There is bit of trivia Arkansas fans have been offered as faint optimism: In his fifth year at Wisconsin, Bret Bielema went 11-2 and were a Big 10 power. This is his fifth year at Arkansas. This is, however, not the Big 10 of those days. And Austin Allen is not Russell Wilson, the Wisconsin QB on an 11-3 team the following year. Allen, a senior, has untested wideouts and no longer has the luxury of handing the ball to Rawleigh Williams III (1,320 rushing yards in 2016), who quit football in the spring after a second frightening neck injury. The defense is making the transition to a 3-4 look and the kicking game is being rebuilt. History repeating in this fifth year seems unlikely.
Head Coach: Bret Bielema (fifth year at Arkansas, 25-26)
Coordinators: Dan Enos (offense), Paul Rhoads (defense)
Social Media: www.arkansasrazorbacks.com, @RazorbackFB, @BretBielema
2016 Record: 7-6 overall, 3-5 in SEC; lost to Virginia Tech in Belk Bowl
2017 Schedule:
- Aug 31 vs. Florida A&M (in Little Rock)
- Sept. 9 TCU
- Sept. 16 OFF
- Sept. 23 vs. Texas A&M (in Arlington)
- Sept. 30 New Mexico State
- Oct. 7 at South Carolina
- Oct. 14 at Alabama
- Oct. 21 Auburn
- Oct. 28 at Ole Miss
- Nov. 4 Coastal Carolina
- Nov. 11 at LSU
- Nov. 18 Mississippi State
- Nov. 24 Missouri
Circle The Date: The Sept. 23 “neutral site” game at JerryWorld against Texas A&M can give the winner a leg up for a top bowl game and maybe to play spoiler in SEC West
Top Returnees: C Frank Ragnow, QB Austin Allen, LB Dre Greenlaw, WR Jared Cornelius, DB Josh Lidell
Will Win SEC West If…: Allen emerges as an All-SEC caliber quarterback, the defense tightens up and disaster befalls teams above Hogs who are simply much more talented and experienced.
What They Said: “I feel really good about where we’re at. Obviously, the end of last season was a unique situation for me (losing three of four) … our last two games were not highlights, especially the way they both ended. … Our kids have been great. They’ve owned and embraced what we didn’t do well at the end of the year. Focused on what we can do well. We’re going to focus on winning games in the second half, not losing them, putting our best personnel on the field, no matter how that comes about, and then really trying to play and understand what it means to be at Arkansas and have that come through.” – Bret Bielema
What We Say: Fourth in SEC West, Independence Bowl