Arkansas
Arkansas’ Ongoing Wide Receiver Issues Continue to End
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas is in the same position it was last year. Sam Pittman opted not to bring in anyone of note to supplement the existing receivers on the roster. Monte Harrison and Jordan Anthony, the two biggest offseason acquisitions have a combined 140 yards on the season.
Despite Arkansas ranking fifth in the SEC in passing yards (2,780), it is part of a larger mirage for the offense running up the score against subpar FBS defenses.
Perhaps even more concerning, Arkansas has left one of the best receivers in the country on an island to fend for himself. Andrew Armstrong ranks second in the SEC in both yards (931) and catches (61). Both also rank top-25 nationally.
Armstrong accounts for 33.5% of Arkansas’ receiving yards, the most of any SEC schools for a single receiver other than Dane Key of the Kentucky Wildcats. The Wildcats have just 1,834 passing yards as a team.
Isaiah Sategna, currently second on the Hogs in receiving, falls short of half of Armstrong’s production at 431 yards. Isaac TeSlaa just reached exactly half of his catch total from last year (17) with his lone catch for 7 yards against the Texas Longhorns.
Even tight end Luke Hasz has been held to just 278 yards through 10 games after putting up 253 yards as a true freshman in four games plus a drive before suffering a season-ending injury. Only one other tight end on the team has 25 yards receiving and he’s not even on the team anymore (Ty Washington).
Tyrone Broden, a breakout star in camp, lags even further behind at just 15 catches for 197 yards.
Pittman believes the poor wide receiver play is starting to have spillover effects for Taylen Green and his decision making with the football.
“We had a couple of missed routes that Taylen had to hold the football because we weren’t running the right route,” Pittman said. “Then we got whipped on the edge a couple times.”
Arkansas will look for just its second 100-yard performance from a receiver not named Armstrong of the season against Louisiana Tech. TeSlaa had 120 yards against Texas A&M, 75 of which came on one catch early in the game.
Kickoff between the Razorbacks and Louisiana Tech is scheduled for 3 p.m. Saturday. The game will be streamed on SEC+.