Tennessee Tech
N/A0-0
Arkansas
3rd SEC10-2
Tennessee Tech @ Arkansas preview
Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium
Arkansas’ challenge this season to is wrest the SEC West title from defending national champion Alabama. That’s a tall order for a team that hasn’t won the division since 2006, but with quarterback Ryan Mallett returning, it’s not totally unreasonable.
Mallett and the 19th-ranked Razorbacks open the season Saturday night when Tennessee Tech visits Fayetteville for the teams’ first-ever meeting.
Thanks mainly to Mallett’s decision to stay, the Razorbacks are a sleeper pick to emerge from the West and reach a BCS bowl. Mallett himself has said the Razorbacks are capable of going 14-0. That’s not likely in the nation’s toughest conference.
But Mallett has the numbers to back up big talk. The junior established more than a dozen Arkansas records last season and helped the Razorbacks lead the SEC in scoring at 36 points a game. The strong-armed Heisman Trophy candidate threw for 3,624 yards, with 30 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
Wide receivers Joe Adams, Greg Childs, Jarius Wright and Cobi Hamilton return along with D.J. Williams, one of the nation’s top tight ends.
Still, if the Razorbacks are to contend for the SEC and go to a bigger bowl than the Liberty Bowl – which they won last year – they’ll need a stingier defense. Arkansas ranked last in the conference in total defense last season, allowing over 400 yards per game. The Razorbacks gave up at least 30 points four times.
The unit has looked much better in camp. Defenders are reacting quicker and say it’s because they grasp the schemes better. But only time will tell how much the defense has improved.
The Golden Eagles, from the Ohio Valley Conference, are coached by Mack Brown’s younger brother, Watson Brown. He coached at Rice, Vanderbilt and UAB for 12 years before returning to his hometown of Cookeville, Tenn., to take over the program.
Tennessee Tech must replace quarterback Lee Sweeney, who established school records for passing (7,157 yards) and touchdowns (49) in a career. Sophomore Tre Lamb, who’ll start against Arkansas, was just 8-of-18 for 113 yards last year.
The Golden Eagles do return their top wide receiver, Tim Benford, who caught 33 balls for 580 yards.
Senior safety Dustin Dillehay returns to lead the defense after making 78 tackles and snagging three interceptions last season.
Mallett and the 19th-ranked Razorbacks open the season Saturday night when Tennessee Tech visits Fayetteville for the teams’ first-ever meeting.
Thanks mainly to Mallett’s decision to stay, the Razorbacks are a sleeper pick to emerge from the West and reach a BCS bowl. Mallett himself has said the Razorbacks are capable of going 14-0. That’s not likely in the nation’s toughest conference.
But Mallett has the numbers to back up big talk. The junior established more than a dozen Arkansas records last season and helped the Razorbacks lead the SEC in scoring at 36 points a game. The strong-armed Heisman Trophy candidate threw for 3,624 yards, with 30 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
Wide receivers Joe Adams, Greg Childs, Jarius Wright and Cobi Hamilton return along with D.J. Williams, one of the nation’s top tight ends.
Still, if the Razorbacks are to contend for the SEC and go to a bigger bowl than the Liberty Bowl – which they won last year – they’ll need a stingier defense. Arkansas ranked last in the conference in total defense last season, allowing over 400 yards per game. The Razorbacks gave up at least 30 points four times.
The unit has looked much better in camp. Defenders are reacting quicker and say it’s because they grasp the schemes better. But only time will tell how much the defense has improved.
The Golden Eagles, from the Ohio Valley Conference, are coached by Mack Brown’s younger brother, Watson Brown. He coached at Rice, Vanderbilt and UAB for 12 years before returning to his hometown of Cookeville, Tenn., to take over the program.
Tennessee Tech must replace quarterback Lee Sweeney, who established school records for passing (7,157 yards) and touchdowns (49) in a career. Sophomore Tre Lamb, who’ll start against Arkansas, was just 8-of-18 for 113 yards last year.
The Golden Eagles do return their top wide receiver, Tim Benford, who caught 33 balls for 580 yards.
Senior safety Dustin Dillehay returns to lead the defense after making 78 tackles and snagging three interceptions last season.