Arkansas Football: With Knile Davis Out, What Does It Mean for the 2011 Season?

"Out for the season."

Those are four words no one wants to hear, especially when said about your team. Oklahoma lucked out with Travis Lewis' injury only keeping him out half the season. Mark Ingram got off easy, only missing two games last year.

But Knile Davis, the SEC's leading rusher amongst running backs in 2010 and potential Heisman candidate, is not so lucky.

Word out of Arkansas is Davis injured his lower left leg in a scrimmage Thursday night and went down in considerable pain. I truly feel for him, because I know what it is like to lose a season to injury.

However, the Razorbacks have a season to play, and his injury—along with Broderick Green's torn ACL in the spring—leaves just Ronnie Wingo and Dennis Johnson, who is also returning from a season-ending injury, as the experienced running backs on the roster.

Wingo and Johnson will need to step it up to replace Davis, who ran for more than 1,300 yards last season, even though he was not the starter the whole way through. Davis would have helped the new offense gel, and he would have given new starting quarterback Tyler Wilson a safety blanket. 

With Davis, an improved defense and one of the best receiving corps in the nation, Arkansas could have made a surprise run at the SEC title. Davis' breakout, just like the emergence of Marcus Lattimore for South Carolina, helped bring the program to heights it had not experienced in years: a 10-2 record and a Sugar Bowl berth. 

Before Davis went down, I thought Arkansas could steal one on the road against Alabama or LSU, go 11-1 and maybe even go to the SEC Championship game. Their potential was just that good.

Now I'm less than optimistic about those chances. 

Looking at their schedule, Arkansas should easily win the first three games against Missouri State, New Mexico and Troy.

But then comes the showdown in Tuscaloosa against Alabama.

With Davis, Arkansas had a decent chance of knocking off the Tide. If I was a betting man, I might have actually put money on the Razorbacks.

Now their chances decrease significantly.

After that is the third annual game against Texas A&M in Jerry's Football Palace. With Davis, I would have given Arkansas the edge, but now I think A&M will win in a close one.

The next week, Arkansas returns home to take on the defending national champions. Auburn could possibly still be reeling from a beatdown in Columbia at the hands of South Carolina, and Tyler Wilson carved up Auburn in a losing effort last year while playing for the injured Ryan Mallett. Childs, Adams, Wright and Hamilton should torch Auburn's secondary. 

Arkansas gets a bye week after the Auburn game. The two weeks after that, they should handle Ole Miss and Vanderbilt.

Then November rolls around, and the Hogs have one of the toughest stretches in the nation at this point: South Carolina, Tennessee, Mississippi State and at LSU; easily one of the toughest four-game stretches in all of college football.

However, Arkansas lucks out with three of these games being at home. Also, South Carolina plays in Knoxville the week before, and Mississippi State has their biggest game of the season against Alabama the week before they play the Hogs. Tennessee, the weakest of the four, plays an easy game the week before, but Arkansas should still come out ahead.

Arkansas beat up on South Carolina in 2010, holding Lattimore to 30 yards rushing, and the Razorbacks were winning 41-10 with less than six minutes to go in the fourth. This is a new year though, and South Carolina is very hyped coming into the season; by this point in the season, we will know if the hype is justified or not. I still expect Arkansas to win, but the score will definitely be closer. 

Arkansas and Mississippi State went all the way to double overtime last year with the Razorbacks winning 38-31. The Bulldogs are a huge unknown this season; they bring back Chris Relf and Vic Ballard, but they lose all three starting linebackers. They should challenge Arkansas for third in the West, and give LSU and Alabama scares in Starkville. I give Arkansas the edge, but this game could easily go the other way.

The last week of the season is the Battle Royale with LSU. Cobi Hamilton torched LSU on two massive touchdowns last year, which helped Arkansas upset the Tigers. Like most games in the series, this one will be close. LSU's offense should be better this year, and they will once again have an outstanding defense; the Tigers should win this one.

Knile Davis gave Arkansas balance, a Heisman candidate and a great rushing game. In my opinion, it will be hard for the Razorbacks to keep that balance, which is why I think they will finish 9-3 and third in the SEC West with losses to Alabama, LSU, and Texas A&M; worst-case scenario would be 7-5 with losses to South Carolina and Mississippi State.

Arkansas is still a dangerous team and should not be overlooked.