Arkansas is heading into its Week 5 matchup at Texas A&M with a depth chart that looks mostly familiar, and the biggest takeaway is that the Hogs appear to have settled on KJ Jackson as their quarterback.
Jackson is listed atop the quarterback room over AJ Hill, and the note from the week points to a clear shift: he handled a heavy workload and built strong chemistry with starting wideout Chris Marshall. That gives Ryan Silverfield a chance to chase his first signature SEC win when Arkansas goes to Kyle Field.
At running back, Sutton Smith remains the starter, but Cam Settles has moved up the ladder. Against Tulsa, Settles led Arkansas with 11 carries for 40 yards and also showed he can handle pass protection duties. Braylen Russell is still in the mix as well, and he looked more comfortable in the second half against the Golden Hurricane.
The receiver spots are largely unchanged. Marshall stays at WR-X with Antonio Jordan and Courtney Crutchfield behind him, though the staff continues to use the “-or-” designation there.
Jordan played nine snaps against Tulsa, while Crutchfield did not appear. At WR-A, Jamari Hawkins remains listed with Ismael Cisse and Jelani Watkins.
Hawkins has produced six catches for 82 yards in the slot, and Cisse has become Arkansas’ second-leading receiver with seven receptions for 90 yards and two touchdowns. Watkins has also drawn praise for the chances he has gotten.
CJ Brown continues to hold the WR-Z spot, with Donovan Faupel and Monte Harrison behind him.
Tight end and the offensive line remain steady, too. Jaden Platt is still the top tight end, followed by Ty Lockwood and Matt Adcock.
Up front, Kavion Broussard, Malachi Breland, Caden Kitler, Kobe Branham and Bryant Williams remain the starters, and the staff notes that the group has protected the quarterback well. The bigger issue has been creating room in the run game, though that looked better against Tulsa.
Even so, Arkansas is not expecting those same lanes to be there against the Aggies.
The defensive side shows no movement from last week. Quincy Rhodes Jr. is still listed first at end, with Xadavien Sims and Caleb Bell behind him.
At nose tackle, David Oke and Carlon Jones share the top spot, while Hunter Osborne leads at defensive tackle with Trajen Odom and Antonio Sandel-Bascomb behind him. Steven Soles Jr. remains the top JACK, and Bradley Shaw and Ja’Quavion Smith are still the leading linebackers.
In the secondary, Joker Johnson and DJ Hairston are the corners, Miguel Mitchell and Kyeaure Magloire are at safety, Christian Harrison holds down free safety, Shelton Lewis and La’khi Roland are listed at the other corner spot, and Khmori House remains the STAR. There were no changes on defense or special teams for the fourth straight week.
The kicking and specialist roles are unchanged as well. Max Gilbert is still listed at kicker, Gavin Rush and Jesse Ehrlich are at punter and H, Braeden McAllister and Gilbert are listed at kickoff, Adam Johnston remains the long snapper, Jamari Hawkins is the kick returner, and Sutton Smith is the punt returner.
Arkansas and Texas A&M are set for Saturday, Oct. 3 at 6 p.m. CT at Kyle Field in College Station. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN.
In Other News...
Arkansas Has A Real Opening In Texas A&Ms Biggest Weakness
Arkansas heads into its Week 5 matchup with Texas A&M at 2-2, and the timing is interesting after the Razorbacks bounced back with a solid win over Tulsa. There were still some rough edges for KJ Jackson, but the quarterback did show improvement, and that matters as Arkansas looks for signs it can carry momentum into a conference game against a team that just took a loss to LSU.
Marcel Reed has been the bigger concern on the other sideline, with his recent struggles putting Texas A&Ms offense under a brighter spotlight than usual. Mike Elko has already said Reed will remain the starter against Arkansas, which sets up a clear point of attention in a matchup between two teams trying to find some traction early in the season. For Arkansas, the opening is there if its defense can force the issue and keep Reed uncomfortable. [Read more 🡒]
Arkansas Heads To Kyle Field With One Big Offense Question
Arkansas heads to Kyle Field for an SEC matchup that should tell a lot about where the Razorbacks stand after a mixed start, with both teams sitting at 2-2 and coming off conference losses. It is the kind of early-season league game that can nudge a team back into the picture or leave it scrambling to recover, and the on-campus setting only adds to the feel that this one matters a little more than a typical September road trip.
For Arkansas, the larger concern is on offense, where the search for consistency has been the storyline even as the defense has tried to keep things manageable. Texas A&M brings a defense that will force the Razorbacks to prove they can move the ball cleanly and finish drives, and the answer to that question may say plenty about how competitive Arkansas can be as SEC play settles in. [Read more 🡒]
Arkansas Just Got A Better Look At Its Defining SEC Stretch
The calendar is starting to sharpen for Arkansas, and the next major checkpoint is now set: Tennessee comes to Fayetteville on Oct. 10 for a 3:15 p.m. CDT kickoff on SEC Network. It is the kind of midseason game that can help define where the Razorbacks stand in a league race, especially with the rest of the schedule offering a steady run of familiar conference pressure.
From there, the path only gets busier, with Texas A&M, Vanderbilt, Missouri, Auburn, South Carolina, Texas and LSU all still waiting in front of Arkansas. The series history and recent results against those opponents add plenty of texture, but the larger picture is simple enough: this is a stretch that will tell a lot about how well the Razorbacks can hold up once the SEC grind really settles in. [Read more 🡒]