Image – Whole Hog Sports
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Talking Season kicks off for the Southeastern Conference on July 20 at Media Days in Tampa, with the Arkansas Razorbacks taking their turn on Thursday, July 23, with offensive lineman Caden Kitler, running back Sutton Smith and defensive lineman Quincy Rhodes will join first-year head coach Ryan Silverfield on the podium.
Image – Arkansas Razorbacks Football on X
Kitler started all 11 games of his redshirt junior season in 2025 and is set for another season of leading of one of the better offensive lines in the SEC. He helped pave the way for six games of 500+ yards of total offense and a 119-yard increase in rushing yards, behind tailback Mike Washington, who is now on the Las Vegas Raiders. Kitler and the Arkansas offensive line allowed 29 sacks last season, the fewest by a Razorback team since 2019 (19 sacks), and two games without a sack, one against Arkansas State (Sept. 6) and the other against Ole Miss (Sept. 13).
Smith followed Silverfield after four seasons at Memphis. As a redshirt junior, Smith played in all 12 games for the Tigers, rushing for 669 yards and seven scores on 102 carries. He caught 20 passes for 109 yards, 155 yards on five kick returns and 1,058 yards on 15 punt returns. Smith had three 100-yard rushing games, highlighted by his 12 carries for a career-high 147 yards and one touchdown against Arkansas (Sept. 20). His 64-yard touchdown with 4:51 left in the game was the winning score. Smith also rushed for 100 or more yards against conference foes Troy (Sept. 13) and East Carolina (Nov. 15). Smith should thrive behind a Caden Kitler-led offensive line along with his backfield mate Braylen Russell.
Rhodes Jr. enters the 2026 season as one of the top defensive linemen in the SEC. He broke out as a junior, totaling 44 tackles with a team-leading 15.5 tackles for loss, eight sacks, six quarterback-hurries and a forced fumble. His 15.5 tackles for loss were the most since Trey Fowlers registered the same number during the 2015 season. He is also the first Razorback to have double-digit tackles in a season since Landon Jackson (13.5 TFL) in 2023 and was the first Razorback to record three multi-sack games in a season since Tre Williams in 2021. Rhodes Jr. finished the regular season ranking 13th nationally and second in the SEC in tackles for loss per game (1.23) and 23rd nationally in sacks per game (0.67).
For Silverfield, it is his first appearance at SEC Media Days. He was one of the most successful head coaches in the country over the last six seasons at Memphis, going 50-25 overall and 27-13 in the American Conference. He led the Tigers to a pair of 10-win seasons in back-to-back seasons in 2023 and 2024.
Arkansas kicks off the 2026 season on Saturday, Sept. 5, when they welcome North Alabama to Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium for a 3:15 p.m. matchup on SEC Network.
Click this link to see all of players attending 2026 SEC Media Days from all 16 teams.
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