Legendary - The Career of Porter Davis

[djp73]

Arkansas Picked to Win the SEC West
For the first time in decades, the Razorbacks enter a season carrying the weight of expectations.
By Connor Reese | SEC Media Days



ATLANTA — One year ago, Arkansas arrived at SEC Media Days as a curiosity.

The Razorbacks had hired Porter Davis after a successful run at Louisiana and were attempting to rebuild a program coming off a 2-10 season. Optimism existed, but expectations were modest.

Twelve months later, everything has changed.

Arkansas was selected by media members this week as the preseason favorite to win the SEC West, finishing ahead of traditional powers Alabama, Texas A&M, LSU, and Auburn in voting released Tuesday morning.

It's a distinction the Razorbacks haven't enjoyed in decades.

More importantly, it's a reflection of just how dramatically perceptions surrounding the program have changed following last season's remarkable SEC Championship run.

"We know what people are saying," Davis told reporters Tuesday. "But nobody wins games in July. We've got a lot of work left to do."

Perhaps.

But for the first time in a very long time, the rest of the conference appears convinced Arkansas belongs among college football's elite.

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2019 SEC West Preseason Media Poll

1. Arkansas
2. Alabama
3. Texas A&M
4. Auburn
5. Mississippi State
6. Ole Miss
7. LSU

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The Razorbacks enter the season after finishing 12-2, winning the SEC Championship, and defeating Georgia in Atlanta before adding a Sugar Bowl victory to cap one of the most memorable seasons in school history.

While last year's team surprised the nation, this year's team enters with something entirely different.

Expectations.

The media vote confirmed what many around the league have quietly acknowledged throughout the offseason.

Arkansas is no longer the hunter.

Arkansas is the hunted.

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Much of that confidence centers around quarterback D'Eriq Robinette.

The senior dual-threat quarterback emerged as one of the SEC's most dangerous players last season, accounting for over 2,800 total yards while leading the Razorbacks to multiple comeback victories against ranked opponents.

Robinette spent much of SEC Media Days surrounded by reporters and television cameras, a stark contrast from his relatively anonymous arrival a year ago.

"He just wins," one voter said. "Every time you think Arkansas is in trouble, Robinette makes a play."

Robinette enters the season as a popular dark-horse Heisman candidate and was named a First Team Preseason All-SEC selection by several media outlets this week.

His development as a passer throughout spring practice has only increased expectations for what could be a breakout senior campaign.

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On the defensive side of the ball, safety Joey Cabral received similar attention.

The newly appointed No. 1 jersey holder has emerged as the unquestioned leader of the Razorback defense following the departure of several veteran contributors.

Cabral's performance throughout spring practice earned praise from coaches and teammates alike, and many around the conference believe he could be one of the SEC's breakout defensive stars.

Several preseason publications have already placed him on their All-SEC teams.

The Razorbacks will need that leadership.

Replacing production on defense remains one of the biggest questions facing the program entering the fall.

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Preseason SEC Coach of the Year Odds

1. Porter Davis, Arkansas
2. Luke Fickell, Alabama
3. Troy Calhoun, Missouri
4. Mark Hudspeth, South Carolina
5. Charlie Strong, Florida

The presence of Davis atop the list says as much about Arkansas' rise as any poll or ranking.

One year ago, Davis was viewed as a coach receiving a second chance.

Today, he is widely viewed as one of the premier coaches in college football.

His transformation of Arkansas from SEC afterthought to conference champion remains one of the most impressive turnarounds in recent memory.

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Preseason All-SEC Razorbacks

QB D'Eriq Robinette – First Team

S Joey Cabral – First Team

K Joey Christodoulou – First Team

WR Javon Garcia – Second Team

DT Cornelius Davies – Second Team

The recognition reflects both Arkansas' success and the growing respect the program commands nationally.

No longer viewed as a team built around one coach or one magical season, the Razorbacks now possess star power throughout the roster.

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Perhaps the most telling moment of SEC Media Days came not during a press conference, but during a conversation among reporters in a crowded hallway.

The discussion wasn't whether Arkansas could compete with Alabama.

It wasn't whether Arkansas belonged in the SEC title race.

It wasn't whether the Razorbacks could challenge for a New Year's Six bowl.

Those questions have already been answered.

The conversation was whether Arkansas could reach the College Football Playoff.

That is how much expectations have changed.

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Whether Arkansas can handle those expectations remains to be seen.

The schedule is difficult.

Road trips to Michigan, South Carolina, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, and LSU await.

Georgia visits Fayetteville to open the season.

Alabama still lurks in the SEC West.

And every opponent on the schedule now understands one thing.

Beating Arkansas means something again.

For years, Razorback fans spent the offseason wondering whether their team could climb back into relevance.

Now the question is much bigger.

Can Arkansas stay on top?

The SEC media believes the answer is yes.

The rest of the country is beginning to believe it too.

[djp73]

The Next Alabama?
The comparison sounds ridiculous. Until you start looking at the numbers.
By Stewart Mandel | National College Football Columnist



Let's get this out of the way immediately.

Arkansas is not Alabama.

Not yet.

Nick Saban won multiple national championships in Tuscaloosa. Alabama spent more than a decade serving as the gold standard of college football. The Crimson Tide didn't simply win championships, they redefined what sustained excellence looked like in the modern era.

Comparing anyone to Alabama is usually unfair.

It's also usually foolish.

And yet, as the 2019 season approaches, there is one program generating a question that would have sounded absurd just two years ago:

Is Arkansas becoming what Alabama once became?

The answer is probably no.

But the more interesting answer might be:

Maybe.

To understand why the comparison exists at all, you have to understand where Arkansas was not very long ago.

In 2017, the Razorbacks finished 2-10.

They were irrelevant nationally.

They weren't recruiting at an elite level.

They weren't competing for championships.

They weren't even competing for bowl games.

The SEC West had become Alabama's world, and Arkansas was simply living in it.

Then Porter Davis arrived.

One year later, Arkansas won the SEC Championship.

One year later, Arkansas won the Sugar Bowl.

One year later, Arkansas entered the following season as the preseason favorite to win the SEC.

That kind of turnaround doesn't happen in college football.

At least it isn't supposed to.

The obvious response is that one great season doesn't create a dynasty.

That's true.

But dynasties don't begin with championships.

They begin with foundations.

And that's where the Alabama comparisons become difficult to ignore.

Consider Alabama entering the 2012 season.

The Crimson Tide were built around defense.

They recruited well, but not necessarily better than everyone else.

They developed players.

They controlled games physically.

Most importantly, they possessed complete organizational stability.

Everyone knew exactly who Alabama was.

Now look at Arkansas entering 2019.

The Razorbacks are built around defense.

They recruit well, but not at the level of Alabama, Ohio State, or Oklahoma.

They develop players.

They control games physically.

And perhaps most importantly, they possess an identity that didn't exist before Davis arrived.

That last point matters.

The best programs don't spend time searching for themselves.

They know who they are.

Arkansas suddenly knows exactly who it is.

The comparison becomes even more interesting when recruiting is considered.

Alabama's dynasty was fueled by elite recruiting classes.

Arkansas' rise has occurred despite not signing them.

The Razorbacks finished outside the national top twenty in recruiting rankings just two cycles ago. Even their most recent class ranked outside the nation's elite.

And yet Arkansas continues winning.

How?

Player development.

The same answer that defined Alabama's rise under Saban.

Quarterback D'Eriq Robinette was not a five-star recruit.

Safety Joey Cabral was not a five-star recruit.

Much of Arkansas' roster consists of players who have become significantly better after arriving on campus.

That may be the most Alabama-like trait of all.

Championship programs don't just acquire talent.

They maximize it.

There is another similarity that deserves attention.

Fear.

Not fear inside the program.

Fear outside of it.

When Alabama was at its peak, opposing coaches spent the offseason searching for ways to catch the Crimson Tide.

Today, SEC athletic directors appear to be searching for ways to build their own Arkansas.

Alabama hired Luke Fickell.

LSU hired Wayne Bolt.

Florida hired Charlie Strong.

Kentucky hired Robert Anae.

Different coaches.

Different backgrounds.

Different philosophies.

But nearly every hire was made with one question in mind:

How do we close the gap?

That may be the strongest evidence of Arkansas' growing influence.

The Razorbacks aren't reacting to the conference anymore.

The conference is reacting to them.

Of course, there are reasons to pump the brakes.

Alabama won national championships.

Arkansas won one SEC title.

Alabama sustained success for years.

Arkansas has sustained success for one season.

Alabama recruited top-five classes annually.

Arkansas still does not.

The Crimson Tide proved it.

The Razorbacks are still trying to.

That distinction matters.

And yet, as SEC Media Days concluded this week, one reality became impossible to ignore.

Arkansas was picked to win the SEC West.

Not Alabama.

Not Texas A&M.

Not Auburn.

Arkansas.

The Razorbacks return an experienced quarterback.

A veteran defense.

A coaching staff that turned a 2-10 program into a conference champion in a single season.

The schedule is difficult.

The expectations are enormous.

The pressure is real.

Those are problems Alabama became accustomed to handling.

Now Arkansas faces them too.

So are the Razorbacks the next Alabama?

No.

Not yet.

Maybe not ever.

Alabama's dynasty may never be replicated.

But if college football is searching for the sport's next great powerhouse, the answer might be hiding in plain sight.

Because entering 2019, no program in America has more momentum.

No program has risen faster.

And no program looks more capable of becoming college football's next great dynasty than the Arkansas Razorbacks.

That's not a prediction.

Not yet.

It's simply a possibility.

And for a program that was 2-10 two years ago, that possibility alone says everything.

[djp73]

Arkansas Projected as Legitimate College Football Playoff Contender
The polls like the Razorbacks. The SEC media likes the Razorbacks. Most importantly, the computers like the Razorbacks.
By Brett McMurphy | National College Football Analyst



For most of the last decade, Arkansas has been an afterthought in the national championship conversation.

Not anymore.

The Razorbacks enter the 2019 season ranked inside the Top 10 of nearly every major preseason poll, favored by SEC media members to win the SEC West, and increasingly viewed as one of the most likely challengers to reach the College Football Playoff.

The reason isn't hype.

The reason is math.

Virtually every major projection system entering the season views Arkansas as one of the nation's most complete teams.

And while projections are never perfect, they tend to identify championship contenders long before the rest of the country does.

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A New Era Begins

Adding even more intrigue to the 2019 season is the arrival of college football's newest postseason format.

After decades of controversy surrounding polls, computer rankings, and BCS Championship selections, this season will mark the debut of the four-team College Football Playoff.

The selection committee will choose the nation's top four teams following conference championship weekend, with those programs advancing to the first playoff in college football history.

No one knows exactly how the committee will evaluate teams.

No one knows how much conference championships, strength of schedule, or head-to-head results will matter.

What we do know is that Arkansas enters the inaugural Playoff era as one of the programs most frequently appearing in projected four-team fields.

For a program that won just two games two seasons ago, that alone is remarkable.

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Why the Models Love Arkansas

Modern projection systems generally focus on four key factors:

• Returning production

• Coaching continuity

• Recent performance

• Recruiting and roster talent

Arkansas scores exceptionally well in three of those four categories and grades out surprisingly strong in the fourth.

The result is a profile that closely resembles teams that historically compete for conference championships and Playoff berths.

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Returning Production

One of the biggest indicators of future success is returning experience.

Arkansas returns the majority of its offensive production from a team that won the SEC Championship and Sugar Bowl.

The headliner is quarterback D'Eriq Robinette.

Robinette accounted for over 2,800 total yards last season and enters 2019 as one of the SEC's most experienced quarterbacks.

Unlike many dual-threat quarterbacks, Robinette appears to be improving as a passer.

Multiple reports from spring practice noted improved touch, timing, and accuracy throughout camp.

If that development continues, Arkansas could field its most dangerous offense of the Porter Davis era.

The Razorbacks also return leading receiver Javon Garcia, starting tackle Mark Smith, veteran tight end Rannell Ryan, and several contributors at running back.

On defense, safety Joey Cabral returns after emerging as the emotional leader of the unit throughout spring practice.

The Razorbacks lost production at linebacker but appear confident in replacements such as Derrelle Bowser, Warren Lucas, Demetrius Baker, and Antwuan Little.

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Coaching Stability

This is where Arkansas separates itself from much of the SEC.

The Razorbacks return Porter Davis, Marcus Arroyo, and Marquase Lovings.

Meanwhile:

Alabama hired Luke Fickell.

LSU hired Wayne Bolt.

Florida hired Charlie Strong.

Kentucky hired Robert Anae.

Ole Miss hired Chuck Martin.

Nearly half the conference enters 2019 with new leadership.

Arkansas enters with continuity.

Historically, teams returning an established coaching staff significantly outperform teams undergoing major transitions, making Arkansas a strong candidate to navigate the uncertainty of the inaugural Playoff race.

The Razorbacks possess perhaps the most stable coaching structure in the SEC.

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The Robinette Factor

Projection systems love experienced quarterbacks.

They love dual-threat quarterbacks even more.

Robinette's ability to create offense outside structure makes Arkansas uniquely difficult to model defensively.

Last season he rushed for more than 1,100 yards while adding over 1,700 passing yards.

That combination forces opponents to defend every inch of the field.

Several national analysts have quietly identified Robinette as one of the country's most valuable players entering 2019.

If Arkansas reaches the College Football Playoff, Robinette will almost certainly be a Heisman finalist.

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Projected SEC Championship Odds

1. Arkansas – 24%
2. Alabama – 19%
3. Missouri – 16%
4. Texas A&M – 11%
5. Georgia – 10%
6. South Carolina – 8%
7. Auburn – 6%

The Razorbacks don't dominate the projections.

But they appear at the top more often than any other SEC program.

That distinction matters.

Championship favorites are rarely overwhelming favorites in July.

They're usually the teams with the fewest weaknesses.

Arkansas fits that description.

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Projected College Football Playoff Odds

1. Alabama – 36%
2. Ohio State – 34%
3. Oklahoma – 31%
4. Arkansas – 29%
5. Clemson – 27%
6. USC – 22%
7. Missouri – 18%
8. Georgia – 17%

Arkansas may not be the most talented roster in America.

The Razorbacks may not have the nation's best recruiting classes.

But they have something nearly every projection system values.

A high floor.

The models struggle to find many games Arkansas should lose.

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The Biggest Concern

No projection system is perfect.

The models remain somewhat skeptical of Arkansas' defensive front after offseason departures.

Replacing veteran production at linebacker remains a concern.

The schedule is also brutal.

Georgia.

Michigan.

Alabama.

Auburn.

LSU.

South Carolina.

Few contenders for the inaugural College Football Playoff face a more difficult slate.

That reality is reflected in the projections.

Arkansas appears more likely to finish 10-2 than 12-0.

But in the SEC, 10-2 often puts a team squarely in championship contention.

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The most interesting thing about Arkansas' rise is that it hasn't been driven by recruiting rankings.

It hasn't been driven by five-star prospects.

It hasn't been driven by overwhelming talent.

The Razorbacks have built a contender through player development, coaching continuity, and a quarterback capable of changing games on his own.

The computers don't care about hype.

They don't care about headlines.

They don't care about expectations.

They care about returning production, coaching stability, roster quality, and historical trends.

And entering the 2019 season, all of those indicators point in the same direction.

Arkansas isn't just an SEC contender.

According to the numbers, the Razorbacks are one of the most legitimate contenders for a spot in the first College Football Playoff in college football history.

[redsox907]

how you gonna do a playoff in NCAA 14

[djp73]

[djp73]

2019 Arkansas Razorbacks Season Preview
The rebuild is over. The expectations have arrived.
By Arkansas Fight Staff



One year ago, Arkansas entered the season hoping to become respectable.

Today, the Razorbacks enter the season expected to compete for a College Football Playoff berth.

That's how quickly things have changed under Porter Davis.

When Davis arrived in Fayetteville following the 2017 season, Arkansas was coming off a disastrous 2-10 campaign and appeared years away from relevance. Instead, the Razorbacks produced one of the most remarkable turnarounds in recent SEC history, finishing 12-2, winning the SEC Championship, and defeating Georgia and Michigan on the way to a Sugar Bowl title.

Now comes the hard part.

Doing it again.

For the first time under Davis, Arkansas enters a season not as a surprise contender but as a hunted favorite. The Razorbacks have been picked to win the SEC West, rank inside the Top 10 nationally, and appear on nearly every preseason College Football Playoff projection.

The question is no longer whether Arkansas can contend.

The question is whether Arkansas can handle the weight of expectation.

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OFFENSE

Everything begins with D'Eriq Robinette.

The senior quarterback has become the face of the Arkansas program and one of the SEC's most unique offensive weapons. Robinette accounted for over 2,800 total yards last season and repeatedly delivered in critical moments, whether with his arm or his legs.

What has excited the coaching staff this offseason isn't what Robinette already does well.

It's what he has improved.

Throughout spring practice, coaches consistently praised his touch and accuracy in the intermediate passing game. Those were among the few weaknesses that occasionally limited Arkansas' offense a season ago.

If those improvements translate to Saturdays, Robinette could become one of the most dangerous quarterbacks in the country.

He won't be doing it alone.

Wide receiver Javon Garcia enters the season as Robinette's most trusted target and arguably the team's most reliable offensive player. Garcia's hands have always been among the best on the roster, and his spectacular one-handed diving catch during spring practice only reinforced that reputation.

The backfield remains one of Arkansas' biggest strengths.

Marques Long enters the year looking quicker and more elusive than he did during his breakout 2018 season. Long consistently impressed throughout spring practice with improved lateral movement and explosiveness.

The biggest offensive wildcard may be transfer running back Edwin Scott.

Scott was ineligible last season but immediately turned heads throughout spring practice. His route-running ability and receiving skills create matchup problems that Arkansas simply did not have a year ago. Expect Davis and offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo to use Scott heavily as a receiving threat out of the backfield.

The offensive line, once viewed as a major concern, suddenly appears stable.

Mark Smith has locked down the right tackle position and enjoyed one of the strongest springs on the roster. Anthony Freedman anchors the opposite side, while center Matthew Henderson emerged as one of the biggest winners of spring camp.

Jeff Overstreet's versatility provides additional depth, and Antoine Montgomery appears significantly improved from a year ago.

For a group that entered the spring with major questions, the Razorbacks leave it with considerable confidence.

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DEFENSE

If Arkansas is going to return to Atlanta, the defense must answer several important questions.

The good news?

The Razorbacks appear to have found their leader.

Senior safety Joey Cabral enters the season wearing the coveted No. 1 jersey and has emerged as the unquestioned voice of the defense. Coaches entrusted him with making defensive calls throughout spring practice, and he responded by displaying improved coverage skills while maintaining his reputation as one of the team's most reliable tacklers.

Cabral is the foundation.

The rest of the defense will be built around him.

The biggest storyline entering camp centered around replacing the production lost at linebacker.

Demetrius Baker may provide part of that answer.

Originally recruited as an outside linebacker, Baker spent much of spring practice working inside at middle linebacker. His athleticism and versatility have impressed coaches, and there is growing optimism that he can become a major contributor immediately.

Several other linebackers, including Derrelle Bowser, Warren Lucas, and Antwuan Little, also showed significant improvement throughout camp.

Up front, Cornelius Davies may be poised for a breakout season.

Davies has added size and strength while transitioning into a more prominent role at defensive tackle. Throughout spring practice, he consistently shed blockers and disrupted both running and passing plays.

Defensive ends Anthony Graham and Brandon Jones finished spring particularly strong, creating pressure throughout team periods and showing signs that Arkansas' pass rush could improve significantly in 2019.

The secondary received another boost with the emergence of junior-college transfer Reggie Parrish.

Parrish quickly earned the trust of coaches and teammates while learning the defense faster than expected. By the end of spring, he appeared to have gained an edge in the battle for significant snaps at safety and delivered one of the biggest plays of the spring game with a fourth-quarter interception.

Combined with Cabral, Parrish could give Arkansas one of the SEC's better safety tandems.

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THE SCHEDULE

If Arkansas reaches the College Football Playoff, nobody will be able to question the strength of schedule.

The Razorbacks open the season with perhaps the most challenging two-game stretch in the country.

Week One brings Georgia to Fayetteville.

Week Two sends Arkansas to Michigan.

Both teams are expected to contend for major bowl appearances.

Things don't get much easier later.

Texas A&M visits Fayetteville in September.

South Carolina looms in early October.

Alabama and Auburn both come to Razorback Stadium.

The season closes with difficult road trips to Ole Miss, Mississippi State, and LSU.

There are no shortcuts on this schedule.

Every major goal Arkansas hopes to achieve will have to be earned.

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BIGGEST STRENGTH

Coaching continuity.

While Alabama, LSU, Florida, Kentucky, and Ole Miss all enter the season with new head coaches, Arkansas returns its entire leadership structure.

Porter Davis, Marcus Arroyo, and Marquase Lovings know exactly what they want this team to be.

That continuity could prove invaluable during a season filled with championship expectations.

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BIGGEST CONCERN

Replacing defensive production.

The Razorbacks lost several key contributors from last year's championship defense. While spring practice provided encouraging signs, replacing proven production is rarely easy.

Arkansas doesn't need the defense to be better than last season.

It simply needs the defense to be good enough.

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SEASON PREDICTION

The talent is there.

The quarterback is there.

The coaching staff is there.

The schedule is difficult enough that perfection feels unlikely, but this team appears too complete to suffer a significant step backward.

Projected Record: 11-1

SEC West Finish: 1st

SEC Championship Prediction: Arkansas vs Missouri

Bowl Projection: College Football Playoff Semifinal

Final Outlook:

One year ago, Arkansas was the best story in college football.

This year, the Razorbacks are expected to be one of the best teams in college football.

That's a very different challenge.

And it may be the one that ultimately determines whether Porter Davis has built a contender—or the next great SEC powerhouse.

[redsox907]

gauntlet of a schedule. That first game against Georgia gonna tell us a lot, imo

[djp73]

going to have to come out hot!

[Chillcavern]

You got the playoff setup working?

I’ve always been tempted to try that out - looked into it one time and saw folks had gotten it set up, but never got around to doing it myself.

Gonna be fun to see if your Razorbacks can make it (potentially an alt-Georgia rise? That was a fun article)

[djp73]

You got the playoff setup working?

I’ve always been tempted to try that out - looked into it one time and saw folks had gotten it set up, but never got around to doing it myself.

Gonna be fun to see if your Razorbacks can make it (potentially an alt-Georgia rise? That was a fun article)

there's definitely some interesting stuff coming