Seven days until Arkansas football kicks off against UAPB at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock calls for seven bold predictions from HawgBeat publisher Mason Choate and managing editor Riley McFerran:
1) Taylen Green leads the team in rushing touchdowns
There’s an argument to be made that this prediction isn’t that bold, but I’m making it anyways.
Green ran for eight and nine touchdowns in each of the last two seasons at Boise State, and I expect him to do plenty of running the ball this year for the Razorbacks.
Ja’Quinden Jackson should find the end zone plenty out of the backfield, especially with his 6-foot-2, 233-pound frame. Freshman Braylen Russell is also a load as a 253-pound bruiser of a running back.
I’m not comparing Green to Lamar Jackson, but it’s probably safe to say he’s the most athletic quarterback Petrino has had since Jackson. At Louisville from 2015-17, Jackson ran for 50 total touchdowns and 39 of them came in his last two seasons.
There’s a scenario in which Green is the only Razorback with double-digit rushing touchdowns this season.
- Mason Choate, Publisher
2) Arkansas has a top-40 scoring offense
The Bobby Petrino effect is real, folks. At least, in this bold prediction scenario.
There's zero doubt the Razorbacks will gain more yards, score more points and look better offensively than they did last season with Dan Enos at the helm.
Under Enos and interim offensive coordinator Kenny Guiton in 2023, Arkansas finished with the 105th total offense (326.5 yards per game), 86th rushing offense (139.0 rushing yards per game), 105th passing offense (187.5 passing yards per game) and 67th scoring offense (26.6 points per game). Yuck.
As Texas A&M's play caller a year ago, Petrino helped the Aggies score 33.3 points per game (24th overall). The 40th highest-scoring offense was TCU's, which averaged 31.3 points per game. If the Razorbacks can replicate that production, they'll be in a position to win a lot more games.
Arkansas defensive coordinator Travis Williams leaped his side of the ball from the 123rd total defense and 100th scoring defense in 2022 to the 46th and 77th in 2023, respectively.
Who's to say Petrino can't accomplish a similar jump with a dual-threat quarterback, reshaped offensive line, talented running back and tight end room and a wide receiver unit that returns all of its playmakers?
- Riley McFerran, Managing Editor
3) Landon Jackson has double-digit sacks
This one is going to be tough to achieve, especially if Jackson is double-teamed by blockers all year. The last Arkansas player to reach this accomplishment was Jake Bequette with 10 sacks in 2011 — which ironically was Petrino’s last season coaching with the Razorbacks.
Last year, most of Jackson’s sacks came in the Oct. 14 loss at Alabama. The 6-foot-7, 280-pound edge rusher had 3.5 of his 6.5 sacks in that one game.
Entering his senior season, Jackson has goals he’s trying to achieve before he takes his talents to the NFL. He finished his final fall camp scrimmage as a Razorback last Thursday with three sacks, and I think that might just a taste of what’s to come this year.
Arkansas has only had six players reach double-digit sacks in a single-season in program history, and I think Jackson has as good of a shot as anyone to be the next name on that list.
- Mason Choate, Publisher
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