Razorbacks' defense may be biggest question mark right now

As Travis Williams keeps finding players to add, no one will know if they are improvements to roster until games start

Arkansas Razorbacks co-defensive coordinator Travis Williams coaching the linebackers at practice. | Andy Hodges-Hogs on SI Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — It isn't exactly breaking news that Arkansas's defense is probably the biggest among the myriad of questions for this time.

After adding players from the transfer portal, there isn't anything beyond hope to offer anyone. The question is going to be if Travis Williams and his staff can do some schemes. In other words, they are going to need some smoke and mirrors.

It's going to put the spotlight on the linebackers more than anything. They are going to have to make plays.

Don't mistake that for absolutely no players are on the roster. As it usually is with the Razorbacks there's just not enough. You can't win much with just 11 good starting players on each side of the ball.

On defense there hasn't been a lot retention of better players. When you see a lot of senior and transfer designations in these lists people have for the roster that's not usually good news.

If players are really good they are off to the nfl before becoming seniors and there's nearly always just two reasons for a transfer — a problem or lack of playing time because they aren't good enough to get enough where they were.

Neither of those options are great news when you're having to almost completely re-build a roster nearly every year after the last few seasons.

Pittman could build a team that might be in the Arkansas mode of double-digit wins every four or five years if he could develop players.

That takes time and he doesn't have a lot of that. Nothing in the present structure of college football encourages that.

The Razorbacks need to develop a defensive line for simply freeing up the linebackers to make plays. Stephen Dix Jr. and Xavian Sorey have shown they can do that.

Arkansas Razorbacks linebackers coach and defensive coordinator Travis Williams making a point in spring practice drills inside Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark. | Andy Hodges-HogsSI Images

Bradley Shaw has shown some potential but he's got to prove he can make plays in the games. There is a lot of hope going forward for transfer Trent Whalen. None of this is game-proven, though.

"I think Shaw is a good football player for us," Williams said in the spring practices. "I see him as one of the starters as well. If Brad Shaw is one of your 11, he can't be on the sideline with me, so he should be on the field.

"We're just trying to figure out our way to get the best 11 on the field in different schemes. He does have pass rush ability. He's he's very, very smart, so he'll play the Mack, the Money, the Penny. He can edge rush. He can do different things."

With pretty much Cam Ball the only proven playmaker on the defensive front, the Hogs may have to count on transfers and newcomers. There is some high expectations there, but nothing is proven.

Confidence is high for Bobby Petrino's offense, but there are questions there, too. Just not as many on the dfensive side but right now it looks like Taylen Green is probably going to have to generate a lot of points to win games.

At least that's the hope right now.