FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The SEC’s “Talkin’ Season” is nearly here as Media Days kick off Monday at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.
Coaches, players, and media members will hype up standout athletes, share team updates, and make their case for why their squad will improve on last year’s performance.
This event marks the biggest summer gathering for the media, offering fresh storylines to keep fans engaged through the long summer lull and into fall practice.
With the 2024 season behind them, it’s time to make three bold predictions for the Razorbacks’ 2025 campaign under sixth-year head coach Sam Pittman.
Taylen Green as a Heisman contender
The buzz around Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green as a dark horse in the Heisman Trophy race is intensifying every week.
After racking up over 3,700 yards of total offense and 23 touchdowns last season, Green is poised to develop into one of the SEC’s—and possibly college football’s—top players.
Not only will Green need to be one of the best players in the country, but he’ll also have to lead the Razorbacks to 10 or more wins. Historically, only three Heisman winners have come from teams that won at least nine games in a season: Tim Tebow (2007), Lamar Jackson (2016), and Travis Hunter (2024).
Green’s path starts with commanding wins in non-conference matchups against Arkansas State and Memphis. From there, he’ll need to engineer a key SEC road victory at Ole Miss or pull off an upset against last year’s College Football Playoff runner-up, Notre Dame.
If Green can accomplish that, there’s no reason he can’t be a serious contender alongside players like LaNorris Sellers, Arch Manning, Garrett Nussmeier, Cade Klubinik, Jeremiah Smith, Ryan Williams, DJ Lagway, Kevin Jennings, and many others.
With offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino back at the helm, optimism is high for Year Two of the Razorbacks’ high-octane offense.
Razorbacks in the CFP hunt after a 9-0 start
In a dream scenario, Arkansas could find itself undefeated at 9-0 heading into the Battle of the Golden Boot against LSU in Death Valley.
There are doubts about just how good this Razorback team can be, but sometimes college football surprises us — and teams pull off the unexpected.
National media and casual fans might glance at the schedule and wonder, “How will Arkansas avoid three losses by Week Five?” But don’t count out the Razorbacks’ ability to defeat Tennessee for a fifth straight time.
After that, Arkansas will return home to Razorback Stadium for a rare SEC homestand, hosting Texas A&M, Auburn, and Mississippi State in three consecutive weeks. Such a stretch is uncommon—since joining the SEC in 1992, Arkansas has only once before hosted three straight conference home games, back in 2011.
If the Razorbacks can win all four of those matchups, they’ll start 9-0 and have a shot at closing the season strong with three straight rivalry wins, positioning themselves as serious contenders for a College Football Playoff berth.
Defensive line among the SEC’s best
Defensive coordinator Travis Williams nearly switched to a 3-4 scheme but instead added a key piece by bringing in Phillip Lee from Troy during the spring transfer portal.
The 6-foot-4, 240-pound defensive end is versatile enough to play both edge rusher and linebacker, and he’s proven to be a productive defender in the Sun Belt over his three-year career.
Lee appeared in 34 games for the Trojans, tallying 53 total tackles, 15 tackles for loss, and 7.5 sacks, with most of his impact coming last season.
Arkansas boasts plenty of talent along the defensive front, but much of it is still unproven due to the youth of the group. Defensive line coach has secured several 4-star recruits over the past three classes, including Quincy Rhodes, Charlie Collins, Kavion Henderson, Reginald Vaughn, and Kevin Oatis.
Veterans Cam Ball and Ian Geffrard made significant strides in production last season, while coaches are also optimistic about Abilene Christian transfer David Oke, who missed part of spring practice due to injury.
The Razorbacks have previously taken calculated risks on small-school transfers like John Ridgeway (2021) and Anton Juncaj (2024). Although their production varied, the coaching staff has shown a strong ability to evaluate and integrate these players successfully.
Since Adams assumed responsibility for the defensive front in 2022, Arkansas has consistently ranked well in sacks and tackles for loss. Still, increasing disruption upfront will be key to helping the secondary improve, especially after allowing over 247 yards per game—ranked 111th nationally—last season.
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