Position Analysis: Hogs running backs have plenty proving to do

Without a home run hitter, Razorbacks will find tough time fielding solid rushing attack

Arkansas Razorbacks running back Braylen Russell during spring practice drills inside Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark. | Nilsen Roman-Hogs on SI Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas' group of running backs could be the biggest question mark ahead of the 2025 season.

There's one potential bell cow in Braylen Russell back for his sophomore season after flip-flopping his decision to enter the transfer portal twice.

Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman basically said in December that if you leave on good terms and portaling doesn't go well, he will take the player back, respectively.

That's just the way it is during the modern day of college football where everyone is a free agent.

Russell is very talented and showed as much during the early portions of the 2024 season, rushing for 354 yards (5.3 yards per carry) and three touchdowns.

He was steady with the rock, a force out front and a reliable option carrying the football with no fumbles last season, a rare feat for a team that played hot potato with the ball 28 times.

During the offseason, Russell took the weight room and nutrition extra seriously as he dropped to 238 pounds from the 250 he played at as a freshman.

"I've dropped my weight down, trying to take things serious this year weight-wise and playbook-wise," Russell said in March. "Cutting out fast food, late-night snacks and all that. I used to get hungry and just go eat, where now I’m more disciplined, trying to drop weight."

Russell has become the leader in the running back room with both Ja'Quinden Jackson (graduation) and Rashod Dubinion (transfer to Appalachian State) moving on after the 2024 season.

In need of a vocal leader, teacher and great teammate, Russell showed leadership qualities of an upperclassman in the spring.

"Leadership comes natural, but also with the help of Ja’Quinden Jackson last year and Rashod Dubinion," Russell said. "When I was a young guy last year, they would do the same thing. So just following in their footsteps, what they taught me last year and applying it to my game this year with trying to help the young guys and the dudes that don’t know how things roll here quite yet."

One new face in the room fans aren't super familiar with yet is New Mexico transfer Mike Washington, who has been around the Group of Five scene for a bit.

The 6-foot-2, 223 pound tailback has enough quickness and agility to make multiple men miss in space, something Worth said he witnessed firsthand in spring practice.

"Mike is one of those running backs, man, I’ve have to strap up for real. I have to put my mouthpiece in, put some air in my helmet, like for real."

Arkansas Razorbacks running back Mike Washington Jr., during spring drills on the outdoor practice fields in Fayetteville, Ark. | Andy Hodges-Hogs on SI Images

"If I don’t come correct with Mike I’m going to get embarrassed. I truly appreciate Mike. He has definitely made me better this spring and I can’t wait to see what he does in the fall."

He has stitched together a solid small school career with 2,088 yards of total offense and 20 touchdowns between time spent at Buffalo and New Mexico.

In limited attempts against FBS competition, Washington has rushed just 32 times for 122 yards.

One benefit of Washington transferring to Arkansas is he will run behind an offensive line with plenty experience from left tackle to center. There is promise on the right side with E'Marion Harris and Shaq McRoy, but they aren't proven commodities at this point.

"The difference between the G5 level and playing in the SEC is along the offensive and defensive lines," Washington said. "They can move faster. They’re more twitchier at defensive end. But, at the end of the day, it’s competing."

For his career, Washington has averaged just over four yards per carry. The combination of his speed and hope for a better offensive line could potentially display how explosive he can be with Russell.

"The way [Russell] runs, strong, powerful, downhill runner, I kind of have that same attribute with a little more speed," Washington said. "With that, it’s just a 1-2 punch that I feel like is a very dangerous combo."

Behind both of them stands redshirt junior Rodney Hill, who fought an injury last season but still managed to rush for a career-high seven yards per carry, 184 yards and two touchdowns in 2024.

Hill can contribute in the passing game, averaging nine yards on eight receptions last season.

Arkansas Razorbacks running back Rodney HIll takes a handoff during a drill in practice this week in Fayetteville, Ark. | Andy Hodges-Hogs on SI Images

"Rodney’s still a really good player," Petrino said. "He’s got to be able to stay healthy. He’s a smaller guy and he does get hit hard, so he needs to just be able to stay healthy and we’ll have a good role for him, both in the run game and the pass game because he can do both of them very well."

Incoming freshman Cam Settles, from Little Rock, received praise several times this offseason and could see some early playing time given his ability to pass protect during the spring.

I like Cam Settles a lot," offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino said this spring. "Cam’s big, he’s strong, he’s shown he can pass protect and that’s the first thing as a young guy that gets you in the game, is your ability to protect the quarterback. So I’ve liked the way he’s played when he’s been in there."

It would be hard to look past having a veteran back like AJ Green around for his fourth year in the program. The 5-foot-10, 210 pound speedster is back at Arkansas after spending last season with Oklahoma State but didn't play after rupturing his Achilles prior to the 2024 season.

While Green is indeed back, he hasn't quite shown Petrino the track speed shown on occasion during his first stint at Arkansas.

"AJ Green is a young man that I didn’t know a lot about, I like him a lot," Petrino said. "He’s very calm back there, he helps the quarterbacks a lot, he’s made plays running the ball.

Arkansas running back AJ Green scores a touchdown against Texas A&M in the Southwest Classic at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. | Nelson Chenault – USA TODAY Sports

"He sees things and cuts. Then the other thing we’re working hard with him is he needs to show his track speed on the field, too. He was a low 100-meter guy that we haven’t see that burst and finish yet on the field."

Its' quite possible Petrino questioned Green's afterburners during the press conference to give him extra motivation to see what he's got left in the tank.

Over his three seasons, Green has averaged a shade under five yards per carry but has shown playmaking ability with 1,137 yards of offense and eight touchdowns at Arkansas.

Arkansas doesn't have a proven home run hitter capable of making men miss in space consistently.

Replacing Jackson and Dubinion with non-dominant transfers, it's hard to be optimistic about this group.

Arkansas missed out on several proven transfer options who are expected to make a splash at their new schools such as All-American Ismail Mahdi (Arizona), Fluff Bothwell (Mississippi State) and Sun Belt freshman standout Ahmad Hardy (Missouri).

Perhaps the running back unit will end up surprising everyone, but fans might want to hold onto their optimism.

Razorbacks RB Depth Chart

1. Braylen Russell, Sophomore
2. Mike Washington, Senior
3. Rodney Hill, Redshirt Junior
4. AJ Green, Redshirt Senior
5. Cam Settles, Freshman