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1.10.2021 Visit wholehogsports.com/alerts to recieve daily and breaking newsletters with the latest updates from Whole Hog Sports. Visit WholeHogSports.com or download the Whole Hog Sports app for all the latest videos, news and coverage. LeafGuard is the only seamless gutter system guaranteed to never clog. Fayetteville 2558 E. Mission Blvd. Fayetteville, AR 72703 479.439.8823 3589 N. College Ave., Ste. B Fayetteville, AR 72703 479.439.8823 Fort Smith 5420 Phoenix Ave., Ste. B Fort Smith, AR 72903 479.763.0725 Rogers Downtown 214 W. Walnut St. Rogers, AR 72756 479.877.3227 809 SW 52nd St., Ste. 102B Rogers, AR 72756 479.877.3588 Gateway Mortgage, a division of Gateway First Bank. NMLS 7233. C O N T A C T O N E O F O U R L O C A L M O R T G A G E C E N T E R S T O D A Y ! Get in the game with Gateway www.GatewayLoan.com Local expertise Powerful resources Reliable solutions Looking for a different kind of mortgage experience? 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B Fayetteville, AR 72703 479.439.8823 Fort Smith 5420 Phoenix Ave., Ste. B Fort Smith, AR 72903 479.763.0725 Rogers Downtown 214 W. Walnut St. Rogers, AR 72756 479.877.3227 809 SW 52nd St., Ste. 102B Rogers, AR 72756 479.877.3588 www.GatewayLoan.com CLAY HENRY HAWGS ILLUSTRATED The goal last winter was to develop a bigger squad. It's still a top priority. Watching the best teams in bowls, the noticeable difference from the Hogs is still size. Sam Pittman knows the deal, keep getting bigger. That's what will determine success in 2021. They are trending up and that will continue as the team gets bigger. If they do this, the Hogs will actually play in a bowl after this season — and it likely will become a regular thing. MATT JONES WHOLE HOG SPORTS Assuming Arkansas plays a traditional 12-game schedule with four nonconference games in 2021, the Razorbacks should be expected to qualify for a bowl game the old-fashioned way with at least six victories. An uninterrupted offseason of weight lifting — and potentially a spring practice season — should produce more physicality along both lines of scrimmage, which should improve the run game and pass protection on offense, and pass rush and ability to stop the run on defense. Arkansas' ceiling will be determined by how well it can replace the departing game-day leadership and production at quarterback. DUDLEY E. DAWSON HAWGS ILLUSTRATED Mixing in some talented newcomers and specialists, along with a full spring practice and summer camp, I think a .500 season or over is on the horizon. That's a nice next step to a season that has some old SWC flavor (with Rice, Texas and Texas A&M) and an in- state foe (Arkansas-Pine Bluff). BART POHLMAN THE HOG POD Arkansas impressed almost everyone in Sam Pittman's debut season, but there's still work to be done to catch up with the rest of the SEC West. There's not a more important position than quarterback, and with Feleipe Franks gone, who's going to take the reins? And can the Hogs improve enough up front on both sides of the ball? SCOTTIE BORDELON WHOLE HOG SPORTS Thanks in large part to the seven seniors taking advantage of the extra year provided by the NCAA, Arkansas has a good deal of talent at a number of positions and quality players with plenty of experience returning. The Razorbacks' success, though, will come down to the progression of the quarterbacks, particularly KJ Jefferson. Is he ready to step into the spotlight full time? If he is, Arkansas could find itself in contention for the postseason. SETH CAMPBELL WHOLE HOG SPORTS Sam Pittman far exceeded expectations in year one winning three games all against SEC competition. Expectations will be higher for Pittman and his staff in 2021, but if the first year is any indication expectations he doesn't seem to worry about those. Who starts at quarterback will be a hot topic all offseason, but the next quarterback will only be as good as his offensive line. Getting Myron Cunningham for another year will be big in the long run so the offensive line develops. TOMMY CRAFT THE MORNING RUSH Having more than a half dozen seniors back for another season adds depth that a second-year coach would never expect. Arkansas will be a more physical and experienced team, but one that has to be much improved on special teams if they want to match three SEC wins in 2021. TYE RICHARDSON THE MORNING RUSH Can Sam Pittman find superb replacement hires for assistants moving on to other jobs? With coaches departing now and in the future, the answer will help determine whether this program sinks or swims under his leadership. HOW WE SEE 2021 KEYS FOR ARKANSAS NEXT YEAR INCLUDING GETTING BIGGER IN THE TRENCHES AND FINDING A QUARTERBACK FANS REACT TO THE NEWS THAT SEVERAL KEY PLAYERS WILL RETURN NEXT SEASON, THANKS TO THE ADDITIONAL YEAR OF ELIGIBILITY DUE TO COVID-19. DudleyDawson: The return of (offensive lineman) Myron Cunningham and (linebacker) Grant Morgan are just so big for Arkansas. …They are not only returning starters, but two of your best players on each side of the ball. LDhog: Grant Morgan coming back is huge news for the Hogs. He's a 5-star get. hawgjawbend: What a great Razorback. Guys like Grant have helped and will continue to help this football program get back to where it needs to be. keithguthrie: As good a player as he has been for us, his contribution to the team in leadership and competitive fire may be even greater. He is a great role model for the players coming up in the program. southpaw: Morgan and Cunningham not only have tough-as-nails bodies but hearts of gold … And I truly don't think they'll regret it. Another 365 under the tutelage of these coaches will be invaluable. tennhawg: Ty Clary (offensive lineman) is coming back! jmetsrule: Wow! That's another big one. It's a real testament to the health of the program. Way to go, Sam Pittman! hogmaestro: With Clary and Cunningham coming back, we have our entire starting O-line back, which is huge! jimbeau77: Maybe Arkansas will finally have some depth on the O-line with SEC- caliber players. Could be the springboard to keep it that way in the future, allowing plenty of redshirts for development as needed instead of throwing them in the mix early and injuries (piling up). Under developed linemen tend to get hurt easier … especially when going up against SEC NFL-ready studs. LDhog: (Wide receiver De'Vion Warren will return) Confirmed on his Twitter account. Glad to have him back. harleyhawgidson: Great news. Both a kick returner and deep threat wide receiver. Now, please let our new starting quarterback, whomever that may be, throws the deep ball as well as Feleipe Franks did this past season. Treylon Burks, Warren and Mike Woods next season may be a top three WR crew in the SEC. SWHog: Happy to see (running back TJ Hammonds returning in 2021). We saw flashes of his talent this year. He seems to have found himself with the help of the new coaching staff. daboar: We started to see the real value TJ has during the second half of the 2020 season. Next year he could be marvelous. bikehog23: To me, it's been about confidence for TJ. He showed it a few times this year. Going back and forth between running back and WR probably caused him to think that he was at the bottom of both depth charts. He has speed. He needs to commit to a line north and south and then use his speed to blow through gaps. That is coachable. SWHog: (Tight end) Blake Kern has been one of the most pleasant surprises this year. Solid blocker and a dancing bear with good hands as a receiver. Need a second tight end who can be more of a mid-range threat and to make yards after catch, but I think getting Kern back is some really good news. johndhogefeller: Obviously great news so far on several of our key guys. But we also have to realize most if not all of our competition will be getting the same benefit. At some point it will be interesting to see if we have done better than most in this regard. I have an inkling we will given Sam's relationship to his players but it remains to be seen. LDHog: Our need is depth in almost every position. I'll say we benefit more than most. But I see things through my rose colored glasses… AFTER THE TEXAS BOWL WAS CANCELED DUE TO COVID ISSUES AT TCU, ARKANSAS FANS GOT CREATIVE AND IMAGINED HOW THE GAME WOULD HAVE GONE … pavlovhog: You know how Gary Patterson is aways hitching up his britches? After Feleipe Franks' sxith touchdown pass, Patterson plumb forgot abou the hitch and the things fell down to his knees revealing SpongeBob underwear… jmetsrule: I can't believe the TCU player slowed up within 5 yards of the end zone and Hudson Clark pulled a Don Beebe, stripping the ball and getting us the ball back, down seven with 4 minutes to play. After that, the game speaks for itself. If Trey Knox doesn't pull in that 4th-and-19 jump ball, Franks doesn't hit Treylon Burls in the end zone and Blake Kern doesn't catch the two-point conversion for the win. Personally, I didn't agree with Sam Pittman's call to go for two, but since it worked out I guess it's fine. LoudLoyd: During a scramble for a loose ball, referee Marc Curles (who was brought in to call the game at the request of the Big 12 office) was knocked silly as Jalen Catalon and Grant Morgan dove on the pile. Momentarily stunned, Curles forgot which to team was the Razorbacks and called targeting on all 11 TCU defensive starters. When TCU coach Gary Patterson called him over to voice his objection, Curles mistook him for Larry Culpepper from those awful soft drink ads several years ago and ordered a Dr. Pepper. Culpepper, uh, Patterson declined to provide it and Curles tossed him from the game. Patterson hitched up his pants and left. Curles then awarded a touchdown to Auburn (even though the Tigers weren't playing that day), called a late-hit penalty on Oklahoma (who played Florida the night before) and was escorted from the field. Oh, Arkansas won, 45-17. LDhog: In a replay of the old Southwest Conference days, the Arkansas Razorbacks played the TCU Horned Frogs in the Texas Bowl. Historically, TCU was a cupcake game for the fighting Razorbacks. And true to form, the Porkers won 45-0. Late in the game, coach Gary Patterson was given an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for mooning referee Marc Curles. After the game, Patterson said he just forgot to hitch up his pants …. oklahog: Gary Patterson walked out of the locker room alone after halftime. He had too many players opt out during the break… BEST OF THE WEB A selection of comments from Razorback fans posted to the message boards at WholeHogSports.com: The Hogs needed only to take a knee to kill what was probably going to be the game's final 30 seconds after Joe Foucha recovered a backward pass by quarterback Bo Nix. But a 5-minute replay – that included calls to the SEC office crew in Birmingham – decided that Foucha had not recovered the fumble soon enough for it to be a continuous play. As they say, Hog wash. No national expert from the officiating community agreed, but Auburn got the victory. There were other questionable calls during the season, including two ejections of Catalon for targeting (A&M, LSU) that Arkansas officials argued against privately. One of the worst calls came at Missouri when Foucha was called for unsportsmanlike conduct after turning away from a hit that he made to break up a pass to fold his arm in a pose. Similar plays during the year (in many SEC games) were not called the same way. BEST BREAK That came with 43 seconds left in the Missouri game when Arkansas took a 48-47 lead on a two-point pass caught by Mike Woods. A Missouri linebacker had the ball in his hands, but it popped out and straight to Woods in the back of the end zone. What followed would be another section in this space for worst sequence. The Tigers drove to a winning field goal on the game's last play. BEST QUARTER That would be a 24-point explosion against Tennessee after the Vols broke to a 13-0 lead at halftime. Franks got hot in the passing game. He completed three TD passes in the quarter when the Hogs totaled 257 yards of offense. He had a 59-yard TD pass to Burks and a 56-yarder to Woods to set up another score. BEST HALF The Hogs led Georgia at the half in the season opener, but the 20-0 first half against Ole Miss was the most complete team performance. There was a pick six by Catalon. A.J. Reed kicked two field goals and Rakeem Boyd capped a 95-yard drive with a 1-yard TD run. The big play in the drive was a 55-yard pass by Franks to Burks. There was a goal line stand by the Hogs when Catalon recovered a fourth down fumble. OTHER WORSTS Special teams had the most worsts over the season. There were three blocked punts, a blocked field goal, a blocked extra point, a missed extra point, a punt return allowed for a touchdown and other assorted miscues on punts, including penalties for illegal formation. Some of that could be explained because of roster shuffles each week because of covid-19 quarantines. Pittman avoided any references to problems for most of the season, but ahead of the regular season finale admitted that it was often a case of filling out depth charts (especially on special teams) on Friday morning after the final covid-19 tests are returned. Covid-19 produced crazy lineups in the offensive line all season. It was tough to keep enough on the field in preseason to scrimmage. The defensive line was seriously depleted for the LSU game and the Hogs finally had to postpone the trip to Missouri because of the same issues. Best & Worst n Continued from Page 3

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