cbhsports 2020 Arkansas Football Preview

cbhsports 2020 Arkansas Football Projected Starters

Offense
QB:Feleipe Franks, RS Senior
RB:Rakeem Boyd, Senior
RB:Trelon Smith, RS Junior
WR:Trey Knox, Sophomore
WR:Mike Woods, Junior
WR:Treylon Burks, Sophomore
TE:Hudson Henry, Sophomore
LT:Myron Cunningham, RS Senior
LG:Beaux Limmer, RS Freshman
C:Ty Clary, Senior
RG:Ricky Stromberg, Sophomore
RT:Noah Gatlin, Sophomore

Defense
DE:Dorian Gerald, RS Senior
DT:Jonathan Marshall, RS Senior
DT:Marcus Miller, RS Freshman
DE:Mataio Soli, Sophomore
OLB:Bumper Pool, Junior
MLB:Grant Morgan, RS Senior
OLB:Hayden Henry, Senior
CB:Jerry Jacobs, RS Senior
CB:Montaric Brown, RS Junior
CB:Devin Bush, RS Freshman
FS:Jalen Cantalon, RS Freshman
SS:Joseph Foucha, Junior

Special Teams
K:AJ Reed, RS Junior
P:George Caratan, Junior
KR:Treylon Burks, Sophomore
PR:Treylon Burks, Sophomore

Game by game preview

9/26
Georgia

Whoever is starting at QB for Georgia, whether it be Jamie Newman or JT Daniels, will crush the young Arkansas secondary. In Sam Pittman’s games against his former team (he was the offensive line coach at Georgia), expect a fun game but a game that Arkansas will come out thinking they have nothing to lose.

Projected Score: Georgia 49, Arkansas 24

Projected Record: 0-1

10/3
at.Mississippi State

Less than half of the cow bells are going to be ringing in Starkville. Two new SEC head coaches face off in this one, Pittman versus Leach. It should be a fun, close game. Two of the top running backs in the SEC Rakeem Boyd and Kylin Hill face off.

Projected Score: Mississippi State 35, Arkansas 31

Projected Record: 0-2

10/10
at.Auburn

Arkansas faces off against two former coaches in this one, former Arkansas offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn (Auburn head coach), and a guy Arkansas fans have in the rearview mirror, former Arkansas head coach Chad Morris (Auburn offensive coordinator). This game is a tossup because of Auburn’s loss of home field advantage due to the loss of many fans, but Auburn’s talent wins out here.

Projected Score: Auburn 56, Arkansas 17

Projected Record: 0-3

10/17
Ole Miss

Under normal circumstances, with a packed Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, I would give Sam Pittman his first win in Fayetteville. But due to the lack of fans, I think this one turns into a shootout, where two new SEC head coaches are looking for their first win at their respective new schools (Pittman and Kiffin).

Projected Score: Arkansas 51, Ole Miss 49

Projected Record:1-3

10/24
OPEN

10/31
at.Texas A&M

Arkansas heads down to College Station on Halloween looking for their first win against the Aggies in eight years. Due to COVID-19, what the fans call “The Southwest Classic” was moved from AT&T Stadium to College Station, as it is supposed to Texas A&M’s home game. The Aggies will make a return trip to Fayetteville in 2021 before returning to AT&T Stadium in 2022. That’s besides the point, as Jimbo Fisher brings in one of the most talented Aggie teams into this season, making it one difficult for Sam Pittman and his team

Projected Score: Texas A&M 38, Arkansas 34

Projected Record: 1-4

11/7
Tennessee

Many SEC experts are picking Tennessee to finish third behind Georgia and Florida. The way Jeremy Pruitt turned this Tennessee squad around mid-season last season, was incredible. Tennessee’s talent should scare the Razorbacks definitely but this is a game Arkansas could win.

Projected Score: Tennessee 24, Arkansas 17

Projected Record:1-5

11/14
at.Florida

Former Florida QB Feleipe Franks returns to the Swamp to face one of the most talented defenses in the nation. Florida QB Kyle Trask is being looked at by some as an All-SEC First Team QB, so the offense for the Gators may not be up to par with its defense but it’s pretty close.

Projected Score: Florida 42, Arkansas 21

Projected Record:1-6

11/21
LSU

If the reigning champs head into Fayetteville with likely only one or two blemishes, they will be fighting for a New Year’s six spot. Arkansas will be well exempt from making a bowl game, so with nothing to lose at home for Arkansas, I see this as an ugly game.

Projected Score:LSU 17, Arkansas 14

Projected Record: 1-7

11/28
at.Missouri

According to my projection, Arkansas came so close against LSU, so Sam Pittman and the crew are looking for a win here. Arkansas Defensive Coordinator Barry Odom will have his homecoming as he returns to Columbia for the first time since he was fired as Missouri’s head coach. Two new head coaches (Sam Pittman and Eli Drinkwitz) will go at it.

Projected Score:Arkansas 28, Missouri 21

Projected Record: 2-7

12/5
Alabama

Sam Pittman has likely the biggest challenge of his first season as head coach in the final weekend of Arkansas’ regular season. Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide will likely be a top four team in the College Football Playoff rankings so an upset by the Razorbacks here would blow up the college football world.

Projected Score:Alabama 59, Arkansas 35

Final Projected Record: 2-8

2020 Arkansas Razorback Football Top 10 Recruits (247Sports)

Conference: #11

National: #30

2020 Class (247Sports National Rank):

1. (174) Myles Slusher, CB

2. (202) Malik Hornsby, QB-DT

3. (215) Darin Turner, WR

4.(337) Marcus Henderson, OG

5. (447) Blayne Toll, SDE

6. (477) Jashaud Stewart, OLB

7. (526) Andy Boykin, SDE

8. (566) Jalen St. John, OG

9. (658) Nick Turner, S

10. (758) Kelin Burie, OLB