Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman asked fans Thursday to exercise patience while the Razorbacks re-construct their 2025 roster through the transfer portal.
Since the long-awaited college football musical-chair frenzy officially began Monday, over 20 scholarship Hogs have earmarked themselves for greener pastures, including nine players who were regular starters or contributors during the 2024 season.
The Razorbacks will also lose key cogs to the NFL (DE Landon Jackson and RB Ja'Quinden Jackson), while other main-liners no longer have eligibility, such as leading receiver Andrew Armstrong.
As such, Arkansas will have to completely reform its identity through the transfer portal, and the coaching staff has already laid the groundwork with multiple visitors expected over the coming days and weeks.
"We have 15 coming in in the next five days, 29 total at this point," Pittman said Thursday. "It may be different. It may be 32 by now. Everything is negative now because guys are leaving, leaving, leaving. I think in a few days, I think everybody will feel a little bit better about it because of the guys that we’re bringing in."
According to HawgBeat's count, Arkansas currently has 67 projected scholarship players on its 2025 roster before any transfer commitments. Looking at the depth chart, the Razorbacks are light in the trenches and secondary and could use a production boost in the receiving department, as well.
"Offensive line would be one," Pittman said. "Defensive line would be one. We felt like we were pretty good at the linebacker spots. if you go back and you look a year ago and the world was falling because we lost this linebacker, this linebacker, this linebacker. And I think we all agree that our linebacker room was a strength for us this year.
"So, that would be probably the least worried about. We need some safeties, need some corners. But I think O-line, tight ends, (that's) the big deal. Wide receivers. I mean, we've got several spots to fill, but off the top of my head, that's who it would be."
With a "huge pool" of funds in hand for transfer portal recruiting, according to Pittman, fans will have to rely on hope that Arkansas can put a more competitive roster together after a disappointing 6-6 (3-5 SEC) regular season in 2024.
"All I would say is, all I would ask is that they be patient to see over the next week and a half, whom — if I can not bite off more than I can chew," Pittman said. "See if we get out of the portal what I think we can get. If we do, I think they’ll be very excited about that."
Arkansas will have its first of 11 bowl game practices Friday, and the Razorbacks will kick off against the Texas Tech Raiders on Dec. 27 at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium.
