HawgBeat - Will Arkansas have new-look offensive line at Ole Miss?
Head coach Sam Pittman might switch some things up on the offensive line for Saturday's game at Ole Miss.
arkansas.rivals.com
From @masonchoate
There might finally be some significant changes made to Arkansas' most weakest position group through five weeks.
While there's plenty of talent to go around on the Razorback offensive line, that group has play well below expectations to play a role in the Hogs having a 2-3 record right now.
Headlined by a pair of very experienced veterans in captain Brady Latham and Beaux Limmer, the big boys up front need something to change because whatever they've been doing isn't working. Whether it's individual play, coaching from offensive line coach Cody Kennedy or anything else, the offensive line needs to figure it out.
"Well, obviously there’s a lot of different reasons to shuffle your line," head coach Sam Pittman said on Wednesday's SEC Teleconference. "One is to get the attention of your guys that are playing. One of them is a changing up that would hopefully help you perform better.
"I like where we’re at after Day 2 (of practice). We have some things to clean up, but I do like some of the moves that we made. I like them. We’re still a work in progress, but I think we can get there by Saturday of what we want to get accomplished."
During Tuesday's practice viewing for the media, the team trotted out a new-look first team offensive line during the fastball starts period.
Beaux Limmer moved from center to left guard, Brady Latham moved from left guard to right tackle, Patrick Kutas moved from right tackle to center and Andrew Chamblee was at left tackle instead of Devon Manuel.
Limmer was a Second Team All-SEC performer at right guard last year, but he moved to center after Ricky Stromberg moved on to the NFL. Pittman has said multiple times that he thinks Limmer projects better as a center in the NFL, but the redshirt senior has struggled with snaps on a few occasions this year.
Kutas served as the team's emergency center until JUCO transfer Amaury Wiggins arrived to provide a true backup at that spot. Things are just moving a little too quickly for the sophomore at tackle, so a move inside could definitely help.
"Well, I mean, I wouldn’t have moved him in there if I didn’t think he could do it," Pittman said. "I’m comfortable with how he’s looked I practice. Obviously Beaux still has that opportunity to play there, as well. He was excited to move in there. I think he wants to be the center, which obviously makes a big deal.
"But I’m comfortable with his first two practice days. I thought it went well on Monday and we had a little bit more noise, that takes a little bit to get used to because it’s just different. When you clap and have noise, it’s different than if you say ‘set hut.’ So those things are just something he’s gotta get used to and he’s working awful hard at it."
As for Latham's move out to tackle, he's served as a very consistent left guard up until this season. A preseason Second Team All-SEC selection, Latham has given up one sack, two quarterback hurries, four pressures and he had four penalties in the BYU game.
Latham did play some tackle in the spring and in fall camp, plus he had to move to left tackle for 10 snaps in the BYU game when Kutas and Chamblee went down with different injuries.
Chamblee is another name that's rotated in and out at left tackle. After Devon Manuel took the majority of the snaps at that spot the past two weeks, Chamblee might be back in the mix to start.
The Razorbacks rank 101st in total yards per game (342.2), 92nd in passing yards per game (215.6) and 97th in rush yards per game (126.6).
According to Pro Football Focus, Arkansas' team pass block grade of 53.3 ranks 108th in the nation and dead last in the SEC. The Hogs' run blocking grade of 74.4 is good for 90th nationally and 13th in the conference.
An offensive line coach by trade, Pittman has made it a priority to work with the offensive line in practice this week — at least for the allotted time that the media is allowed to watch. The Head Hog knows what he's doing with that group as much as anyone in the country, but he's still got plenty of confidence in Kennedy's ability to run the show.
"We’ve got a great offensive line coach," Pittman said. "The same one that we had when we led the Power 5 in rushing two years ago and the same one that everybody tries to get when the season’s over with.
"Off the field I have several questions about what we’re doing.and how we’re doing it, and this, that and the other. I want to be conscious that I didn’t overstep anybody’s boundary as the offensive line coach. Because we’ve got a really good one. He’ll get it fixed as good as anybody can."
Offensive coordinator Dan Enos has also caught a lot of flack for the lack of success that the Arkansas offensive is having. Quarterback KJ Jefferson didn't seem too worried about it during Tuesday evening's press conference.
"Coach Enos is a very intelligent guy," Jefferson said. "He comes up with different schematics week in and week out. He's just an intelligent guy, great coach. He brings a sense of urgency to the team and the offensive side of the ball, and he emphasizes details a lot.
"He's been around great teams and great players, and he knows our level of talent and what type of team we have on the offensive side of the ball. He just expects greatness from us each and every time we step out on the field. It's been good so far."
Arkansas and Ole Miss will battle at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on Saturday in Oxford, Mississippi. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. CT and the game will be televised on the SEC Network.
