Arkansas is sticking with the same offensive setup for now, even as other programs around college football are making changes without hesitation.
Offensive coordinator Tim Cramsey remains in place, despite a Razorbacks attack that keeps producing head-scratching decisions and underwhelming numbers. The frustration starts with the way the offense is being handled, including rolling left-handed quarterback KJ Jackson to his right because he “feels comfortable” doing it. That hasn’t translated into success when Jackson has thrown across his body this season.
The play-calling has only added to the confusion. One sequence that stood out came after Cam Settles ripped off a 46-yard run to get Arkansas into the red zone, only for the offense to follow with a draw on third-and-six.
The results have been just as ugly as the process. Arkansas ranks No. 120 nationally in scoring offense at 20 points per game and No. 116 in total offense at 337.9 yards per game. The Razorbacks have also committed 14 turnovers, which ranks No. 109 among FBS teams.
Around the country, other schools have already decided enough is enough. Michigan moved on from first-year offensive coordinator Jason Beck after his offense managed only six points against a two-win Michigan State team. The Wolverines are sitting at No. 126 in scoring offense with 19.6 points per game.
Nebraska made its own change after another loss in Lincoln, parting ways with OC Dana Holgorsen after a fourth straight defeat on Friday night against Illinois. His offense had failed to score more than 17 points in four straight games and had topped 35 points only once since he took over play-calling duties ahead of the USC game in 2024.
Oklahoma also made a move last week, firing Ben Arbuckle after just over 1.5 seasons in Norman. Arbuckle had once been viewed as a rising name in coaching after his Washington State offenses averaged more than 34 points per game, including 36.6 per game in 2024, which ranked No. 6 nationally. But after inheriting an Oklahoma offense that already had issues in 2024, the production slid further this season, with the Sooners finishing No. 79 in scoring and No. 92 in total offense last year before dropping to No. 108 in scoring and No. 113 in total offense this season.
Colorado State also showed how quickly things can shift, with defensive coordinator Tyson Summers having his play-calling duties taken away on Oct. 3 in a year when coordinator changes have come early.
For Arkansas, though, the approach has been to stay the course. That decision falls to Silverfield, and so does whatever comes after the season.
The argument against patience is getting harder to ignore. Arkansas fans are already running low on trust, and waiting for the offense to “work out the kinks” doesn’t carry much weight anymore. Other programs with similar resources - Kentucky, UCLA, Oklahoma State, Utah and South Carolina - are finding ways to get more out of their situations.
Even Sam Pittman recognized the need for an in-season change when he fired OC Dan Enos in 2023. That move eventually helped produce a win at Florida, but it also served as a relief for a fanbase worn down by repeated disappointment.
This time, an in-season change does not appear to be coming. And like the so-called review of the football program’s resources, there’s no real clarity and no sign that fans should expect an update anytime soon.
In Other News...
Arkansas Suddenly Has A Playoff Path Fans Have Never Seen
The College Football Playoff is about to look very different, and for Arkansas fans, the change opens a door that has rarely felt this wide. Starting next year, the field expands to 24 teams, with first- and second-round games on campus and automatic spots reserved for every regular-season champion from the power conferences. It is the kind of shift that changes how teams are judged in November, and how fan bases think about what is possible.
Ryan Silverfield has already pointed to the added opportunity, and CFP executive director Rich Clark has framed the move as a way to give more teams and more fans a real stake in the postseason. For Arkansas, the significance is obvious: the path to the national championship tournament just got more accessible, even if the new format still leaves plenty of work to be done before anyone in Fayetteville can start thinking beyond the regular season. [Read more 🡒]
Arkansas Faces A Brutal Test It Still Hasn't Proved It Can Pass
Arkansas is heading into its Nov. 14 matchup with South Carolina carrying the kind of concerns that tend to linger after a rough stretch of games. The Razorbacks have shown they can move the ball in spurts, but finishing drives and holding up late have been recurring issues, and those flaws get magnified against a team that can make opponents pay for every mistake.
South Carolina brings a different sort of challenge with LaNorris Sellers, whose ability to stress defenses as an athletic quarterback has already forced plenty of adjustments around the league. Arkansas will need cleaner offensive execution and far better discipline on defense to handle the Gamecocks style, and the bigger question is whether the Razorbacks can sustain both long enough to turn this into a winnable home game. [Read more 🡒]
Arkansas Still Has One Frustrating Problem In The Backfield
Arkansas ground game had its moments in the 26-23 loss to Auburn, but it also looked a lot like the kind of unit that can swing from productive to stagnant in a hurry. The Razorbacks finished with 172 rushing yards, though much of that came on two long runs, and Cam Settles led the way with 100 yards on 16 carries as the staff kept cycling through backs to find a rhythm.
Ryan Silverfield acknowledged the boom-or-bust nature of the run game afterward, and it is hard to ignore how much the offense still leans on explosive plays to cover for the stretches where it gets bottled up. The bigger issue now is whether Arkansas can clean up the details that keep those drives from becoming more consistent, especially the tackling for loss that can turn a promising series into another empty possession. [Read more 🡒]