The six biggest questions facing the Arkansas football team as it opens spring practice today:
Q◊Who will rise up at the receiver spots?
A◊Javontee Herndon, the team leader with 31 receptions and 437 yards, and fellow senior Julian Horton (12-141-1) are gone, leaving junior Keon Hatcher (27-346, 2) as the lone returning wideout with more than four receptions. That means there are opportunities for D’Arthur Cowan (4-26), Eric Hawkins (3-32), freshman Jared Cornelius, junior-college transfer Cody Hollister and others to become prime targets in the passing game and complement tight end Hunter Henry (28-409, 4), an SEC All-Freshman pick last season.
Q◊Is there help coming in the secondary?
A◊Secondary coach Clay Jennings and defensive coordinator Robb Smith will have plenty of players with starting experience returning, such as safeties Rohan Gaines and Alan Turner, and corners Tevin Mitchel, Will Hines, Jared Collins and Carroll Washington, as well as sophomore D.J. Dean, who saw decent playing time last year. They all will have to play better and regain some shaken confidence. Mitchel was a strong tackler right through his concussion early in 2012, but he regressed in that area last year.
Arkansas needs to play faster in the secondary, and part of that is a by-product of being comfortable and knowledgeable in the schemes. Safety De’Andre Coley, who made a big impression on the scout team last year, and early enrollee cornerback Chris Murphy have a chance to make strides during the spring.
Q◊Can anyone challenge quarterback Brandon Allen?
A◊Coach Bret Bielema has made it clear Allen has the inside track to a second year as a starter, and Bielema said he looks the part.
“He’s put on some weight and looks really, really good,” Bielema said. “His confidence, his swagger, I think, has definitely been increased since the last competitive environment we were in.”
Allen’s season began veering off course after a shoulder injury suffered in a victory over Southern Mississippi, which cost him a game at Rutgers and affected him for several weeks. He simply has to complete much more than 49.6 percent (128 of 258) of his passes.
AJ Derby played in seven games as Allen’s backup, but he will have to fight off Austin Allen and Damon Mitchell, who are coming off redshirt seasons, as well as early-enrolling freshman Rafe Peavey, who will participate in spring practice.
Q◊Will linebacker play be better?
A◊Injuries and inexperience made for a rough 2013 season at this position, but a second season under Randy Shannon should be big for returning starters Braylon Mitchell and Brooks Ellis, as well as Otha Peters, Martrell Spaight and Daunte Carr. Three signees - Khalia Hackett, Dwayne Eugene and Randy Ramsey - will join the group for fall camp.
Q◊Where are the playmakers?
A◊Arkansas must continue to recruit faster players and develop the skill talent they have, because a lack of speed was perhaps the biggest shortfall of the 2013 team. That’s why Korliss Marshall’s handful of pitch plays looked so impressive, because his burst stood out in comparison.
The Razorbacks will continue to hammer away with backs Jonathan Williams and 1,000-yard rusher Alex Collins, but those two need to become better breakaway threats. Bielema indicated recently that Williams might be limited in scrimmages as the staff tries to develop a deeper pool of backs with guys like Denzel Evans, combination back Kody Walker and fullbacks Chris Jones and Patrick Arinze.
Henry had a productive freshman season and he should continue to get better, but coaches have made it clear that receivers like Hatcher, Cowan and Hawkins have the opportunity to become key cogs this spring.
Defensively, ball-hawking auditions will be open throughout the spring.
Q◊What are the biggest shoes to fill?
A◊Travis Swanson’s four-year hold on center has come to an end, a chunk of the defensive line moved on with the departures of Byran Jones, Chris Smith and Robert Thomas, and the school’s all-time leading scorer, Zach Hocker, must be replaced.
The top candidates at center this spring are Luke Charpentier and Cordale Boyd, while Frank Ragnow and junior-college signee Sebastian Tretola might get a look during fall camp.
Darius Philon, a potential fast-riser in SEC circles, made five starts last season and showed he can mix it up with the league’s best. DeMarcus Hodge, who is coming off a minor knee issue from winter work, has a shot for a starting job at tackle, along with Horace Arkadie, while the sophomores Deatrich Wise, Brandon Lewis and JaMichael Winston and redshirt freshman Tevin Beanum will be among those itching to start opposite standout Trey Flowers at end.
Place-kicker signee Cole Hedlund will arrive in the summer, hoping to start the next four-year reign at Arkansas, but John Henson and Adam McFain should get looks in the spring.
Sports, Pages 34 on 03/16/2014