4. Arkansas Razorbacks College Football Preview 2021: Defense
– Barry Odom is a whale of a defensive coordinator. The former Missouri head coach stepped in as Sam Pittman’s DC and had a whole ton of reworking to do. There needs to be a stronger pass rush, and more third down stops are a must, but with ten starters expected to be back from a D that allowed 452 yards and 35 points – no, the stats weren’t great, but the defense really was stronger – the production should take another step forward starting with …
– The linebacking corps. The Hogs have a fantastic pair in Grant Morgan and Bumper Pool to work around – they combined for 212 tackles – and there’s plenty to do with the alignment thanks to a deep group of options to use in a variety of ways, but …
– The 4-2-5 alignment will likely be the main style to deal with all the high-powered passing games on the slate. Jalen Catalon is an outstanding young safety who leads a good-tackling group of defensive backs that need to make more big plays. Last year the underclassmen were thrown to the wolves, and now they’re going to be a plus if the pass rush helps.
There’s size on the defensive interior, but losing Jonathan Marshall – the one starter who’s not back – hurts. The combination of Dorian Gerald and Zach Williams have to lead the way along with 298-pound Eric Gregory, who led the team with just 2.5 sacks.
– What You Need To Know: Offense
– Top Players | Keys To The Season
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– Arkansas Razorbacks Schedule Analysis