O-line gets plenty of praise as improved unit for Hogs

FAYETTEVILLE — The offensive line for 2025 appears to be a much improved unit with some key returning players plus very good transfer portal additions.

Fernando Carmona is the key returning offensive lineman. Last year’s left tackle has moved inside to left guard. He was twice named the SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week. Carmona left no doubt when asked recently if this offensive line was better than last year?

“It will be better than it was last year,” Carmona said. “And I know that for a fact. Just the way the group is, the way we’ve meshed, I mean in these 15 practices and just the depth that we have. (E’Marion Harris) can move in and out. Kobe (Branham) coming back, having that knowledge, Caden (Kitler), bringing in Corey (Robinson), bringing in Shaq (McRoy), having Keyshawn (Blackstock) come back for another year. A lot of the freshmen coming in, these guys are stepping up, playing great ball, learning the offense really fast. It’s been amazing. This group has really grown from what I came into last year to where we are now, you know, it’s a whole 360– it’s a whole 180 of the group that we had last year.”

On Thursday, Sam Pittman talked about the offensive line as well following 14 spring practices. He was asked if the left side is set and right not so much?

“I don’t know that we’re going to, there’s a movement, you know what I mean?,” Pittman said. “I don’t know that there’s –– we got a tackle, we’re going to move to guard, or anything like that. Obviously, when Kobe Branham comes back, I think we’re going to be stronger there as well. We really like what Blackstock did. But that’ll give us another guy who we believe in. I don’t think we’ll move anybody into center or anything. I think your battle would be, can Shaq win the tackle spot and then what do you do with E’Marion. If E’Marion wins the spot, then you leave Shaq right where he is. So I don’t think there’s a whole lot of movement as far as position goes. You’ll be into the summer and into two a days trying to figure out who’s 1 and who’s 2. But I don’t see a lot of movement.”

Pittman also said the Hogs have more options on the offensive line than past seasons.

“We are,” Pittman said. “We definitely are. And I think once we hone in on these are our seven, eight guys, I think we’ll even be better. But yeah, I think we’re, we’re a lot deeper there. We’re a lot bigger, lot stronger, and we have more veteran guys who have played than what we have in the past.”

Robinson came from Georgia Tech and has taken over at left tackle. Kitler transferred in from UCF to play center. McRoy was at Oregon last season.

“They’ve taken huge steps,” Carmona said. “Coming in from that first practice, obviously a new playbook for them and a lot of learning for them, but they all learned really quick. Corey is a special talent that guy can pass-protect his butt off. And so, I’m really excited to play next to him. And Kitler, he has this dog mentality and so I really just love the growth in between those two. And then Shaq is just kind of that, he’s going to be our glue guy and he’s really showing tremendous, tremendous growth and just kind of his mental – he’s a younger guy, but he’s starting to realize, ‘I’m about to be playing on Saturdays and I got to really lock in.’ You’ve just kind of seen him grow that mindset of like, ‘You know what this is, this is going to be my life and let me lock in.’ And so it’s been really fun to see being an older guy and watching that younger guy kind of just grow each and every day.”

Arkansas will open the 2025 season on Saturday, Aug. 30, against Alabama A&M in Razorback Stadium.