Third in a series of articles previewing SEC football teams going into the 2014 season.
HOOVER, Ala. -- Arkansas needs only to look at the bookend opponents on its football schedule -- Auburn and Missouri -- for a reminder that its fortunes in 2014 don't have to follow the dire course that will be assigned to it by many.
In fact, the Razorbacks seemed well acquainted Wednesday at SEC media days with the stories of Auburn and Missouri, which each struggled in 2012, were picked fifth and sixth, respectively, in their divisions by the media last season and wound up playing for the SEC championship.
Arkansas schedule
DATE - OPP - TIME/TV
Aug. 30 - at Auburn* - 3 p.m/SECN
Sept. 6;Nicholls State* - 3 p.m./SECN
Sept. 13 - at Texas Tech - 2:30 p.m.
Sept. 20 - Northern Illinois - TBA
Sept. 27 - Texas A&M*# - TBA
Oct. 11 - Alabama* - TBA
Oct. 18 - Georgia* (LR) - TBA
Oct. 25 - UAB - TBA
Nov. 1 - at Mississippi State* - TBA
Nov. 15 - LSU* - TBA
Nov. 22 - Ole Miss* - TBA
Nov. 28 - at Missouri* - TBA
*SEC game #at Arlington, Texas
Arkansas glance
LAST SEASON 3-9, 0-8 (seventh in SEC West)
COACH Bret Bielema (3-9 in second year at Arkansas, 71-33 in ninth year overall)
RETURNING STARTERS Offense 7, defense 7, special teams 1
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS QB Brandon Allen, RB Alex Collins, TE Hunter Henry, DE Trey Flowers, DT Darius Philon, S Alan Turner, RB Jonathan Williams
SEC TITLE SCENARIO Arkansas will have to reverse its horrendous turnover margin trend of the past two years for starters. Quarterback Brandon Allen will have to be much sharper and find go-to receivers to balance out the offense with the Hogs’ formidable run game. The linebackers will have to make major improvements and the defense must generate a pass rush to help out a thin secondary.
The Razorbacks face both on the road this year when they open the season at defending SEC champion Auburn on Aug. 30 and go to Missouri on Nov. 28 to open their new permanent cross-division rivalry.
The Razorbacks are likely to be picked last again in the SEC West after finishing 0-8 in league games and losing their final nine games in a 3-9 season. They see the opener against Auburn as a way to start turning things around.
"For us to starve as much as we did last year by going 0-for in the SEC and them to eat as much as they did by going all the way to the national championship game, there's not a better prey to feast on," defensive end Trey Flowers said. "So we're going to open up with that and hopefully get some good eating."
Safety Alan Turner agreed that teams can draw inspiration from Auburn's run from worst to first in the SEC West.
"They turned it around real quick," Turner said. "They had a great year. Then also Missouri, I know they didn't do too good the year before. But both of those teams played in the SEC championship. It does show you if you have a good offseason and you keep continuing to get better, you can have success."
Offensive tackle Brey Cook said predictions can easily go awry in the SEC.
"Each year I've played here at the University of Arkansas, something crazy always happens," Cook said. "You can never predict a game. It's almost impossible to do in this conference."
Flowers agreed that Auburn's run in 2013 can serve motivation for the Razorbacks.
"I guess that's an inspirational story to us as far as believing you can go through what we did last year and then contend for a national championship," he said. "We're able to see that as a motivating factor and understand that if everyone buys into one thing and believes and trusts in the coaches that we can make it happen too."
The Razorbacks endured midseason blowouts at the hands of Alabama and South Carolina by a combined 104-7, but they point to the way they finished -- with narrow losses to Mississippi State and LSU -- as an example of their direction.
"Taking it back to the last game at LSU, we had that, and we were just a few plays here or there away from winning," Flowers said. "We know how far we've come, and we know how far we still have to go."
Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema said staying true to who you are and what you know is the biggest thing he took away from the team's transition last year in his first season as the Razorbacks coach.
"Don't flinch," he said. "There's a lot of times teams that go through some adversity, for sure a team that doesn't win a game in their conference, they're going to change out philosophy, got a new idea, new this, new that. I believe you have to do what you do better.
"You're going to change little things, absolutely. You're going to change personnel, change the way you do things, the way you communicate, but don't change what is the core fundamentals of what you believe in. ... We're going to stick to our principles and do it better."
Bielema said the Razorbacks failed to execute in big moments and have to re-establish all the factors that play into winning football, but conceded that it won't come easy.
"Once you start winning, it kind of takes care of itself," he said. "Kids expect to win. They know how to win and it begins to happen. Until you hit that level, it's kind of an uphill battle to get to where you need to be."
Razorbacks players said Wednesday the team can improve at every position this fall.
Turner pointed to quarterback Brandon Allen's summer.
"I feel like B.A. has gotten way better in his confidence and he's become a leader," he said. "And also just him becoming a better student of the game. He's making his reads faster. He's making better throws."
The Razorback seniors were photographed on the steps in front of Walton Hall, replicating a picture of the 1964 national championship team at Arkansas, and the two photos share the front cover of this year's Razorbacks media guide.
"You hear about those guys growing up. They're Arkansas heroes," Cook said. "It's humbling for us to have the same media guide cover as them."
It appears inspiration is all around as these Razorbacks chase dreams of their own championships.
Up next: Texas A&M
Sports on 07/17/2014