FAYETTEVILLE — The Arkansas Razorbacks' struggles on the offensive line last season were a clear contributing factor to a struggling team that took a significant step down from the offense Kendall Briles orchestrated the year before.
Despite having nearly identical skill personnel in quarterback KJ Jefferson and tailbacks Raheim Sanders, AJ Green, Rashod Dubinion, and Dominik Johnson, the Hogs failed under Dan Enos. Enos was released after a lackluster 200-yard performance in seven games. They lost three at home to Mississippi State at the end of the season.
Coach Sam Pittman said strengthening the offensive line was a top priority for the Razorbacks during the winter, and he hired his protégé Eric to coach the position following the departure of Cody Kennedy, who held the same role at Mississippi State.・He said he hired Mateos.
The Razorbacks opened the transfer door in December, making some changes to existing personnel and seem to have succeeded in strengthening the foundational positions of their offense.
“I like the cohesiveness of the group,” Pittman said after Saturday’s Red and White game. “I think they played well.”
The lone right guard, Josh Brown, is a 6-6, 349-pound redshirt senior returning to the same position he started at last year. Junior Patrick Kutas, who started nine games at right tackle and center in 2023, now plays left guard.
Right tackle Keyshawn Blackstock, left tackle Fernando “Junior” Carmona and center Addison Nichols were transferred and joined Brown and Kutas in the front five for most of spring practice.
“On paper, it’s a completely different department,” Brown said. “There's another person leading us. We're actually a unit. We're a brotherhood.”
New offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino called out the group the week before the spring game.
“When you look at the makeup of the team, it always starts with the offensive line. I feel like the three guys we got from the portal are working with them. Their ability helps us move away,” Petrino said. I did. “Along with the starting five, the other two guys are doing a great job.
“We need to develop some depth there. I think right now we feel like we have guys that probably feel like eight is good.”
Kutas said last week that he thinks the energy on the line has improved.
“We're making big plays,” Kutas said. “The standard is even higher now. We have new transfer players coming in. New O-line coach.
“He’s just setting a standard for us and that has to be that standard every day, so we’re just excited to get out there and practice.”
The Razorbacks appeared to be in an offensive funk for much of 2023, averaging 3.53 yards per carry (12th in the SEC), 139 rushing yards per game, and a league-low nine rushing touchdowns.
Pass blocking also suffered, with the Razorbacks allowing 47 sacks, the second-most sacks in the SEC behind Alabama's 49.
Finding the bond that seemed to be missing from last year's team was critical for this front.
“We're the tightest O-line unit I've ever been a part of and it's a breath of fresh air,” Brown said. “Coach Mateos said…we just hit the ground running. We started this effort at the beginning of the semester and are only now getting off the ground. We will continue this momentum through the summer. I have to and I'm really looking forward to getting back to work on Monday.”
Quarterback Tyren Green praised the assets from the revamped line last Saturday.
“They're doing a lot of work with installation and various execution checks,” Green said. “Run game, pass game, and pass.” [protection]it's new to them too.
“They prepare every detail every day. Even when we get the script, it's probably late at night, really late at night or early in the morning, but they know their keys, checks and all that.” I know everything.”
Green said he's “definitely impressed” with the work of the players in the trenches and “definitely loves this guy here,” gesturing to Brown at the podium.
“As he said, it's friendship. It's never what I would call 'me-balls.' That's us. It's a team sport. I couldn't create the play without them. ”
Pittman called himself Mateos' graduate assistant several times in the spring and worked hands-on with the group for many separate periods throughout the 15 practices. Brown, who signed with Pittman at the University of Georgia before transferring to Florida after high school, is happy to be working with the legendary offensive line guru.
“Coach Pittman is one of the best O-line coaches of his generation,” Brown said. “We couldn't ask for anything better to have him and to have Coach Mateos, who will be one of the best offensive line coaches of the next generation.”
