Arkansas Football 2012: Breaking Down Spring Practice

While the SEC was all about LSU and Alabama last season, this may be the year for the Arkansas Razorbacks to finally take that next step in the conference. Arkansas finished the year 11-2 last season and fell just short of a conference championship. But this year, they return 13 starters, including seven from an offense that averaged nearly 37 points per game last season.

With LSU and Alabama having several question marks on both sides of the ball, this is really the time for the program to compete for a national championship. Arkansas begins their spring practice on March 14, and the spring game will take place on April 21. It will be the first step the Razorbacks have to take to prepare for a conference title and a BCS bowl.

As we inch closer to kicking off spring ball, here is everything you need to know about the Arkansas Razorbacks.

Schedule

Arkansas will begin their spring practice on March 15, and the spring game will happen on April 16. ESPN will also televise the spring game at 2 p.m. ET.

Offensive Depth Chart

Quarterback: Tyler Wilson, Brandon Mitchell

Fullback: Kiero Small, Brad Shearin

Running Back: Knile Davis, Dennis Johnson

Wide Receiver: Julian Horton, Keante Minor

Wide Receiver: Marquel Wade, Javontee Herndon

Tight End: Chris Gragg, Austin Tate

Offensive Tackle: Brey Cook, Chris Stringer

Offensive Guard: Alvin Bailey, Marcus Danenhauer

Center: Travis Swanson, Tyler Deacon

Offensive Guard: Mitch Smothers, Luke Charpentier

Offensive Tackle: Jason Peacock, Grady Ollison

Defensive and Special Teams Depth Chart

Defensive End: Tenarius Wright, Trey Flowers

Defensive Tackle: Robert Thomas, D.D. Jones

Nose Guard: Byran Jones, Alfred Davis

Defensive End: Austin Flynn, Colton Miles-Nash

Middle Linebacker: Robert Atiga, Terrell Williams

Weak-Side Linebacker: Alonzo Highsmith, Braylon Mitchell

Outside Linebacker: Ross Rasner, Jarrett Lake

Cornerback: Darius Winston, Jerry Mitchell

Cornerback: Tevin Mitchel, Kelvin Fisher

Strong Safety: Eric Bennett, Alan Turner

Free Safety: Daunte Carr, Rohan Gaines

Kicker: Zach Hoker

Punter: Dylan Breeding

Best Position Battle

The majority of this team is returning on the offensive side of the ball, but when I look at the best position battle, it's on the defensive side of the ball. With linebackers Jerry Franklin and Jerico Nelson no longer on the team, there are questions at the position.

Senior linebacker Ross Rasner will likely replace Nelson, considering he played a lot last year and racked up 53 tackles and had two sacks. Replacing Franklin won't be as easy because there simply isn't much experience to choose from. Terrell Williams and Robert Atiga are the most likely candidates to fill that spot, as the position is very thin.

Big Man on Campus

Arkansas is without question one of the best teams in all of college football, and that, of course, means you could pick several different players to be the big man on campus. But I have to go with running back Knile Davis because he simply is the key for this offense.

Arkansas was one of the best passing teams in the country last year, but had nearly no running game whatsoever. Getting a healthy Davis back will give this offense what they lacked last year and make them that much more difficult to stop.

Davis rushed for over 1,300 yards in 2010 and scored 14 total touchdowns. If he can get back to regular form, the Razorbacks should be one of the favorites to win the conference. 

Biggest Shoes to Fill

Both Jarius Wright and Joe Adams are no longer on the team as the Razorbacks' leading receivers, which means that senior tight end Chris Gragg has to step it up more. His junior year, he had a very solid 41 catches for 518 yards and two touchdowns.

With his height and athleticism, he should be able to top that production and become a key target in the red zone for the Razorbacks. Expect Wilson to look for the 6'3" tight end often this season and for his numbers to go through the roof. 

Most Important Questions to Answer

Besides the health of Knile Davis and whether or not he'll be able to recapture the success he had in 2010, as well as the linebacker questions, I'm interested to see if the offensive line can hold up a little better than they did last season. Arkansas returns three starters on the line, which is more than enough to improve on the 28 sacks they allowed last year.

In order to take that next step, the quarterback has to be protected. Last season, Wilson took so many unnecessary shots, and you wonder if he'll be able to hold up if he has another season like last years.

Can the offensive line step up to the challenge?

Randy Chambers is a B/R featured columnist that covers college football and the NFL. You can contact him @Randy_Chambers or [e-mail].