Arkansas seeks another balanced offensive attack at No. 17 Ole Miss

Razorbacks may need high-octane offense to win SEC opener on the road against the Rebels

Arkansas Razorbacks tight end Rohan Jones breaks away from an Arkansas State defender in a game at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, Ark. | Ted McClenning-allHOGS Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Things have been humming along nicely for Arkansas' offense through two games as evidenced by a balanced attack generating 54.0 points per outing.

But the competition for the Razorbacks (2-0) goes up considerably on Saturday.

It's the SEC opener, it's the first road test, and it's against a ranked team in the form of No. 17 Ole Miss.

With all due respect to Alabama A&M and Arkansas State, two foes Arkansas put away by a combined score of 108-21, the Rebels pose a much greater threat with landmines and obstacles every step of the way when the two league foes meet tomorrow for a 6 p.m. kickoff in Oxford, Miss.

Arkansas has question marks on both sides of the ball, but there is a measure of security knowing that offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino's offense is a balanced, ball-moving machine with the potential to score a lot of points. Defensively, the Razorbacks remain somewhat of an enigma.

Combine that with an Ole Miss team (2-0, 1-0 SEC) that is averaging 46.5 points per game, including last week's 30-23 road win over SEC opponent Kentucky, and it could mean Arkansas' offense will need to be firing on all cylinders in hopes of winning a potential shootout to remain unbeaten.

Last season in Petrino's return to Arkansas as the OC, his offensive troops finished Top 10 in the FBS in offensive yards per game, but due to a myriad of struggles with turnovers, lost-yardage plays (i.e. sacks), and penalties, the offense barely finished Top 50 nationally in scoring per game.

Arkansas' best hopes in this contest, and the rest of the way for that matter, fall primarily on the shoulders of senior quarterback Taylen Green.

Green has totaled 752 yards and 11 touchdowns on offense. That's 561 yards, 10 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions on 41-of-57 passing, plus 192 yards and 1 touchdown on the ground.

Now in his second season at Arkansas after transferring from Boise State in the offseason in 2024, Green has a propensity to make big plays both with his arm and his legs, but he also has a knack for racking up negative plays, such as turnovers, taking sacks, and misfiring on routine pass plays.

He was on the field at Razorback Stadium last season when Ole Miss came to town and embarrassed Arkansas on its home turf, 63-31.

But two things. One is, Green did not play the entire game because it got out of hand early and Arkansas coach Sam Pittman turned to his reserves midway through the third quarter. Perhaps Green is eager to prove he can lead his team better this time around.

Secondly, the star of that game was Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart, who threw for a school record in passing yards (515) and touchdowns (6) but has since departed for the NFL.

Now, Green is the veteran QB in the 2025 version of this matchup as Ole Miss has question marks at the same position due the health status of sophomore starter Austin Simmons, who injured an ankle in his team's win over Kentucky on Saturday. Senior backup QB Trinidad Chambliss came in to relieve Simmons against the Wildcats, completing 4-of-6 passes for 59 yards.

But Green obviously needs help from his stable of skill-position offensive weapons.

Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback Taylen Green (10) passes in the second quarter against the Arkansas State Red Wolves at War Memorial Stadium. | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

Razorbacks receivers are fast and have impressed with YAC

Last season, Green had a security blanket in the form of veteran wideout Andrew Armstrong, who was a consistent chain-mover and high-volume producer in receptions and yards per game.

It seems now Green has more of an arsenal, a speedy one at that, when looking at the receiver and tight end corps.

The Razorbacks are averaging 333.5 yards per game passing, and 11 of their 15 total touchdowns have come through the air.

Through two games, four Arkansas receivers each have at least five receptions. A total of 10 pass-catchers each have multiple receptions, and seven Hogs have at least one touchdown reception with four each having two touchdown catches.

Six pass-catchers each have at least one reception of 25 yards or more, and most of those have been underneath routes that turned into big yards-after-catch plays.

Senior transfer receiver O'Mega Blake leads the way with 12 receptions for 185 yards and two touchdowns. He's checking boxes as a possession receiver, playmaker, and scorer.

Receivers CJ Brown (7 receptions, 85 yards, two touchdowns); Raylen Sharpe (5 receptions, 84 yards, two touchdowns); and Jalen Brown (six receptions, 74 yards, two touchdowns) are next in the positive impact and production pecking order.

Tight ends Rohan Jones (two receptions, 74 yards, one touchdown); Jaden Platt (three receptions, 46 yards); and Andreas Paaske (two receptions, 19 yards, one touchdown) have all contributed meaningful plays in the passing game.

Arkansas Razorbacks tight end Rohan Jones running after making a catch against the Arkansas State Red Wolves at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, Ark. | Ted McClenning-allHOGS Images

Razorbacks running game has popped big plays

Arkansas is averaging 257.5 yards per game on the ground on 34.5 carries (7.5 yards per carry) with four rushing touchdowns.

Green is a known commodity as a dual-threat quarterback, and through two games he's averaging 10.7 yards per carry. 

He led Arkansas in rushing (151 yards, including a 64-yard touchdown romp, on nine carries) in the team's historic 56-14 win over Arkansas State on Saturday at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.

Lining up behind Green in the backfield are a quintet of running backs that have collectively been productive while not signaling just yet who's capable of being a workhorse, or an every-down back, or reliably productive once the competition stiffens.

Senior transfer Mike Wasington, Jr. (6-2, 223 pounds) showed explosive playmaking ability in fall camp scrimmages, and so far as the starter at running back his explosiveness has translated to games, but in limited opportunities. 

He notched his first 100-yard rushing performance as a Razorback against A-State on Saturday, compiling 116 yards on the ground, including a 53-yard sprint for a touchdown on the second play of the game, on nine carries.

In the Hogs' 52-7 win over Alabama A&M in the season-opener on Aug. 30 at Razorbacks Stadium in Fayetteville, Washington had a 27-yard touchdown catch-and-run reception that came a play after he authored a 30-yard run.

Through two games, Washington has rushed for a team-leading 195 yards to go with one touchdown on only 18 carries (10.8 yards per carry), and he has two receptions for 26 yards and one touchdown. Combined, he's racked up 221 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns on only 20 total touches.

Next up on the running back depth chart is sophomore Braylen Russell (a.k.a. the Benton Bulldozer). 

At 6-1, 238 pounds, Russell has been challenged by his coaches to run with better balance and physicality, and at least on one play in the first half against ASU he brought both elements as he bowled over multiple Red Wolves defenders for a seven-yard touchdown run.

Through the first two contests, Russell has totaled 66 rushing yards and one touchdown on 16 carries (4.1 yards per carry) to go with two receptions for 17 yards. 

Providing depth behind Washington and Russell are a couple of veterans with a combined six seasons as Razorbacks (includes the current 2025 campaign), plus a freshman from Little Rock.

Through the first two games, junior running back Rodney Hill (5-10, 195 pounds) has 37 yards on sevn carries (5.3 yards per tote) with a long run of 18 yards against ASU on Saturday; senior running back AJ Green (5-10, 210 pounds) has 11 yards on three carries including a long run of 12 yards with his only game appearance so far coming against Alabama A&M; and freshman running back Cam Settles (5-11, 204 pounds) recorded five yards on one carry against Alabama A&M.

Backup quarterback KJ Jackson has appeared in both games and contributed 21 yards rushing and one touchdown on three carries.