Arkansas Football Spring Game: 6 Things to Expect on Saturday
Saturday's Red-White Spring Game will be the first chance to watch the Arkansas Razorbacks on a national stage. The game will be televised nationally for the first time by ESPN and will re-air April 17 on ESPNU.
Head coach Bobby Petrino will have the Hogs ready to put on a good show and here are six things to expect on Saturday.
Situational Football
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While practice is great, there is nothing like playing a live game. This will allow the players to be put in real game situations and see how they react to different scenarios.
This will set up situations to test different players in different positions. It will also allow for the coaches to experiment with different looks depending on what the play calls for. The game speed will test all aspects of the Razorbacks team as they prepare for the upcoming season.
Quarterback Quandry
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Tyler Wilson is the heir apparent to Ryan Mallett under center for the Razorbacks, but it is not an open and shut case.
The rosters were released for the game this Saturday and Petrino has clearly given Brandon Mitchell a chance to succeed.
Mitchell will lead the Red team and has plenty of weapons on the roster to make an impression on the coaching staff and the fans. Wide receiver Joe Adams and running back Knile Davis are just a few of the targets that Mitchell will have for the game.
Tyler Wilson will take snaps for the white team, and will try to build off the success of the last scrimmage. Wilson completed 12 of 15 passes for 144 yards with a five-yard touchdown in the last scrimmage. The quarterbacks will be concerned with the play on the offensive line, which is another area of concern for the razorbacks.
Battle in the Trenches
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One of the most intriguing battles in the spring will be on display during the Red-White game on the offensive line. Brey Cook, Jason Peacock and Anthony Oden are battling for two starting spots on the team.
Peacock and Oden will suit up for the White team, while Cook will be a member of the Red team. Cook may be the most fascinating player to watch as he attempts to become a starter on the front line as a freshman.
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Hurting Hogs
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The Red-White game is fun to watch, but the Razorbacks may take it easy with a a few of the players who are hurting.
Petrino said Adams has been dealing with a sprained wrist the past few days, but it will not keep him out of the game.
Running back Broderick Green was hurt and had to be helped off the field in the full contact scrimmage for the Hogs. The extent of the injury has not been revealed but he could be held out of the game to make sure he is healthy.
Best WIde-Outs in the SEC?
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When healthy, it could be argued that the Razorbacks have the best wide receivers in the SEC and perhaps the country.
Joe Adams, Jarius Wright, Greg Childs, Cobi Hamilton, and Julian Horton are a deep stable of pass-catching threats.
They bring experience as well as different attributes that make each one of them deadly in this offense. Whoever is under center will have plenty of targets to choose from once the season kicks off.
Lockout-Free Football
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A spring football game is not actually a SEC showdown between two powerhouses, but it is football.
With the NFL mired in a lockout and heated labor dispute, it will be nice to watch a game without hearing about lawyers and just focusing on football.
Finally football is back—although it’s a spring game, it will be worth watching.
Matt Regaw is a B/R Featured Columnist and the founder of BookieBlitz.com, your one-stop shop for sports articles, previews and predictions. Feel free to contact Matt at mregaw@gmail.com.
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