True Quarterback For Razorbacks Offense Starts Up Front

Before the Ball ever gets into quarterback's hands, Razorbacks need to figure out situation in the trenches

Author:
Daniel Shi
Publish date:
Dec 20, 2023 7:52 PM EST

In this story:

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — It was painful to watch Arkansas' season fall apart at the seams in 2023. Even the most untrained eye could see that the offensive line and the stats back it up. Forty-seven sacks is not a pretty number. Allowing the fifth most sacks in all of FBS is not a recipe for success.

Change was necessary. Former offensive line coach Cody Kennedy moved on to Mississippi State in favor of former Baylor's Eric Mateos. The Overland Park, Kansas native returned to Arkansas after working under coach Sam Pittman from 2013-2015.

Mateos' problem at Arkansas is two-fold, getting better talent and communication. No one knows what will happen with the three transfers that the Razorbacks have brought in, but Mateos knows that whoever ends up being part of the starting five, working together as a unit might be the most important ingredient.

A former two-year starter as a center and team captain at Southwest Baptist from 2009-2010, Mateos knows the importance of the center for the success of the offensive line.

"(The) Center just starts everything," Mateos said. "It’s the tone-setter. The Center is typically the best brain in the room. Just the way a center makes a call sets the tone for the whole thing. If he whispers it or says it in a meek way, you are setting yourself up for a soft play. I’m biased. I played the position so I’m very biased, but I think it’s just such a tone-setter for your offense. Center and the quarterback are the only two guys that touch the ball on every play."

Biased or not, there's no question that the Razorbacks need help at the center position. Pittman tried to sort through the mess after losing Ricky Stromberg to the NFL Draft. He opted to slide Beaux Limmer from guard to center before making a shift to Patrick Kutas midway through the season, before shifting back a week later.

Addison Nichols, a potential starter at center for the Razorbacks, transfers in from Tennessee with just 49 offensive snaps under his belt. However, he has already made quite an impression on Pittman.

"I worked out (Nichols) at Georgia and I offered him that day," Pittman said. "Very, very, very talented. But we needed someone to snap the ball. Whether that be a guard-center, a center-guard, however you want to look at it, we needed someone to definitely snap the ball. He'll come in and we'll look at him at center to begin."

The root of Arkansas' problems started along the offensive line. The root of the problems along the offensive line start with the center. Who knows where the season, goes from here, but Pittman and Mateos are well aware of the real quarterback on offense — the center.