Lots of questions entering 2025 season

By Jerry Meadows

FAYETTEVILLE — No Pretty Way to Describe the 2025 Season

This past football year appears to have created more questions than it has provided answers. At the beginning of spring practice, cautious optimism hovered over the Razorback football team. The biggest concern was the offensive line. Adding Fernando Carmona, Keyshawn Blackstock, Addison Nichols, and Joe More was what the coaches believed was the answer.

Adding Taylen Green at quarterback and Ja’Quinden Jackson at running back would complete the skilled players Arkansas needed to increase their offensive output. Although their numbers in previous years were not that impressive, the prevailing thought was both had a lot of upside to their game. With the receiver room still intact, all the moving parts needed to become familiar with one another to become a cohesive offensive unit. Such hope never became a reality.

Summer and fall practice seemed to solidify the consensus by some that Arkansas might become a potential contender in the SEC. Sam Pittman had even stated that Arkansas was a good football team.

Then the season began. For five and a half quarters, the Arkansas offense looked unstoppable. The season started with Arkansas scoring 12 touchdowns on their first 13 drives. Everything was pointing to the idea that Bobby Petrino was back. Then it happened. An ill-advised pass by Green resulted in the 13th TD on an Arkansas possession, but this time, it was a pick-six for Oklahoma State. On Arkansas’ 15th drive of the season, the Razorbacks would score their 13th TD in just six quarters. Arkansas was easily beating the 16th-ranked team in the nation at their house.

The fly in the ointment became the inability of the QB and the RBs to hold on to the ball. Turnovers were the primary reason for 3 of Arkansas’ losses. Without making turnovers, Arkansas would beat Oklahoma State, Texas A&M, and Missouri. Texas and LSU would benefit from Arkansas turnovers, too. With five minutes left in the 3rd quarter, Arkansas was down to LSU 16-10 with the ball. Suddenly, within two plays, Arkansas was down by 14 when Green threw an interception on the 2-yard line, and LSU’s Caden Durham ran 2 yards for a TD to increase LSU’s lead to two scores. That was the only time in the year the Razorbacks seemed to accept the game was over after those two plays. Then, with 12:48 left in the 4th quarter of the Texas game, Arkansas got within 13-10. Of course, turnovers were the difference again. An Arkansas interception led to Texas’ first TD, and a fumble ended a 48-yard 4th quarter drive for Arkansas on the Texas 27-yard line.

Since the season ended, the portal woes have begun to plague Coach Pittman and the Razorbacks. So far, the number of players entering the portal and those graduating has left a severely depleted roster as Arkansas prepares for the AutoZone Liberty Bowl against Texas Tech next Friday.

Some of the necessary pieces for next year’s puzzle of replacing over 25 players has begun. So far, Arkansas has inked 14 new players from the portal:

Mike Washington, RB, 6-2, 228, New Mexico State

Raylen Sharpe, WR, 5-9, 165, Fresno State

Kam Shanks, WR, 5-8, 180, UAB

Jaden Platt, TE, 6-5, 260, Texas A&M

JacQawn McRoy, OT, 6-8, 375, Oregon

Corey Robinson, OT, 6-5, 305, Georgia Tech

Caden Kitler, C, 6-3, 295, UCF

Ken Talley, DE, 6-3, 256, Michigan State

Justus Boone, DE, 6-4, 266, Florida

David Oke, DT, 6-2, 295, Abilene Christian

Kani Walker, CB, 6-2, 206, Oklahoma

Quentavius Scandrett, S, 6-2, 200, Eastern Michigan

Jordan Young, DB, 6-0, 197, Cincinnati

Kavion Broussard, OL, 6-6, 300, Ole Miss

Due to the loss of so many offensive players, over half of the offense will be introduced to the Petrino offense for the first time. What is left is a quarterback who had problems processing his progressions in real-time. His reliance on Andrew Armstrong will now be missing. Who will Green turn to in 2025? Although Green occasionally threw incredible passes, his consistency was lacking. His footwork and his passing motion reverted back to his Boise State days. It is at least questionable as to how effective Taylen will be next year. It is the opinion of this writer that Green will have little effect in scoring in the SEC. His tendency to throw the ball outside his right shoulder caused him trouble the entire 2024 season. Coach Petrino will be left with a decision to make by the 3rd or 4th game to bench Green if he expects to have success offensively next year. Fortunately, Arkansas has a good passer and athlete with KJ Jackson backing Green. Add Madden Iamaleava and Petrino’s options increase. 

Possibly the biggest missing piece of the puzzle in 2024 was a coaching staff that could not find a remedy for excessive penalties, blown assignments, and continuity on either offense or defense. All year long the Razorback staff worked on the same problems (big time according to Pittman) that they committed in the Missouri game to end the season. As I have previously said, “A winning program fixes the problems that prevent them from winning.” 

So, what can fans expect in 2025? I am not very optimistic. The 2025 schedule will be much tougher than 2024. The Razorbacks will be fortunate if they win 4 games next year. Worst case scenario? The Razorbacks have 11 potential losses in their 2025 schedule. Finishing with a 1-11 season is not beyond possibility. Such failure would bring the “Pittman experiment” to a painful end.