FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema is just as fired up about the 2015 football season as Razorback football fans.
Bielema has a word of caution, however, as the Razorbacks open spring drills today looking to move forward off last year's 7-6 record, which concluded with a satisfying 31-7 rout of Texas in the Texas Bowl.
"The only thing I'm guarded against is this, and I told this to our coaches: Everybody is telling them how good they are right now," Bielema said. "We're 7-6. In my coaching career, that's still one of my worst records. Second-worst record.
"I say this all the time, it's not a landing point. It's a launching point."
The Razorbacks will conduct three closed practices this week then take off 11 days for spring break before resuming workouts on March 31. The 15 practices of spring concluded with the annual Red-White game at Reynolds Razorback Stadium at 1 p.m. on April 25.
Arkansas will bring back plenty of offensive talent, including 1,000-yard running backs Jonathan Williams and Alex Collins, two-year starting quarterback Brandon Allen, standout tight end Hunter Henry, leading receiver Keon Hatcher and four starting linemen.
The Razorbacks will be working under a new offensive coordinator, with Dan Enos taking the reins from Jim Chaney, and the running backs and special teams have a new mentor in assistant coach Jemal Singleton.
Defensively, Arkansas has more work to do in identifying key personnel to replace the production of departed senior starters Trey Flowers, Martrell Spaight, Alan Turner and Tevin Mitchel, as well as Darius Philon, a draft-eligible sophomore who is entering the NFL Draft.
On plus for the defense is stability in the coaching staff. Vernon Hargreaves is the only newcomer, replacing Randy Shannon as the linebackers coach.
Here are the top five issues facing Arkansas in spring drills.
- Offensive communication
The Razorbacks' basic philosophy on offense, to be strong in the run game, productive with play-action passing and clever at using all its weapons, is still intact. There will be some new wording and nuances needing installation.
Enos said he thinks implementation of his offensive system should happen quickly.
"A lot of things in terminology, we tried to keep it very similar," he said. "There was a lot of carryover with some of the things [they] were doing. ... There's going to be some wrinkles, though."
- Positioning the linebackers
The losses of Spaight and Braylon Mitchell means junior Brooks Ellis, a 14-game starter, is the most experienced linebacker in Hargreaves' unit, and he's likely going to be manning a new spot. Ellis will shift to the weak side, or "will" position, giving Josh Williams a crack at starting at middle linebacker.
Sophomore Khalia Hackett, whose progress over the winter has drawn raves from the coaching staff, enters spring as the first-team strong-side linebacker. Hackett led the team in special-teams tackles last season and brings a combination of speed and agility to the spot.
The sophomore class is loaded with talent, with Randy Ramsey and Dwayne Eugene also in line for more playing time. Ramsey, one of the hits of fall camp last year, has not been as aggressive in getting treatment for a hamstring injury as the coaches would like, so he'll be slowed to open spring.
Playing time looks available for the taking, particularly in the reserve spots. Arkansas will not be deep in numbers through spring before signees Derrick Graham and Kendrick Jackson, and possibly Dre Greenlaw, a safety-linebacker type, report.
- Finding offensive explosiveness
Arkansas' calling card under Bielema has been grind-it-out drives that wear on defenses, but having the capacity for long-distance scores is always an asset. The arrival of burner Dominique Reed should boost to the wide receivers in the fall, but more spring seasoning should help a crew behind Hatcher that includes Jared Cornelius, Cody Hollister, Damon Mitchell, Drew Morgan and Eric Hawkins.
If slot man Jojo Robinson and wideout Kendrick Edwards get right with the coaching staff, they stand a chance at being difference makers. They bring a good dose of speed and height.
- Sprucing up secondary
The losses of unit-leader Turner and the veteran starter Mitchel plus injuries to key personnel like safeties Kevin Richardson and Davyon McKinney and cornerback Cornelius Floyd will make this an intriguing spring for coordinator Robb Smith and defensive backs coach Clay Jennings.
That corners Jared Collins, D.J. Dean and Henre' Toliver have already shown the credentials for being quality SEC cover men heartens Smith. Redshirt freshman Santos Ramirez, a 6-2, 202-pounder who could play either corner or safety, looks to be an interesting study throughout spring and the off-season.
Senior Rohan Gaines, who served a one-game suspension for the Texas Bowl, and sophomore Josh Liddell will open drills in the starting safety slots. Redshirt sophomore DeAndre Coley, a big hitter who has yet to find the consistency to pull down substantial playing time, is the only healthy scholarship player behind them.
- Sorting out offensive front
Spring will open with Denver Kirkland stationed at the all-important left tackle spot and Dan Skipper moving from left to right tackle. That gives line coach Sam Pittman two highly regarded juniors to fill in around if the moves hold strong.
Sebastian Tretola was a beast at left guard last season and after losing more than 40 pounds to get down to 322 pounds, he should be set for a big senior year. Tretola and center Mitch Smothers return at their starting spots, while sophomore Frank Ragnow and redshirt freshman Brian Wallace aim to earn more playing time.
Ragnow will open up at right guard and Wallace will be slotted in behind Skipper with the possibility of emerging among the team's top five lineman.
Pittman is aiming at finding versatility in his ranks, with players like Ragnow and Smothers able to play center and guard, and Kirkland able to take on any of the four spots outside of center.
Talented newcomers Josh Allen, Zach Rogers and Jalen Merrick are among the Hogs' eight early enrollees, so spring looms as a huge benefit for the trio.
Sports on 03/16/2015