Why I am Drinking the Kool-Aid Part 3
Welcome to the last of the 3 part series on why I am drinking the Kool-Aid this year. We will look at the special teams & the schedule to see if we can raise the basement of 8 wins higher.
Special Teams: This is by far the weakest link of the team on paper. What will the place kickers look like, what will the punters look like? How will kickoff & punt return look like? There are many unknowns since Cam Little has gone pro. With that said I am going to give a take that may not be the most welcomed; that is our Special Team Coordinator is good at his job at recruiting & developing talent. So do not lose faith in the Special Teams.
The Schedule & the possible path to 8-9- wins.
UAPB- This game should be a low out with the 2nd team getting work by the 3rd quarter. Arkansas 1-0
@ Oklahoma State, OSU has possibly the best running back in the nation, but that is basically all they have. They are a classic 1 trick pony that Arkansas’s defense will be able to contain. I don’t see their defense being that big of a hassle for this offense. Arkansas 2-0
UAB- Though UAB is a solid team I don’t believe they have the quality depth needed to truly run with the big hogs. Arkansas 3-0
@ Auburn- The Tigers are rebuilding, but still have one HC Hugh Freeze at the helm. Remember he beat us with a Liberty team last year, & for whatever reason the refs love to gift Auburn this win, but not this year. I look for Arkansas’s defense to eat & the offense to hum. Arkansas 4-0
@ Texas A&M- Yes the Aggies have had our number the last few years, but not this year. A&M has a new HC & mostly new staff, not to mention most of their elite players have left via the portal. Bobby P is undefeated against the Aggies & this defense is going to eat. Arkansas 5-0
Tennessee- The Vols have a redshirt freshman QB, quality depth at the skill positions, & a defense that has improved from last year. With that said this game could be a winnable game, especially if Arkansas is 5-0. I will count this as a loss but a win here puts Arkansas on the road to 10 wins. Arkansas 5-1
LSU- Last year their defense was some hot dumpster juice, I don’t expect them to be much better this year since they did not sign any front 7 help in the portal. Yes, they still have their all-SEC DE but a simple shift of the protection & a very mobile QB for Arkansas leads to this 2-score win. Arkansas 6-1
@ Mississippi State- Hail State has a new & very dangerous HC, but does not have in my opinion the personnel needed for this to be a game. Arkansas 7-1
Ole Miss- Hotty Totty is a winnable game for the Hogs due to key losses on offense primarily their running game. Add to this situation it is a home game for the Razorbacks; things could go the hogs way. But for argument sake we will count this as an L, but much like Tennessee if Arkansas can win this game it puts them on the path to 10 wins.
Arkansas 7-2
Texas- This is just going to be an L. The Long Horns are just too deep. Arkansas 7-3
Louisiana Tech- This is going to be a dub plain & simple. Arkansas 8-3
Missouri- The tigers have been all but gutted with the portal & key players going pro. This is the year Razorback fans & this game could be for win number 10 with a possible playoff birth, if not that then definitely 9 wins as Arkansas wins this going away. Arkansas 9-3
If Arkanas can go just 1-2 against Tennessee, Texas & Ole Miss Arkansas is looking at a possible 10 win season. If the Razorbacks can go 2-1 in those same 3 games then 11 is on the table. But in my final thoughts I say Arkansas wins 9 games, goes to a bowl shows out to win a total of 10.
What do you think of the Kool-Aid now? Wanna take a sip?
Article By: Tunka Todd
