quote:

If it is a complete rebuild, then it could be worse. At least if you have quality players you can do minor adjustments until Beilema gets his kind of players in. But another Arkansas poster was saying you have a 4* and 5* running back and a great center...PLUS 6 quality WRs....so, it doesn't sound like a complete rebuild.

It isn't a complete rebuild, yes due to injuries/transfers/NFL draft we are left with 6 healthy WRs going into the season, but the difference between last (not that you can judge the players based on a Paul Petrino offense (look at how bad he sucked at Illinois) or with JLS as HC) is we have a full depth chart at TE where last year it was really only Gragg who was hurt most of the time.

Hunter Henry is athletic enough to line up at TE or in the Slot, would not be surprised to see him more in the slot until he gets the blocking scheme down enough to play TE full time. We are also going to use one as an H-back in certain sets.

The other factor is the offense will almost always have at least one TE on the field, 3 WR sets will be more common than the 4/5 with Petrino.

Another factor is Jim Chaney is just as pass happy as the brothers Petrino were, if anything having CBB reminding him to run the ball will help, but Bert isn't running the offense or approving plays after they are called with veto power.

The O-line is expected to be improved, the D-line is stacked.

The biggest concern for the team is the LBs, not talent, but depth (Petrino recruited 7 of them while he was here, 2 remain, IIRC). The secondary is young, but does have talent, it will be a matter of the defense learning and playing the scheme correctly and if needed the coaching staff adjusting to the player's abilities (something WillieRob and Paul Haynes refused to do).

The team could win any where from 4-9 games, they will probably finish the season somewhere in the 6-8 win range.