Knile Davis Out for the Season: Will the Arkansas Razorbacks Survive?

The Arkansas Razorbacks took a severe blow to their national title hopes when it was announced that running back Knile Davis would be lost for the season. Davis suffered a left ankle injury on Thursday and since that moment, Razorbacks have feared the worst. That fear was confirmed when head coach Bobby Petrino announced that Davis is indeed out for the season.

This is a huge loss for the Hogs.

Davis is a captain on the team and has become one of the leaders as well. On the field he amassed over 1,400 yards and scored 17 touchdowns. Last year he emerged as a feature back in the offense and one of the most prolific ground gainers in the country. As a preseason second-team All-SEC selection, Davis would have surely been a Heisman candidate in 2011. Now the Hogs have to fill these very big shoes if they want to make a run for the national title.

Luckily for Arkansas, they have a surplus at the running back position. Ronnie Wingo Jr and Dennis Johnson are both very capable of running the ball.

Johnson is the most likely successor as the starting running back. The junior out of Texarkana carried the load last season until he suffered an injury. Back and better than ever, the Hogs will turn to him to be the main man in the backfield. Before his injury, Johnson had rushed for 83 yards on nine carries and he was named to the Doak Walker Award Watch List. Johnson will try to pick up where he left off and fill in for Davis.

The Razorbacks suffered a setback with the loss of Knile Davis, but not all hope is lost. Petrino runs a type of offense that can do well with talent and the Razorbacks still have plenty of that.

James Brown is a B/R Featured Columnist. Feel free to contact James at [e-mail].