Quarterbacks
UTEP will go with sophomore Mack Leftwich, son of the team’s offensive line coach, who is heady and listed at 5-10 in the media guide, a measurement disputed by oach Sean Kugler, who said Leftwich only “wishes he was 5-10.” Leftwich redshirted in 2014 behind Jameill Showers after playing five games in 2013.
Brandon Allen (190-339, 2,285 passing, 20 TDs, 5 INTs) begins his third season as a starter hoping to improve on his 56-percent completion rate and an efficiency rating of 129.2, which ranked 58th of 109 nationally.
BIG ADVANTAGE Arkansas
Running backs
UTEP’s offense is built around 5-10, 205-pound Aaron Jones (1,321 yards, 11 TDs, 5.5 ypc), including a career-best 273-yard game against New Mexico. Jones, who is from El Paso, also led the team with 3 receiving touchdowns. Three-year starter Darrin Laufasa is the top fullback.
Alex Collins (204 carries, 1,100 yards, 12 TDs) steps into the starting role after a season-ending foot injury to running mate Jonathan Williams (211-1,190, 12). Collins averaged 5.4 yards per carry and 15.7 carries per game last year. Kody Walker (25-119, 1) and freshman Rawleigh Williams will take the most reps behind Collins.
ADVANTAGE Arkansas
Receivers
Autrey Golden (31 catches, 263 yards, 2 TDs) is UTEP’s one experienced pass catcher. The Miners’ tight ends are Sterling Napier, Hayden Plinke, who started his career at Boise State, and 6-9 Cedrick Lang, a star basketball player at UTEP.
Keon Hatcher (43-558, 6) should have more help this fall, including top tight ends Hunter Henry (37-513, 2) and Jeremy Sprinkle (7-84, 1). Jared Cornelius (18-212, 2) should be more productive. Drew Morgan (10-181, 1) had a bang-up camp, Cody Hollister (13-137, 1) has dependable hands and Damon Mitchell could be a breakout performer.
BIG ADVANTAGE Arkansas
Line
Will Hernandez, 6-3, 330, made the CUSA all-freshman team last year with fellow guard Derek Elmendorff. LT Jerome Daniels played RT last season. Center Eric Lee, also a returning starter, is the unit’s only senior. Kugler has built strength into a position that didn’t even have enough bodies to fill out a two-deep chart three years ago.
Can the Arkansas front live up to the hype? Denver Kirkland moved from OG to LT and Dan Skipper went to RT in spring. Sebastian Tretola, 50 pounds lighter at 6-5, 334, is a returning starter at LG along with C Mitch Smothers. Frank Ragnow has moved in at RG.
ADVANTAGE Arkansas
DEFENSE
Line
Miners end Roy Robertson-Harris (36 tackles, 9.5 TFL, 3.5 sacks) has pro potential at 6-7, 255, and leads a group of three returning starters. Nick Usher (41, 5.5, 3) is a 6-3 junior at the other end. Nose tackle Geno Breslin (27, 2.5 TFL) is the other returning starter. Alex Villareal (11), a juco transfer last year, won the starting defensive tackle job.
As many as 12 lineman could play, led by returning starters JaMichael Winston (26, 2 TFL, 1 hurry) at DE and DT Taiwan Johnson (26, 8 TFL, 4.5 sacks, 2 FR). Senior DeMarcus Hodge (5) and sophomore Tevin Beanum (11, 2 TFL) won starting spots. Abundant depth begins with Deatrich Wise (13, 2 sacks), Bijhon Jackson (9, 1 TFL), Mitchell Loewen (14, 2 TFL), juco transfer Jeremiah Ledbetter and freshman Hjalte Froholdt.
ADVANTAGE Arkansas
Linebackers
Team captain Jimmy Musgrave (36, 4.5, 3) says he’s ready for the downhill-running Razorbacks. Alvin Jones (55, 9 TFL), the brother of tailback Aaron Jones, overcame a neck injury in camp and will rotate at the weak-side spot with Trey Brown (33, 5, 2) in the team’s 4-2-5 alignment.
Brooks Ellis (72, 5.5 TFL, 2 INT) is a known commodity at the weak-side spot. Josh Williams (29, 1.5 TFL) shuffled back to the middle and Khalia Hackett (10) back to the strong side for the final week of camp. Hackett and Josh Harris should also see reps in the middle.
ADVANTAGE Even
Secondary
Starting safety Devin Cockrell is out for the year and starting corner Traun Roberson, a sixth-year senior captain, is questionable with an ankle injury. Freshmen Nik Needham and Kalon Beverly will work one corner, with Trent Trammel and Roberson at the other. Converted tailback LaQuintus Dowell (7) and Dashone Smith (35) are veteran safeties, and the other starter, Michael Lewis, is a freshman.
Top cornerbacks Jared Collins (53, 13 PBU), D.J. Dean (23, 2 INT) and Henre Toliver (18, 2 INT) will allow plenty of leeway for blizes and mixed looks. Senior Rohan Gaines (59, 5 PBU,1 INT) and sophomore Josh Liddell (12) are the top safeties.
BIG ADVANTAGE Arkansas
Special teams
Autrey Golden has six kickoff return TDs, one short of the NCAA career record. But the Miners ranked 105th nationally last year in punt returns. Jay Mattox (13 of 16 FGs) will likely handle place kicking after punting last year. Freshman Alan Luna is the new punter.
Arkansas used a combination of players to rank fifth nationally in kickoff returns (25.7). Eric Hawkins will get first crack as the deep man this season, with Keon Hatcher also involved. Jared Cornelius appears to be the holdover on punt returns after a 10.1 average as a freshman. Snapper Drew Gorton and kicker Cole Hedlund are new starters, as is punter Toby Baker, 6-3, 202. Adam McFain is likely to handle kickoffs. Matt Emrich returns at holder.
ADVANTAGE Arkansas
Intangibles
To have any shot at an upset, the Miners will have to cause havoc with their heavy blitzing, control the game with Jones and the offensive line, get a big play or two from their Wild Miner set and maybe get big work from kick returner Golden, a combination of factors that seems improbable.
Arkansas enters the season with high expectations for the first time in three years. The Razorbacks would like to dominate up front, rotate all three running backs and get passes to a wide swath of receivers on offense. If the corners live up to the hype, the safeties can commit more to slowing UTEP’s biggest weapon, its power run game.
ADVANTAGE Arkansas