Hello, I’m Tunka Todd, and I want to invite you to share the faith I have in the Arkansas Razorbacks winning 8-9 games, with an outside shot at 10. Yes, I know that this means drinking the Kool-Aid, but hear me out. I will be breaking the team down into three sections: Offense, Defense, and Special Teams. Each section will get a spotlight article. Let’s begin with the Offense, shall we?

Last year was a horrible year, so why do I think the Razorbacks will win this year? Well, to be honest, this isn’t last year’s team. This isn’t last year’s OC. The issues in the locker room have all left. This is a new team with a new OC. So let’s take a deep look at the OC and the personnel that will be handling the ball.

OC: The new OC is none other than Bobby MF Petrino. The last time he was at Arkansas, he turned around a program, ending with a 10-win season and a berth in the Sugar Bowl against cheating Ohio State, but I digress. Bobby P. is a well-known commodity in the world of college football. His ability to utilize the personnel he has is second to none. His ability to call a sound offensive game plan is unquestioned. That alone gives Arkansas, who only won 4 games last year, a basement of 6 games this year.

QB: This is the deepest QB room Arkansas has had in forever. The star of the room is Taylen Green. Six feet six inches of arm and athleticism. He has the speed of Matt Jones and the arm of a next-level QB. Yes, he transferred in from Boise State, but that does not take away from his abilities as a quarterback. Behind him, we have two future stars in Singletary and Jackson, and if the recruiting holds up, this room will be filled with quality depth. When was the last time Arkansas had this type of quality depth at any position? With all this, you add in the fact that Bobby P will be able to be in the ear of the QB on the field now, thanks to new technology finally allowed in college football, and you can add another win to the total here.

If you’re keeping score at home, that is now a basement of 7 wins. We have already improved by 3 games from last year, but as they say in commercials: “Wait, there’s more!”

RB: The Running Back room saw the departure of some talented young players as well as the “Tip Toe Bandit” Sanders, who hit the hole like a blind man trying to thread a needle. In their place, Arkansas went out and got some dogs. All can run between the tackles, have great size, can catch out of the backfield, and have good speed. Couple this with the play-calling of Bobby P., and you have half of what a QB needs to be successful.

TE: This is the other half of what a QB needs to be successful, and Arkansas has it in spades. Like the QB and RB rooms, this position too is deep in talent, and with the leadership of the best TE Coach in the game, Coach Morgan, the sky is the limit. Not to mention three total studs that can do it at an SEC level make Green’s job at QB that much easier.

WR: This group of skill position players is scary deep with SEC-level talent and has speed for days. With Arkansas running 11- and 12-man personnel with their talented TE room and speed on the outside, my question is, who do you double-team? I mean, the defense only has so many men. If you drop back into zone, Arkansas will bust your head with the run. Blitz, and Arkansas busts your head with TE routes. Double team the TE, and you have one-on-one coverage on the outside, and you know what happens then. That’s right: Arkansas is gonna bust yo head.

How, you ask, will Arkansas bust heads with their WRs? There are many answers to that question. Let’s begin with Armstrong. Tall, fast, athletic, with great hands, and a superb route runner. Broden is 6’7”, has size, athleticism, and speed; great for the red zone and 50/50 balls. Then we have burners like Setegna, Anthony (the transfer from A&M), and Bryce Stephens. Not to mention sure-handed guys who are great for underneath work like TeSlaa, who has SEC experience. Add a stable of young, hungry, and very talented guys that will take over the program next year.

The O-Line: I know you are thinking right now, “OK Todd, this is where the wheels come off.” The O-Line last year was trash, and I would agree, but this is not last year’s O-Line. This group is a tight-knit unit that has been upgraded with both coaching and players from the portal. I have faith that these guys will give Green the time to get the ball to one of his many playmakers and open up holes for the talented RB room we have to run roughshod over any SEC defense this year. With Pittman spending his time as the highest-paid O-Line G.A. teaming up with one of the best O-Line Coaches in America, this line will shock and awe. Watch what I say.

Look, last year was last year, and this is no longer a 4-win team taking the field. I have faith in the coaching staff, and more importantly, I have faith in the young men who chose to be a Razorback.

So we have a basement of 7 games. In the next article, we will go over the defense and add some more games to the basement of this team. Until then, Razorback faithful, Woo Pig Sooie, and I’ll see ya then.