With the obvious connected between Smith and former Arkansas offensive coordinator Kendall Briles, who departed Fayetteville to fill the Horned Frogs’ OC position before last season, the move is understandable.
The loss of Smith is a setback for a Razorbacks program that went just 4-8 last season. But, expectation for an improved offense are rising heading into the 2024 season, as former head coach Bobby Petrino returned to Fayetteville as the offensive coordinator, and hand-picked 6-foot-6 Boise State transfer quarterback Taylen Green out of the portal.
But the value of Smith will be tough to replace, especially with his close ties to Georgia, where the Razorbacks have found success in recruiting the past four years. He is credited with bringing in the Hogs’ likely starting tailback, Rashod Dubinion, a 4-Star recruit out of Ellenwood (Ga.) Cedar Grove High School.
Smith also helped land two more 4-Star tailbacks, in redshirt-freshman Florida-native Isaiah Augustave, as well as the recently departed A.J. Green, out of Oklahoma. He was also key in helping develop former Razorback Raheem “Rocket” Sanders into one of the SEC’s top ball-carriers.
Pittman gave Smith his first Power 5 job, after he served one season as the running backs coach at Georgia State. He had previously been the head coach at Cedar Grove High School.
Arkansas will begin an immediate search for Smith’s replacement.
Rocket Sanders and Rashod Dubinion’s seasons are both over after sustaining injuries in the FIU victory on Saturday night.
Both Raheim ‘Rocket’ Sanders and Rashod Dubinion suffered injuries in Saturday’s 44-20 win over Florida International.
Which explains why Isaiah Augustave got so much work and how Dominique Johnson and AJ Green were as active as they were.
Torn labrum for Rocket. Surgery coming. Dubinion has torn meniscus. Just getting out of surgery now. Braxton practiced yesterday but still iffy Saturday. Kutas practiced yesterday. #wps
Sanders had such an unlucky 2023 with injuries after an absolutely splendid 2022 season where he ran for over 1,400 yards and garnered preseason all-SEC consideration.
Dubinion could’ve really thrived in Sanders’ absence this season, although because of the offensive line’s struggles and pass blocking weakness, was never really able to emerge as the top guy.
Neither one will suit up on Friday against Missouri, leaving Augustave, Green and Johnson to shoulder the load against the Tigers’ defense.
Will the tale of the tape show us the wrong team is favored in this SEC matchup, or will it prove Arkansas has the upper hand?
As always, we’ll start by looking at the quarterbacks.
Tigers quarterback [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] is playing his best football of the season at the right time.
Thorne has averaged 212 passing yards over the past 2 weeks, throwing for 5 touchdowns in that span. Most importantly, Thorne has only turned the ball over once, although that one turnover did turn into 6-points.
The two wins have significantly helped Thorne’s season stats. The junior has now passed for 1,269 yards this season in 9 games. He’s thrown 10 touchdowns, rushed for 2, and thrown 6 interceptions.
Arkansas quarterback [autotag]KJ Jefferson[/autotag] has been solid this year for the Razorbacks, throwing 16 touchdowns on his way to 1,802 passing yards.
The senior has been careless with the ball, turning it over at least once in every SEC game so far.
The long-time Razorback gets the edge in the quarterback battle because of his experience and leadership of the offense. He’s been the guy for Arkansas for three years now, while Thorne has only been “the guy” for Auburn in the last two weeks.
Arkansas may have the quarterback edge, but it’s Auburn that gets the edge on the rest of the offensive side of the ball.
Jefferson is the Razorbacks leading rusher this season. That would be fine if he were lighting it up on the ground like LSU quarterback Jalen Daniels, but Jefferson actually has fewer rushing yards (292) than Payton Thorne (337) does this year.
Arkansas employs a three running back committee featuring [autotag]AJ Green[/autotag], [autotag]Rashod Dubinion[/autotag], and [autotag]Raheim Sanders[/autotag]. The trio have combined for 740 yards on 183 carries this season. If those numbers don’t look great, that’s because they are.
Auburn’s top running back [autotag]Jarquez Hunter[/autotag] missed the first game of the season but has ran for almost as many yards (636) on 75 less carries.
The Tigers have also been better in pass protection, as [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] has been sacked a total of 19 times this year. KJ Jefferson on the other hand has hit the turf 36 times.
[autotag]Hugh Freez[/autotag]e’s team gets the edge in offensive line play and skill position play.
The Tigers are giving up 22.8 points per game to opponents this season, which ranks, 41st in the FBS.
The Arkansas defense isn’t too far behind, giving up an average of 25.8 points per game, which ranks 55th.
Auburn gets the slight edge, but things become even considering the game is being played in Fayetteville.
After looking at the tale of the tape, it’s hard to argue with the experts this week. This game is going to be a toss-up. The home team gets the ever-so-slight edge in this one.
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Arkansas caught nearly everything KJ Jefferson threw on Saturday night against No. 12 LSU. It just wasn’t quite enough to pull off the upset.
Arkansas couldn’t have asked much more from its pass catchers on Saturday night in Death Valley.
KJ Jefferson threw the ball 31 times and completed 21 of those passes for 289 yards and three touchdowns.
He was picked off twice (the second was a desperation pass downfield as time expired) but all in all, his receivers did their job.
Andrew Armstrong was targeted by Jefferson six times. He caught all six for 76 yards. Isaac Teslaa was targeted five times and he caught three balls for 31 yards.
Tyrone Broden was targeted six times. He caught three passes for 31 yards and the impressive touchdown in the back of the end zone near the end of the first half.
Luke Hasz and Rashad Dubinion, despite being a tight end and running back, respectively, were targeted by Jefferson ten times and they caught nine of those for 151 yards and Hasz scored twice.
“I think we’re doing a really good job with our wideouts,” Arkansas coach Sam Pittman said. “There was a time KJ had already decided to throw the ball away, but Andrew Armstrong did a nice job in the end zone getting open. I think we’re doing a really good job with the scramble drill. Luke himself catches the ball incredible and he can run. We continue to work on his blocking, but he’s a big-time weapon running routes and we’re adding stuff for him each week.”
Looking at the numbers from Arkansas’ loss to LSU shows there’s hope that things can turn around.
For the second straight week, the Arkansas Razorbacks (2-2, 0-1 SEC) falls short in a one-possession game.
There was a lot of positives to take away from their 34-31 loss to No. 12 LSU on Saturday night. For starters, the highly-criticized offensive line played much better and that translated to an improvement in the Arkansas running game.
[autotag]KJ Jefferson[/autotag] was able to showcase is ability on a big stage and prove that he deserves recognition as one of the SEC’s best quarterbacks. [autotag]Luke Hasz[/autotag] became a household name and [autotag]Rashod Dubinion[/autotag] took advantage of an increased workload.
With those positives, there were also plenty of things that continue to keep the Hogs from taking that next step and winning close games. Let’s view Saturday’s night 34-31 loss in Baton Rouge by going “Behind the Numbers” and take a closer look at some important statistics.
The odds of Kent State pulling an upset dropped significantly after Arkansas’ third score.
The air became a bit lighter – finally – inside Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium after Rashod Dubinion crossed the goal line.
Arkansas’ sophomore running back capped a 12-play, 91-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown to provide the Razorbacks a 21-6 against Kent State midway through the third quarter.
The drive was longer than almost every other Arkansas drive combined, as the first six drives accounted for 112 yards of total offense. Seventy-five of those came on Arkansas’ only other offensive scoring drive to that point.
Quarterback KJ Jefferson set up the score two plays before when, on 3rd-and-6, he found wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa literally on the ground, for a 12-yard gain to put Arkansas on the Kent State 5.
Led by Rocket Sanders, the Arkansas running back room could be as loaded as it’s ever been.
Reminiscent of the mid-2000s, the Arkansas running back room is arguably the best in the SEC, top to bottom, and one of the elite groups in the nation.
It’s been nearly 17 years since two-time Heisman Trophy runner-up Darren McFadden left for the NFL, along with one-time running mates Felix Jones and Peyton Hillis. The 2006 roster also including a dynamic freshman, in future 1,000-yard back Michael Smith.
The Hogs have had some other stellar ball-carriers since then, with the likes of Broderick Green, Jonathan Williams, Alex Collins, Rawleigh Williams III and Rakeem Boyd. But this year’s complete stable of backs may be unmatched, when all is said and done. And it all starts with the explosive Rocket Man.
Starter: Raheim “Rocket” Sanders
Arkansas’ Raheim Sanders (5) runs the ball against the Mississippi Rebels at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium on November 19, 2022. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
Class: Junior
Measurables: 6-2, 242 lbs.
Last Season: Ran for 1,443 yards on 222 attempts with 10 touchdowns and a long of 76 yards against Auburn. He also caught 28 passes for 271 yards and a pair of TDs, averaging 9.7 yards per catch, with a long of 73 yards against Missouri State. In his 250 total touches, he did not fumble the ball.
After adding 15 pounds this offseason, the Rockledge, Fla., product, has been able to get bigger and stronger, while improving his already-elite speed. He admits that he feels better than ever entering what could be his final season in Fayetteville. It also helps that he gets to team up with senior KJ Jefferson, arguably the best quarterback in the conference, and is getting comfortable in new offensive coordinator Dan Enos’ pro-style offense.
“A lot of learning with the new offensive coordinator,” Sanders said. “(KJ Jefferson) makes me comfortable, the offensive coordinator (Dan Enos), and him as well. I just feel more comfortable this year just talking to him and learning new things and always going in for questions. He’s always there for me.”
Enos has been enamored with Sanders’ consistent effort and competitiveness, even in practice.
“You would think that he’s a freshman that just got here,” Enos said. “When I say that, I mean his attitude and his demeanor and the way he practices. He doesn’t practice like a guy who rushed for 1,500 yards last year and has all these accolades. He runs the ball in practice like a guy who is very hungry and has something to prove.”
Vegas currently has Sanders at 150-1 to win the Heisman Trophy, which also depends heavily on the team’s success, but if he can remain healthy, those odds could shrink in a hurry.
Back-up 2A: Rashod Dubinion
Arkansas running back Rashod Dubinion (6) catches the game-winning two-point conversion in the third overtime against Kansas in the 2022 Liberty Bowl in Memphis. Arkansas won 55-53. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports
Class: Sophomore
Measurables: 5-10, 216 lbs.
Last Season: As a true freshman, he ran for 293 yards on 71 attempts with five touchdowns, averaging 4.1 yards per carry. He also caught 12 passes for 108 yards and another TD, averaging 9.0 yards per catch. In his 83 total touches, he did not fumble the ball.
The high 3-Star recruit out of Ellenwood, Ga., came in as the nation’s No. 22 athlete, according to 247Sports, choosing the Razorbacks over a long-list of Power-5 programs, such as Auburn, Florida, Florida State and Ole Miss.
He played in all 13 games last season and quickly turned heads with his elusive speed and ability to find holes, as well as pass-catching skills. He turned in his best performance against Kansas in the Liberty Bowl, rushing for 112 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries, to go along with three receptions for 19 yards.
2023 Outlook: The talented back looks primed to take things up another notch this season after dedicating himself to the weight room in the offseason, under the watchful eye of new strength and conditioning coach Ben Sowder.
“Rashod is a football player,” said running backs coach Jimmy Smith. “He loves football. But when he first got here, the weight room was something he had to do, not something he wanted to do. As time went on, he started lifting weights and saw his body changing.
“Now he knows and he’s started enjoying the weight room. Coach Sowders held him accountable and started making him do it. Then once he started making him do it, he saw the changes and he started wanting to do it. It’s going to be really good for him.”
Back-up 2B: AJ Green
Class: Junior
Measurables: 5-11, 205 lbs.
Last Season: As a sophomore, he ran for 412 yards on 87 attempts with three touchdowns, averaging 4.7 yards per carry. He also caught six passes for 75 yards, averaging 12.5 yards per catch. Like Sanders and Dubinion, he did not fumble the ball.
The Tulsa Union alum came to Arkansas two years ago, as a 4-Star prospect, the No. 2 player in the state of Oklahoma and the No. 188 overall prep player in the nation. Green has been a solid change-of-pace back the last two seasons with his speed and receiving ability, and will likely continue to split second-team reps with Dubinion.
2023 Outlook: Green returns with outstanding top-end track speed, running a 10.38 in the 100 meters, and a 21.46 in 200 meters. He has a great initial burst with home run-hitting long speed, and has proven to have slippery strength to run through arm tackles. He showcased these traits with a 30-yard touchdown sprint against Texas as a freshman, and a few times last season, including a 20-yard jaunt against Kansas in the Liberty Bowl, which was also his first career 100-yard game
Although he could have opted to transfer after last season to seek more playing time elsewhere, Green remains all Hog.
“We all know if we wanted to go somewhere, we could play,” he said. “But why do that, when we have some of the best players right here that’s going to push us to our best potential? We’re brothers. We don’t hate on each other (and say) ‘oh, he’s getting this many carries’ and this and that. We’re just pushing each other to be the best that we can.”
Fourth Team: Dominique Johnson
Dominique Johnson (20) rushes for a touchdown against Georgia Southern at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports
Class: RS-Junior
Measurables: 6-1, 252 lbs.
Last Season: He was the starter at running back for the majority of the 2021 season, before tearing his ACL during Razorbacks’ 24-10 victory over Penn State in the Outback Bowl. After surgery and rehab, he missed the first three games of 2022, before injuring the same knee again later in the year. He finished the season with just eight carries for 43 yards, but maintained his year of eligibility with a redshirt.
2023 Outlook: When the Crowley, Texas, native arrived at Arkansas as 3-Star recruit in 2020, his role was still up in the air. He spent a day with the tight ends, before rejoining the running backs and eventually becoming the starter as a sophomore. His bruising style endeared himself to the coaches, which he put on display in a 40-21 win over Texas, scoring the game’s first touchdown on a 5-yard bullrush through the middle of the Longhorns’ defense. Now that he appears to be back fully healthy, that power running could benefit the Hogs again this season.
Johnson could have easily called it quits after multiple knee injuries, and is well aware of where he now sits in the pecking order. But he is back on the field with something to prove.
“Basically now again, I’m the fourth running back,” he said. “So it’s not a problem for me. I feel like as long as I keep doing how I do, run my way, my way is going to come into play. Gameday, we might need it, so I just do what I do. Encourage everybody else to keep going like that.”
New strength and conditioning coach Ben Sowders has helped Johnson add more muscle and strength this offseason, so without any setbacks, he may return to being a vital part of the run game.
“His body is different,” running backs coach Jimmy Smith said. “There’s more muscle. They took care of him. Even when he was hurt, he did a good job of doing stuff, just keeping the conditioning going. They did a good job of it. He’s kind of ahead of it because he was already in condition. When he started back running, he could do more running.”
Freshman: Isaiah Augustave
Class: Freshman
Measurables: 6-2, 208 lbs.
Last Season: The talented 4-Star out of Naples, Fla., was ranked the No. 13 high school running back in the nation, and the No. 174 overall recruit, according to 247Sports. As a senior, he had 110 carries for 1,061 yards — 9.6 yards per carry — and 11 touchdowns, including three 100-yard games. He had a slew of Division I offers and chose the Hogs over the likes of Florida State, Tennessee, Missouri and Kentucky.
2023 Outlook: Augustave has a tall, lean, athletic build, with good muscle mass and a frame that should allow him to continue adding bulk, under new strength and conditioning coach Ben Sowders. He possesses the top end speed to hit the long run, running an 11.01 in the 100 meters. He has the burst to hit holes straight on and the wiggle to make the first man miss, or elude an open-field tackler in space.
He is excited to be a Razorback and has already developed a close relationship with his teammates and running backs coach Jimmy Smith.
“We just really clicked, like we vibe together,” Augustave said. “I fell in love with the campus, and the coaches are all good people. They are all there for the players, it’s like a family up here and just reminds a lot of what I already got at Naples High.”
Freshman: Emmanuel Crawford
Class: Freshman
Measurables: 5-10, 168 lbs.
Last Season: Was Oklahoma’s Gatorade Football Player of the Year, after finishing high school with 6,777 career rushing yards, the most in Class 5A history. He also tallied 93 career rushing touchdowns and 13 career receiving scores. As a senior, led Grove, Okla., to a 13-1 record, rushing for 2,304 yards and 36 touchdowns on 230 carries, averaging 10 yards per attempt and 235.3 rushing yards per game. He also caught 19 passes for 546 yards, averaging 28.7 yards per reception, and seven TD catches.
2023 Outlook: Hailing from Head Coach Sam Pittman’s high school alma mater, Crawford was not heavily recruited by Power 5 schools, due to his slight build. His work in the classroom garnered offers from Air Force, Army and Navy, but Crawford decided to walk on at Arkansas. Despite his size, the speedster is not your typical walk-on, and could have a bright future down the line with the Razorbacks.
Running backs coach Jimmy Smith feels Crawford can get up to around 180 pounds and has the potential to emerge into a change-of-pace role as a scat-back in his career, as he learns the finer points of the position.
“He’ll have a role, a scat-back,” Smith said. “He’s a quick little joker, always scooting around. I had to slow him down a little bit. I tell him all the time, at running back, it’s not about going fast all the time. It’s about the pace and being able to understand the pace of certain runs. So right now he’s doing everything fast, but I’d rather him go too fast than too slow. So he’ll be alright.”
Rocket Sanders has gotten most of the attention this summer, but there’s a room full of talented backs behind him waiting for their opportunity.
The Arkansas rushing attack starts with Rocket Sanders, but the guys behind him are hungry to prove they’re just as talented and capable.
Junior tailback [autotag]AJ Green[/autotag] has been a solid change-of-pace back the last two seasons with his speed and receiving ability. [autotag]Rashod Dubinion [/autotag] burst onto the scene last season as a true freshman, finishing with 401 yards of total offense and six touchdowns. Don’t forget about [autotag]Dominique Johnson[/autotag] either. The starter in 2021, Johnson is back to full health after tearing his ACL in the Outback Bowl and then again in October of last season.
That’s without mentioning true freshman Isaiah Augustave or walk-on Emmanuel Crawford – both extremely gifted in their own rights with bright futures ahead.
Some coaches might look at having a position group that crowded as a detriment, but running backs coach [autotag]Jimmy Smith[/autotag] embraces it. He has instilled an “earn your keep” mentality amongst his group of guys that keeps everyone at their best at all times.
“There’s not a starter for a season, there’s a starter for a week. Everybody’s got to earn their keep every week,” Smith said. “It’s a big deal for you to practice good everyday, because we’re in the business of winning games. We’re in the business of putting the best person out there. That’s our philosophy, put the best person out there at that time.”
Having that many talented players and only limited opportunities, it might look impossible to manage from an outside prospective but Smith disagrees.
“Honestly, from the outside it looks difficult but for me it is fun,” Smith said. “I’ve got 1A, 1B, 1C, and I’ve got Dominique and Isaiah on the way. It ain’t difficult for me. It’s fun. They compete.”
While Rocket is still the clear bell cow for Arkansas, it’s comforting to know that the depth chart is full of capable tailbacks. We’ll get to see this stacked running back group in action less than a month from now when they open the season against Western Carolina on Sept. 2.
The overall rankings don’t jump off the page, but there’s a lot of playmakers that are already punching above their weight class and ranking. We’ve seen a few of them come in and provide solid depth as true freshmen and others are starting to come into their own in year two.
[autotag]Sam Pittman[/autotag] is on his way to having a historic recruiting class in 2024 and it’s been built off of the momentum from these most recent classes – 2022 included. While the program took an unexpected step back in the 2022 season, it’s not because of recruiting.
The 2022 class provided a lot of bright spots for fans to look forward to last year. Let’s take a look at the ten most impactful prospects from this class, so far.
The former offensive coordinator didn’t consistently show how often he would use the depth in the backfield, but all that could change in Dan Enos’s new offense.
