Arkansas desperately missing late non-conference game on schedule

Razorbacks needing to look at younger players that haven't seen field often — if at all this season

Arkansas Razorbacks running back Mike Washington stiff-arms an Arkansas State Red Wolves defender at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, Ark. | Ted McClenning-allHOGS Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The SEC had it figured out.

The conference ran with eight conference games and a non-conference game against a Power Four with the other slots filled in by Group of Five teams and FCS neighbors in need of an influx of cash.

One of the big issues other conferences had with this was the non-conference game against a weak opponent that took place each year in November.

Nothing stopped those conferences from moving a non-conference game to November other than an odd idea that there was a point of pride to be had by only playing conference games that late. It was silly of them to not follow suit.

The reason for this was it not only offered a bit of relief for starters beat up in the grind of the SEC, but it was also a buffer to losing streaks that offered coaches a chance to turn things around late with an injection of positivity.

However, most importantly, it gave a chance for coaches and fans to see the development of key back-ups who will potentially be the anchors for next season.

Either there was a clear on-field reason to get excited about a player sticking around or a good reason to not get too worked up if a player left in the portal.

Unfortunately for Arkansas, that game is gone from the schedule and it has never been needed more. The Hogs could use a win of any kind just to say a victory actually happened around here.

More importantly, there is a desperate need to know certain things about players Arkansas has to not only show are wanted, but what they might bring with a return.

Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback KJ Jackson on the field against the Texas A&M Aggies at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark. | Ted McClenning-allHOGS Images

KJ Jackson

No one has a clue what Jackson brings to the table as the future at quarterback.

Because of how close things have been all year, along with the persistent health of starter Taylen Green, no one knows if Jackson has anything in regard to being good enough to start in the SEC.

At this point in the season, he should be more than developed enough to step in as a starter with little to no drop off.

However, because of the change in schedule structure, there is a good chance the season ends with Arkansas not only having no clue what it has at quarterback in Jackson, but he has no feeling of being wanted as a Razorback.

He is currently 6-of-8 for 109 yards and a touchdown. Against Power Four teams, he is 1-of-1 for three yards in his career.

There's not much to derive from that information. He needs a late season game where he can get in three quarters of work to put something on tape in a game situation.

Right now, all anyone has to work with is the word of former coach Sam Pittman that Jackson is the man going forward at that position beginning next year.

Not even the media can tell anyone anything. All we have seen is a couple of weeks of warm-up throws in basic drills for maybe three total hours worth of viewing on repeat over a few weeks in the summer.

Arkansas Razorbacks wide receiver Antonio Jordan makes a catch during fall camp practices on the outdoor practice fields in Fayetteville, Ark. | Andy Hodges-Hogs On SI Images

Antonio Jordan

Remember the 6-foot-6, 235-pound monster receiver from Warren who wowed the coaches each practice this past summer? Perhaps not.

No one but the coaches saw him do anything because he suffered a high ankle sprain and fell off the map.

There was an expectation that he would have a learning curve since he didn't join the team until August practices began, but his raw athletic ability was supposed to be a guarantee he would get a few balls his way each game.

The injury apparently lasted longer than expected. Jordan appeared against Auburn and Texas A&M, but it's not clear in what capacity. He generated no stats and doesn't appear in hand-written notes taken in those games.

He is supposed to be the future in a big way at the position. A late season non-conference game is exactly what he needs to get on the map and convince coaches to give him more of a run on the field.

Even if he made one catch followed by a run with his large frame, it would drive excitement for his future.

Arkansas Razorbacks wide receiver Courtney Crutchfield on the field against the LSU Tigers in Baton Rouge, La. | Arkansas Communications

Courtney Crutchfield

The general consensus is Crutchfield simply isn't going to work out as a receiver.

Even in the limited time media members could see him this summer it was clear he wasn't going to be a factor in the passing game and coaches openly didn't speak well of his prospects.

However, a late non-conference week in a busted season would have been a great spot to see if he can do something as a defensive back.

There is hope he might could transition well like Quincey McAdoo did a few years ago.

The Hogs desperately need someone who can hold onto a pick and turn the momentum of the game.

The positive of McAdoo was he not only had good hands and a stronger sense of where receivers were going, but he also liked to hit.

He was well on his way to the NFL before his car crash. At 6-foot-2, 195 pounds, Crutchfield has the size to be a good defensive back who can structurally handle hitting guys over and over.

The only question is whether he has the mentality. It would have been nice to have had a game before Texas where the staff could test him out and see.

If he showed an aptitude for it, then going up against Arch Manning in his second game at defensive back would have been a good test because Manning is going to throw potential interceptions.

That's not going to happen though. That all would have been valuable information that would be huge in formulating what next season could look like while finally giving Hogs fans something to get excited about.

Instead, the SEC added an extra conference game that has done nothing to help teams' odds to get into the playoffs. The selection committee has made it clear bad losses matter way more than good wins.

All the nine SEC game format has done is eliminate teams while minimizing needed information and added health problems created by an extra weekend of high level pounding without a break.

Hogs fans are, instead, left with another potential one-score loss that is going to tell them nothing, thus removing all of its value.