Arkansas football’s first fall camp under Ryan Silverfield arrives on Aug. 5, and the clock starts ticking fast. With roughly two dozen practices and two scrimmages to sort through a roster that has been turned over in a major way, the Razorbacks have plenty to settle before the Sept. 5 opener against North Alabama.
The biggest job on Silverfield’s desk starts at quarterback. KJ Jackson and Memphis transfer AJ Hill are both in the mix, and the offense won’t really take shape until one of them separates from the pack.
Jackson’s numbers in limited action for Arkansas were solid: 33 completions on 54 attempts for 441 yards, three passing touchdowns, plus 52 rushing yards and two more scores. Hill’s Memphis stint was quieter, with 19 completions on 32 attempts for 223 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
Still, Hill brings the advantage of already knowing Silverfield and offensive coordinator Tim Cramsey’s system, which gives him a real shot to push for the job.
That quarterback decision ties directly into the larger question of how quickly this offense can find an identity. The longer Silverfield waits to make the call, the longer it takes for the Hogs to build the kind of chemistry they need.
Wide receiver is another spot where Arkansas is still sorting out its pecking order. Memphis transfer Jamari Hawkins, Boise State transfer Chris Marshall, CJ Brown and Ismael Cisse are all in the mix for major roles, and the depth chart is wide open.
Hawkins brings a proven production track record after catching 38 passes for 623 yards and two touchdowns last season, good for second on Memphis in both receptions and receiving yards. Marshall may have the most explosive upside in the room after putting up 574 yards on 30 catches at Boise State and averaging more than 19 yards per grab.
Brown and Cisse give the Razorbacks returning options as they try to build a rotation that can actually stick.
At running back, Arkansas may have its best-looking depth on the roster. Braylen Russell flashed real potential last season, and now he’s paired with Sutton Smith, another Memphis transfer who could fit neatly beside him.
Smith posted 102 carries for 669 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground, then added 20 receptions for 109 yards. His quickness and change-of-pace style give him a different look from Russell’s bruising, downhill approach, and that combination could give Silverfield something useful to work with.
The transfer influx is impossible to ignore. Arkansas brought in roughly 80 new players, including more than 40 transfers, and seven of them followed Silverfield from Memphis: AJ Hill, Sutton Smith, Jamari Hawkins, Matt Adcock, Malachi Breland, Josiah Clemons and Ian Williams.
Breland looks like the safest bet to start at left guard, while Hawkins and Smith are positioned for major roles. Hill is in the quarterback battle, and Adcock, Clemons and Williams will try to move up the depth chart during camp.
Beyond that group, newcomers such as Chris Marshall, Bryant Williams, Hunter Osborne, David Oke, Khmori House and Christian Harrison could also crack the first team. By the time North Alabama arrives, it would not be a shock if transfers make up most of the starting lineup.
On defense, Quincy Rhodes is the name Arkansas can build around. The edge rusher was a Second Team All-SEC defensive end last season and earned the same preseason recognition from the SEC Media.
He’s the clear headliner for a defense now run by coordinator Ron Roberts, but the Hogs need more than one star to make the unit work. Bradley Shaw should help at linebacker, and Khmori House brings a hybrid skill set that gives Roberts options at nickel.
The secondary, though, is still very much under construction, with transfers expected to fill nearly every starting spot. If opponents can simply key on Rhodes, Arkansas will have a hard time generating pressure on SEC quarterbacks no matter what Roberts schemes up.
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