FAYETTEVILLE — The offense at the University of Arkansas had a crazy eights kind of season under first-year coordinator and quarterbacks coach Kendal Briles last year.
The Razorbacks, who open Saturday at 1 p.m. against Rice, played an SEC-only 10-game schedule last year and somehow finished eighth in all of the following categories: total offense (391.5 yards per game), passing (240.2 ypg), rushing (151.3 ypg) and scoring (25.7 ppg).
Talk about balance.
They also ranked fourth in passing efficiency (154.5), a tribute to graduate transfer quarterback Feleipe Franks finding his rhythm in Briles’ schemes.
Eighth in the SEC is one slot out of the top half of the league, which wasn’t bad considering where the Razorbacks ranked in the same categories the previous year.
In the final season under coach Chad Morris and offensive coordinator Joe Craddock, the Razorbacks were 13th in the SEC in total offense (340.1), 13th in scoring (21.4), 11th in passing (192.9), 11th in rushing (147.2) and 14th in pass efficiency (101.4) while playing musical chairs at quarterback for the second consecutive year.
To put the year-to-year comparison in perspective, Arkansas played a markedly tougher schedule (rated as the toughest in the country) in 2020 and increased its total offense by 15% and its scoring by 20%.
Franks deserves credit for having a hand in the improvements, but there’s more to it than that. Briles managed to plug a quarterback into his system who wasn’t the dual-threat signal caller that is more ideal for his game plans.
On top of that, a veteran offensive line made strides; receiver Treylon Burks had a breakout season with 51 catches for 832 yards and 7 touchdowns in just over 8 games; and tailback Trelon Smith buoyed the running attack with 710 yards and 5 touchdowns, essentially wrestling away the starting job from 1,100-yard rusher Rakeem Boyd, who was dinged up much of the year.
What could be in store for the offense in 2021, with four nonconference games sprinkled in to their eight-game SEC schedule?
From a returning starters standpoint, everybody is back except for Franks and second-leading receiver Mike Woods, including the up-front quintet of Myron Cunningham, Brady Latham, Ricky Stromberg, Ty Clary and Dalton Wagner.
Redshirt sophomore quarterback KJ Jefferson is slated to make his third career start against the Owls.
Coach Sam Pittman was asked whether he thought Arkansas could be more dynamic on offense.
“I hope so,” he said. “Obviously, any time you start a new quarterback, it’s his team. It’s a different team than what it was with Feleipe.
“KJ obviously has different assets than what Feleipe did, as well as Feleipe having different assets than what KJ does. I think if we’re looking for … a quarterback that runs this type of offense, a guy like KJ or a guy like Malik [Hornsby] is what we’re looking for.”
The Razorbacks might not be at full strength in the opener, as Burks is questionable with a lower leg issue suffered early in camp.
Jefferson had a strong bond with Burks, so he’ll have to find a comfort level with other wideouts like Tyson Morris, De’Vion Warren, Trey Knox, Ketron Jackson and others if Burks can’t play.
Rice Coach Mike Bloomgren is fascinated by the tempo Arkansas runs under Briles and its contrast with Pittman’s previous smash-mouth success.
“I was talking about how interesting I think the marriage is between Coach Pittman and his grind-it-out run game, offensive line background and now bringing Kendal Briles into the fold,” Bloomgren said. “I know how Coach Pittman is wired, so I’m sure those guys are going to have the same mindset coming off the rock.
“But everything you study about Kendal through the years, back to when they were at Baylor, it was tempo, tempo, tempo. They were so ahead of the curve. And you know, again, that’s something they do well. They get set. They get another play snapped and a lot of people, a lot of defenses, don’t have time to reset … and be ready to fight the next play.”
Rice defensive end Trey Schuman also talked about the Arkansas offense going fast.
“I see a team that you really have to watch out for because you don’t know which weapon is going to hit you on what play,” Schuman said. “They’re a team that is grounded in the run game but can hit you over the head if you get caught lacking.
“Really, their tempo is a force to be reckoned with. If you don’t get lined up and reset like Coach Bloom was saying, you can get caught with your feet in the mud. So, it’s going to be a fun matchup because they do tempo and they kind of have some smoke and mirrors, but don’t get it twisted, that O-line, they’re bruisers, too. So, it’s going to be a fun matchup in the trenches.”
Briles noted early in camp it was great to have all five starters back on the front in what he thinks is an improved room.
“We have a lot of returning guys,” Briles said. “Obviously, when you lose a guy like Feleipe, you’re going to feel that. It was great to have a spring without him to get those quarterbacks out there. Those guys are all chomping at the bit, and they’re all ready to contribute. I feel like we have a host of guys who are very capable.”
Schuman called Jefferson a great quarterback.
“Everyone knows he’s big,” Schuman said. “He’s got a good arm. Really for how big he is, he is extremely mobile. So, we’ve been focused on keeping him in the pocket and keeping him contained because we know not only he can beat us with his arm, but he can beat us with his feet.”
The Razorbacks appear primed to unleash some new skill talent such as Jackson, Jaquayln Crawford and Bryce Stephens at receiver, and Raheim “Rocket” Sanders and Josh Oglesby behind Smith at tailback.
The coaching staff worked hard in camp to improve Jefferson’s pocket skills. Now it’s time to see how the revamped unit produces on game day.
“Offensively, you have a lot of guys coming back,” Pittman said. “A lot of guys who’ve played a lot of ball. The bottom line is we will see how that translates to how we play, but I feel very confident that we’ve got the guys in there that can make plays.”