Preseason projections have Arkansas parked near the bottom of the SEC, and in most versions of the forecast the Razorbacks are either last or tied for last.
That kind of outlook has become familiar around the program after a 2-10 season and a coaching change to Ryan Silverfield. It’s the same read that Phil Steele, Paul Finebaum and plenty of others around the country have settled on.
But Trey Biddy of HawgSports pushed back on that gloom Wednesday night on Drive Time Sports on 103.7 The Buzz, arguing that the sheer volume of new faces around the program changes the way this team should be viewed.
"All these players are hearing how terrible they are from preseason magazines to talking heads to their own fans about how cooked they are," Biddy said. "And they're all going 'I wasn't here last year.' Like 65 of them are saying that 'I wadn't even here.'
"So, maybe that's better than them hearing how great they are, especially when there are so many new ones hearing that they don't measure up, that they're not good enough, have all this in front of them. I don't know, maybe that's a good thing for them to hear to kind of reject that and build a I'll show you and show myself mentality. That's real, that's what those players are saying right now."
That skepticism is easy to understand, but the idea that Arkansas needs a four-year climb back up doesn’t really fit the way college football works now. Turnarounds can happen fast, and there are plenty of examples beyond the usual headline names.
Kenny Dillingham took Arizona State from 3-9 in 2023 to a Big 12 title, a College Football Playoff berth and a Peach Bowl push against Texas in Year Two. Rhett Lashlee also moved SMU from the middle of the American Conference to a spot where it could compete in the ACC and reach the CFP in just two years.
Silverfield’s challenge is simpler than all the noise around it: play clean football. Avoid turnovers.
Cut down on penalties. Bring full effort every down.
That’s the kind of standard he wants, and it’s the kind of standard he described in an exclusive series with Razorbacks on SI last month.
"Listen, this is kind of a deal of what we're all about," Silverfield told Razorbacks on SI in an exclusive series last month. "The players are bought into it, and it's kind of great.
It's not just corny, it's.. it's who we are. It's our DNA.
It's the fabric of this program.
And the roster does not look empty. Arkansas brought in a transfer class with real quality, added top in-state freshmen such as defensive linemen Danny Beale and Anthony Kennedy, Jr., running back TJ Hodges, wide receiver TJ Hodges and linebacker Jakore Smith, and landed a group of transfers that drew attention from around the country, including SEC rivals.
Among those additions are offensive tackle Bryant Williams, defensive back Jahiem Johnson, defensive tackle Hunter Osborne, wide receiver Chris Marshall, offensive tackle Terence Roberson, defensive back La'Khi Roland, linebacker Steven Soles, and defensive back Khmori House.
There’s also a cluster of former four-stars who haven’t produced much yet but still carry upside: wide receiver Jelani Watkins (LSU), defensive lineman Trajen Odom (Ohio State), defensive lineman Xadavien Sims (Oregon), defensive lineman Carlon Jones (USC), EDGE rusher Jamonta Waller (Auburn), quarterback AJ Hill (Memphis) and running back Jasper Parker (Michigan).
On paper, that doesn’t look like a 2-10 roster. But Arkansas has spent enough time outside the benefit-of-the-doubt lane that this is the kind of projection it gets from regional and national media.
When the Razorbacks have shown signs of life, though, those same outlets have been willing to come around. Brandon Walker of Barstool Sports even walked back his earlier criticism of Arkansas hiring Georgia’s waterboy in Sam Pittman back in 2020. The program spent time in the AP Top 25 from 2021-2022, climbing to No. 8 after beating Texas A&M in 2021 and reaching No. 10 in 2022 after a home win over South Carolina.
Silverfield’s own track record gives Arkansas reason to believe it can move faster than the projections suggest. His résumé includes a 50-25 overall record, a 5-1 mark against Heupel and other SEC coaches, more Power Four wins, more bowl victories and more double-digit win seasons than some of the coaches in the latest carousel.
For now, the Razorbacks are being judged more for what they were than for what they’ve assembled. With the transfers, the returnees and the staff in place, that picture could change quickly.
In Other News...
Dre Greenlaw Just Delivered A Feel Good Razorback Moment In Fayetteville
Dre Greenlaws return to the 49ers has a familiar feel for Arkansas fans who watched him grow from a Fayetteville native into one of the most reliable linebackers to come through the program. After a year with the Broncos, he is headed back to San Francisco on a one-year deal worth $7.5 million, another reminder that the former Razorback has carved out a steady NFL career since the 49ers made him a fifth-round pick in 2019.
Greenlaws connection to Fayetteville has not faded, either. He already made a notable local move by buying a mansion that once belonged to Sam Pittman, a purchase that kept his name tied to the city in a way that goes beyond football. For Arkansas supporters, it is the kind of feel-good update that lands well even as the bigger question is what Greenlaws next chapter in San Francisco will look like. [Read more 🡒]
ESPN Just Settled A Razorbacks Legend Debate Fans Never Dropped
Darren McFaddens Arkansas legacy has never really needed a fresh reminder, but ESPNs latest jersey-number exercise put his college rsum back in the spotlight anyway. The network ranked the best players ever to wear each number, and the former Razorbacks star was the name attached to No. 5, a nod built entirely on what he did in college rather than anything he accomplished after leaving Fayetteville.
For Arkansas fans, the appeal is in the company McFadden was measured against, because this was not a quiet field of candidates. ESPNs list pushed him ahead of a long line of recognizable names, which only reinforces how dominant McFaddens Razorbacks run still looks when stacked against the rest of the sport. His record-setting career at Arkansas already made him a program standard, and this latest ranking is another sign that the debate around his place in college football never really went away. [Read more 🡒]
Calipari May Have Just Solved Arkansas Biggest Roster Problem
Arkansas added a major piece to its future frontcourt plans when Caleb Ourigou committed to the Razorbacks, giving John Calipari another high-end big man to build around. The 6-foot-10 center is ranked No. 55 in the 2027 class and has already drawn more than 25 Division 1 offers after turning heads at elite events, a sign that this was never going to be a quiet recruitment.
What makes the commitment especially interesting for Arkansas is the fit. The Razorbacks have been searching for a more traditional interior presence, and Ourigou brings the kind of size and profile that can change the look of a roster. The only question now is whether the path to Fayetteville opens sooner than expected, which would turn this from a promising future addition into an immediate answer in the middle. [Read more 🡒]