Page 7 - Arkansas Football August 2017

Sunday, August 27, 2017 Arkansas Democrat-Gazette 7K
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UA position analysis By Tom Murphy
m A position-by-position look at the 2017 Arkansas Razorbacks:
OFFENSE
Quarterback
Austin Allen, with one season as an SEC starter in the books, has shown he be- longs in the upper crust of quarterbacks in the conference and country. Allen complet- ed 245 of 401 passes for 3,430 yards, with 25 TDs and 15 INTs. A substantial reduction in interceptions and sacks taken, as well as an uptick in his 61.1 percent completions, should be expected as a senior. A projected improvement in pass protection will help. Ty Storey (1 of 4, 3 yards in 2016) and red- shirt freshman Cole Kelley are the options at No. 2. Each has been given more time with the starters than in last year’s camp, when every snap was critical for Allen. Freshman Daulton Hyatt seems certain to redshirt. Walk-ons Jack Lindsey and Car- son Proctor had big moments in camp.
Running back
How do you adjust and move on when your returning 1,360-yard rusher is injured on the final day of spring practice and is forced to retire from football? The Ra-
zorbacks are about to find out. Rawleigh Williams averaged 5.6 yards per carry and scored 12 touchdowns to go along with the third-highest rushing total in the SEC. His injury propelled sophomore Devwah Whaley (110 carries, 602 yards, 3 TDs, 5.5 ypc) to the top of the chart. Whaley had two 100-yard games and came on strong at season’s end. He’s the prototype power runner for a Bielema offense. David Wil- liams, a graduate transfer from South Car- olina, looks on track to be the tandem back with Whaley. Freshman Chase Hayden has impressed in scrimmages and practice with his speed, wiggle and tackle-breaking, even on inside runs. The rookie should play a solid role. His classmate, Maleek Wil- liams, also is off to a strong start, but he might have a reduced role because his traits are similar to Whaley and David Williams. Fullbacks Kendrick Jackson and Hayden Johnson should be key blockers in what is expected to be a more physical run game.
Receiver
This unit was light on experience even before senior Jared Cornelius was shelved a couple of days into camp with a tight back. Receivers coach Michael Smith said
Arkansas depth chart
OFFENSE WIDE RECEIVER
DEFENSE LEFT END
So. 6-3 286
Jr. 6-5 309
NOSE GUARD
Sr. 6-1 339 So. 6-4 300
RIGHT END
So. 6-3 290
RS Fr. 6-2 279
1 Jared Cornelius 10 Jordan Jones
74 Colton Jackson 76 Paul Ramirez
51 Hjalte Froholdt 50 Jake Raulerson
72 Frank Ragnow 75 Zach Rogers
62 Johnny Gibson 79 Jalen Merrick
60 Brian Wallace 57 Shane Clenin
44 Austin Cantrell
85 Cheyenne O’Grady
Sr.
RS Fr.
LEFT TACKLE
So.
Sr.
LEFT GUARD
Jr. Sr.
CENTER
Sr.
Jr.
5-11 6-1
6-5 6-5
6-5 6-4
6-5
6-1
192 185
298 308
311 313
317 309
333 322
337 300
264 253
162 219
220 182
215 212 268
253 256
216 229
164 173
3 McTelvin Agim 90 Armon Watts
78 Bijhon Jackson 41 Austin Capps
52 T.J. Smith
7 Briston Guidry
WIDE RECEIVER
13 Deon Stewart So. 5-11 5 Brandon Martin So. 6-4
WIDE RECEIVER
16 La’Michael Pettway So. 6-2
Sr. 6-1 252
So. 6-3 239
CORNERBACK
Jr. 5-11 196
Fr. 6-1 193
FREE SAFETY
Jr. 6-2 198
Jr. 5-9 201
STRONG SAFETY
Sr. 6-1 211
Sr. 6-1 211
CORNERBACK
Sr. 6-1 185
So. 6-1 179
NICKELBACK
Sr. 5-11 185 Sr. 6-1 211
PUNTER
7 Jonathan Nance
8 Austin Allen 4 Ty Storey* 15 Cole Kelley*
34 Kendrick Jackson 32 Hayden Johnson
21 Devwah Whaley 33 David Williams
9 Cole Hedlund 92 Blake Mazza
Jr. 6-0
QUARTERBACK
RIGHT GUARD
Jr. 6-4
So. 6-4
RIGHT TACKLE
8 De’Jon Harris 33 Dee Walker
MIDDLE LINEBACKER
So. 6-0 242
RS Fr. 6-2 215
WEAK-SIDE LINEBACKER
Jr. Fr.
TIGHT END
So.
So.
6-6 6-6
6-3
6-4
23 Dre Greenlaw Jr. 6-0 229 31 Grant Morgan RS Fr. 5-11 220
“HOG” OUTSIDE LINEBACKER
Sr. So. RS Fr.
FULLBACK
Jr.
So.
6-1 6-2 6-7
6-0
6-2
RUNNING BACK
So. 5-11
Sr. 6-1
PLACE KICKER
Jr. 5-10 Fr. 5-8
So. 6-1 185 Fr. 5-8 173
“RAZOR” OUTSIDE LINEBACKER
10 Randy Ramsey Jr. 6-4 228 35 Dwayne Eugene Sr. 6-1 240
96 Karl Roesler
6 Gabe Richardson
11 Ryan Pulley 2 Kamren Curl
9 Santos Ramirez 38 Reid Miller
20 De’Andre Coley 28 Josh Liddell
5 Henre Toliver 14 Britto Tutt
30 Kevin Richardson 28 Josh Liddell
18 Blake Johnson
92 Blake Mazza
*UA had not named a backup quarterback as of press time.