Five Reasons for Concern for Arkansas Razorbacks in 2026

Silverfield addressed several roster needs through the transfer portal, questions still abound

Arkansas Razorbacks coach Ryan Silverfield talks to his team after the spring game at Razorback Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — There's plenty of work to be done for Arkansas to field a competitive football team this fall.

On paper, the Razorbacks' first-year coaching staff identified several key areas to improve upon during the offseason such as gutting the secondary and adding much needed depth along the defensive line.

Coach Ryan Silverfield also made sure to add depth at running back beyond former 4-star Braylen Russell. Overall quality depth is key to any team, but especially those having to face grueling schedules composed of now nine-game gauntlets like the SEC has now.

Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback AJ Hill (2) throws a pass during the spring game at Razorback Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Pass Game Consistency

The Razorbacks enter fall camp with a quarterback battle on its hands between redshirt sophomore KJ Jackson and redshirt freshman AJ Hill.

Between the two passers, they combine for one start with Jackson having more experience in the SEC with extensive playing time to close the season against Texas and Missouri. He was pretty steady during his five appearances last season, completing 33-of-54 passes for 441 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.

While he might have a leg up on Hill there, it's the Memphis transfer going into his second year in a system he's fairly familiar in under offensive coordinator Tim Cramsey.

Neither quarterbacks provides Arkansas with the same kind of spark previous dual-threats such as KJ Jefferson and Taylen Green had in the running game. That means efficiency in the passing game at all levels of the field better be above average.

There are concerns about both Jackson and Hill's accuracy on deep passes, which is a must have in the SEC or defenses will force the Hogs' offense into being one dimensional.

Arkansas Razorbacks wide receiver CJ Brown (3) scores a touchdown in the first quarter against the Alabama A&M Bulldogs at Razorback Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

No Surefire WR1

The talk all offseason has been about whether or not the quarterbacks can get it done, and they won't if neither of them can identify a go-to option in the passing game.

Plenty of chips have been placed on transfer wideout Chris Marshall, who returns to the SEC for his fifth year in the college game. He hasn't quite lived up to the hype of being a former No. 1 recruit, but has one last chance to get it done.

But what if he can't? There's CJ Brown, who finished fourth on the team last year as a sophomore with 28 receptions for 319 yards and three touchdowns.

Transfers such as Jamari Hawkins (Memphis) and Donovan Faupel (New Mexico State) could emerge as top options. However, they've played more WR2 or WR3 roles at their previous institutions.

Arkansas does have a couple of Natural State natives that hardly saw the field last season in Courtney Crutchfield and Antonio Jordan. Fans are hopeful spring praise from coaches and teammates translate into bigger roles for them this fall.

Arkansas Razorbacks running back Cam Settles (27) tries to get around linebacker Ben Bogle (44) during the spring game at Razorback Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Depth at Linebacker

There's Bradley Shaw as the man at middle linebacker and North Carolina transfer Khmori House (expected to play a hybrid role). That's it.

West Virginia transfer Ben Bogle played in all 12 regular season games for the Mountaineers in 2025, posting 37 tackles, five tackles for loss, three sacks and one forced fumble as a redshirt junior.

An FCS All-American at Southern Illinois in 2024, he was a standout in the Missouri Valley Conference with 87 tackles,16.5 tackles for loss (No. 1 MVC), 5.5 sacks, two interceptions and a fumble recovery.

He was instrumental in the Red Team's 14-13 victory in the spring game by recording a game-high 10 tackles.

The most intriguing position is the "JACK" which consists of Charlie Collins, Steven Soles, Jamonta Waller and Trent Sellers to create chaos in opposing backfields. With the Razorbacks transitioning to more of a 3-4 defensive look, new coordinator Ron Roberts will need value from them to improve off its 22 sacks last in 2025.

Has The Culture Really Changed?

Every new coach in any sport will say that changing culture following a coaching change is the biggest part of a coaching transition. For the Razorbacks and Silverfield it couldn't be any truer given Arkansas is coming off a 2-10 season.

The overall record doesn't tell the whole story either, especially given how six of those losses came about with multiple turnovers in the final moments of the fourth quarter. Arkansas was forced into 20 turnovers last year (11 interceptions, nine fumbles) with only one player who committed a turnover last season returning in 2026.

Silverfield's staff bring in more than 80 new faces to its roster this season with up to 20 transfers having extensive starting experience at the college level. This level of roster cleansing is unprecedented but much needed in order to get the program back on track.

Arkansas Razorbacks coach Ryan Silverfield looks on during the spring game at Razorback Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Talent Gap Between Hogs, Everyone Else

Arkansas' biggest challenge won't be what takes place this offseason, but the talent disparity between them and most of their opponents. Unless things completely crumble against North Alabama and Tulsa, those should be easy rent-a-wins on the schedule.

From a talent standpoint, the separation between Arkansas and its SEC brethren widens considerably throughout the year. Utah and Vanderbilt provide opportunities to pick up a couple of wins but each game is on the road, which neutralizes the Razorbacks' slim competitive advantage.

Auburn holds an edge when it comes to former 4-stars (33 to 28), but do have three more 5-stars on its roster for first-year coach Alex Golesh. With a slightly better roster over the previous three seasons at USF, Silverfield still holds a 3-0 head-to-head record against the Tigers new coach.

Perhaps that means good coaching still matters when it comes talent differences.

Recruiting stars don't decide games, but they do show just how difficult Arkansas' 2026 schedule is.

Here's a look at the total roster talent the Razorbacks will face this season based on each player's highest recruiting rating across the four major recruiting services. pic.twitter.com/VGbACAb9Mv

— Jacob Davis (@jacobdaviscfb) June 26, 2026

While the game will take place on the road at Jordan-Hare, the Razorbacks have been fortunate to win the previous two games on The Plains in 2022 and 2024. While it should be three in a row, there's no reason to hash out on Bo Nix's backwards lateral that was ultimately ruled a spike in 2020.

It's unnecessary at this point.

Arkansas will face South Carolina, a team that has severely underachieved in comparison to its talent level under sixth-year coach Shane Beamer. With a combined 48 former four and five star recruits at the Gamecocks disposal, there's no reason to expect less than eight regular season wins.

But that's why games are played on the field and with this one taking place inside Razorback Stadium this fall, this could be a great going away gift if Beamer rides in on the hot seat in mid-November.

Tennessee also has a respectable advantage with a six 5-stars and 43 4-stars on its roster. Fifth-year coach Josh Heupel is in search of a return to the playoffs, and while there's plenty of talent available for him, there is an inexperience factor at several positions, including his area of expertise at quarterback, to believe anything better than nine wins is attainable.

Silverfield holds a head-to-head advantage over Heupel with the only head-to-head meeting coming in 2020 between Memphis and UCF. That game is remembered as a high-scoring 50-49 affair where the Tigers erased a 12 point deficit in the final 5:29 of regulation to pick up the win at the Bounce House.

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