Pop quiz: How many FBS teams last year had four players eclipse the 500-yard mark rushing the ball?
One. Arkansas.
The team’s starter for the second half of last season, Dominique Johnson, has been unavailable to spring camp through four practices for the Hogs in 2022. Little has changed, though, with Arkansas’ attack. The return of sophomores Rocket Sanders and AJ Green, and the introduction of a pair of freshmen, has made spring ball feel like old times.
Sanders was the No. 2 back behind Johnson at the end of last season and was one of the four players who had more than 500 yards on the ground last year. With Johnson being absent, Sanders has slotted up to get first-team reps for a bulk of camp so far.
“Being a one, I feel like is a big role,” Sanders said. “I feel like just that right there made me want to be a leader. Not just for the running back room, but everybody else as well.”
Green was not one of the four players to reach that 500-yard threshold. Instead, he was a change-of-pace guy, perhaps the fastest player in the unit. He’s up to 210-215 pounds in camp, though, in hopes of being able to carry a larger workload if needed.
And Arkansas’ two freshmen, Rashod Dubinion and James Jointer, came from Georgia and Arkansas high schools early to get a leg up. Jointer is a bigger back while Dubinion is more on the quick-and-fast side.
Combined with quarterback KJ Jefferson, who led the team with 664 yards rushing and six scores last year, it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Razorbacks had another four players break the 500-yard mark again in 2022.
“We have a lot of weapons in that room, right now,” Green said. “They’re all coming in ready to learn. They’re going fast and not scared of anything.”
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