterback will carry over until fall camp and could lead right into the Hogs’ season opener against Eastern Illinois on Sept. 1.
That battle is still likely to come down to Cole Kelley and Ty Storey. Both have been fairly neck-and-neck, but there’s little doubt that Saturday’s scrimmage will go a long way in determining the unofficial favorite going into summer.
The Hogs appear to be in good shape at the other skill positions, such as running back, wide receiver and tight end, but what about the group who’s responsible for blocking for those guys? It’s no secret that Arkansas was horrific on the offensive line last year (35 sacks in 12 games), and the Hogs are losing their best player from that unit as former All-American Frank Ragnow is now becoming a professional.
Arkansas’ new staff hopes that its simpler scheme and another year under the players’ belts will help the line make major strides in 2018, but they also know there’s still a long way to go.
“I’ve been really pleased with the offensive line, I think they’re doing a heck of a job,” offensive coordinator Joe Craddock said. “We’re still trying to find that right guard spot. We’ve got a couple of guys (Johnny Gibson and Jalen Merrick) battling in there, but I’ve been very pleased. I think there’s been a big misconception of those guys coming in, but I think they’ve done a good job of proving us wrong, proving some people wrong thus far.
“The thing we’ve got to get done on the offensive line is get some depth. We’ve got to get some depth in there. Those guys on the twos and threes have to continue to get better, continue to work their technique, continue to study. But I think the first five are doing a really good job.”
One of the Razorbacks’ biggest concerns is who will step up to replace Ragnow at the center position. The penciled-in starter for this season, Zach Rogers, left the program in January to pursue a career in law enforcement.
That meant a brand-new opportunity for Little Rock native Dylan Hays, a redshirt-sophomore who played sparingly in 10 games last season, mostly as a defensive lineman.
“I like Dylan Hays at center,” Craddock said. “He’s still a young guy and he’s going to continue to get better with the more reps he gets, but he’s making the right points. He’s giving us a good snap for the most part and he’s doing a good job of leading the guys up front.”
Defensively, there’s even more to keep an eye on this Saturday.
New defensive coordinator John Chavis has made a few key position moves this spring, highlighted by Kamren Curl going from cornerback to safety and McTelvin Agim playing both outside and inside on the defensive line.
There’s still a lot to figure out, though, especially at linebacker behind standouts Dre Greenlaw and De’Jon Harris.
“The biggest thing we’ve got to do, particularly at my position, is find out where the depth is going to be,” Chavis said. “We’ve got a good pair of linebackers, but you can’t play with two.
“We’re going to focus on trying to create depth and come out of spring practice with an idea of who those guys can be and then re-establish that in the offseason and when we get back in fall practice.”
Saturday’s scrimmage begins at 1 p.m. and will be televised on the SEC Network.