HawgBeat - Arkansas Football Post-Spring Position MVPs: Offense
HawgBeat analyzes the most valuable players at each position on offense for Arkansas during spring practices.
arkansas.rivals.com
Head coach Sam Pittman and the Arkansas football team have officially completed their 15-practice spring schedule, capped off by the team's Red-White Spring Game on Saturday that the Red team (starters) won 38-12.
"I like the team that they like each other," Pittman said Saturday. "We have a better football team. Where we go, I think we’re going to go up because the kids in the room want to and they’re talented enough to do it.
"But where we were in November to where we are now, a lot has changed, and it’s been positive, so I’m happy where we are now. We’ve got a long way to go, but we got the right people in the building, whether it be coaches or players, that can get there."
New faces were all over the practice fields this spring in the form of coaches and players following a 4-8 season in 2023.
Led by first-year offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino, the offense also features new offensive line coach Eric Mateos, receivers coach Ronnie Fouch and running backs coach Kolby Smith.
Personnel-wise, the offense will look much different than it did in 2023, as Boise State transfer quarterback Taylen Green is now the signal caller for the Razorbacks. There are also new faces up front on the offensive line, plus a potential transfer gem at running back.
After watching all of the action this spring, here are my MVPs on the offensive side of the ball for Arkansas:
Quarterback: Taylen Green
It's pretty clear who the most valuable player was at quarterback in the spring, as Green was the only quarterback to take reps with the first team offense. The 6-foot-6 transfer from Boise State earned those reps, though, and he proved it most days at practice.
I'd be lying if I said that I left every practice feeling good about Green's performance. He had days when he struggled with accuracy, and I can recall at least three times that sophomore corner Jaylon Braxton picked Green off. The context of his struggles are important, as some drills were designed for him to throw while being heavily pressured and he wasn't allowed to get out of the pocket.
From a pure talent and ability standpoint, Green stands out above the rest with a good margin in between. His size and speed make him a true dual-threat quarterback, plus he has legit arm strength to make tough throws, and I think his spring game performance best displayed that.
Green will not be perfect. He's never been a starting quarterback in the SEC, but he's who Bobby Petrino hand selected out of the transfer portal, and he's also who the entire team raved about as a true leader all spring.
"The thing I was most impressed (with) was when I was talking to him, I could see him picturing the plays and the formations and everything in his mind and his ability to do that," Petrino said April 2. "I’ve always felt that’s the one thing a quarterback has to be able to do. That’s how you get better on the sideline when you come off the field, that’s how you get better at halftime — I can say something to him and he can see it and understand what I’m talking about coverage-wise or route-wise.
"Then I just liked his motivation. He’s a very highly motivated young man. He spends more time in that building than anybody. He’s got this little routine he goes through where he takes his iPad out on the field and watches video and does his footwork. He’s just going to continue to get better and better."
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