Returning So Many Wide Receivers May Not be That Great

Just two new additions have big challenge but could see plenty of opportunity

Author:
Andy Hodges
Publish date:
Feb 14, 2024 7:00 AM EST

In this story:

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The only problem with every scholarship wide receiver from last year returning is Arkansas only added a high school recruit and a portal transfer. That's not exactly the best news to get. It could explain the high degree of hope fans are putting in Bobby Petrino as offensive coordinator and new receivers coach Ronnie Fouch.

As good as they are, their system only works if the players doing it are any good. People tend to forget Petrino's offense from 2008-11 had guys like Jarius Wright, Joe Adams, Chris Gragg and Greg Childs. Throw in tight end DJ Williams and there's a bunch of stars after those names as recruits.

What the Razorbacks have at wide receiver headed into spring practice in a couple of weeks are a lot of question marks and hope. Whenever coaches or media talk about "experience" that's usually only after at least a .500 season. Championship-level coaches consider that a disaster.

"The last thing you want is a bunch of guys coming back from a bad team," was Bear Bryant's comment after Alabama had a down year with only 6 wins in the late 1960's The Hogs didn't get close to 6 wins last year in a 4-8 year and now they have a bunch of those guys coming back.

Hogs coach Sam Pittman would never say that. He'll bend over backwards and create a word salad that sometimes requires a translator. It's probably a good bet he knows the problems with no known answers for a consistent playmaker catching passes from unproven quarterbacks or a proven running back. Add to that a new offensive line and a bunch of new coaches will leave far more questions than answers.

Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman during game with Western Carolina in Little Rock — Arkansas Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman on the sidelines in the 2023 season opener against Western Carolina at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, Ark.
(Nelson Chenault / USA TODAY Sports)

Any speculation about what they've done in high school or somewhere else doesn't mean a whole lot playing for the Razorbacks in the SEC. It's a lot of hope and wishful thinking that may or may not come to fruition.

Even Pittman will probably admit hope isn't the best plan coming into a fifth season with a losing record. It's the mess he's found himself in and a lot of it's not his fault. You can't blame it on previous coaches, either. Considering everything changed two months after he got the job, Arkansas simply hasn't been able to figure out the answers very well.