OFFENSE
Quarterbacks
Toledo’s Phillip Ely (41 of 68, 541 yards, 4 TDs, 1 INT in 2014), a former Alabama player, won back the starting job after knee surgery cut short his 2014 season two games in. Logan Woodside (185 of 296, 2,263 yards, 19 TDs, 8 INTs) led the Rockets to the GoDaddy Bowl with the MAC’s No. 4 efficiency rating (142.5). Both might play today.
Arkansas’ Brandon Allen completed 14 of 18 passes in the opener for a career-best 308 yards and 4 TDs. His 77.8 percent completions and 294.8 efficiency rating were career highs. Allen has thrown 108 passes without an interception.
Advantage: Even
Running backs
With Kareem Hunt (2,497 career rush yards, 22 TDs) out because of a suspension, the Rockets will rely on Terry Swanson (113-732, 6 TDs, 6.5 ypc), Damion Jones-Moore (80-460, 6, 5.8) and Marc Remy (42-225). Swanson twisted an ankle against Stony Brook, while Jones-Moore had TD runs of 37 and 7 yards wiped off the books.
Alex Collins (12-127, 1 TD) had mixed results against UTEP’s run-stacked defense, with two carries netting 96 yards and the other 10 amounting to 31 yards. Kody Walker (5-11, 1 TD) and Rawleigh Williams (16-45) combined to average 2.7 yards per carry.
Advantage: Arkansas
Receivers
The Rockets have big guys on the edge like 6-4 Alonzo Russell (51-770, 8 TDs) and 6-4 freshman Andrew Davis, and shifty guys who often work inside and on screens, like Corey Jones (68-842, 5), Kishon Wilcher (19-275, 2) and freshman Dionte Johnson. Russell had 3 catches for 55 yards at halftime last week.
Keon Hatcher (6 catches, 106 yards, 2 TDs) had his second 100-yard game last week. Jared Cornelius (2-75, 1) and Drew Morgan (1-26, 1) took receiver screens to the end zone. Tight ends Hunter Henry (2-42) and Jeremy Sprinkle (2-60) were inches away from scoring last week. The Hogs would like to get Dominique Reed, Cody Hollister and Damon Mitchell into the flow.
Advantage: Even
Offensive line
Toledo’s front five are all new starters. Left tackle Storm Norman, 6-8, 310, is an all-star candidate. The other four are tackle Elijah Nkansah, guards Paul Perschon and Mike Ebert and center Ruben Carter, a Florida State transfer. The group averages 6-5, 304 pounds. The Rockets averaged 5.9 yards per play vs. Stony Brook.
The Razorbacks did not allow a sack in the opener and helped produce an average of 9.1 yards per play. The starting five of Denver Kirkland, Frank Ragnow, Dan Skipper, Mitch Smothers and Sebastian Tretola got relief help from tackle Brian Wallace before the reserves took over. The rush average of 5.4 yards per play was bolstered by gains of 70 and 26 yards.
Advantage: Arkansas
DEFENSE
Defensive line
Nose tackle Orion Jones (33 tackles, 10 TFL, 6 sacks) and Treyvon Hester (49, 9.5, 2) were All-MAC performers last year. End Trent Voss (77, 15, 4.5) was defensive MVP of the GoDaddy Bowl. Suspended end Alex Covington will be replaced by Keenen Gibbs (14, 2.5 sacks).
Arkansas rotated 11 men in on its front last week, led by junior college transfer Jeremiah Ledbetter (8 tackles), DeMarcus Hodge (3, 1 sack), Tevin Beanum (2), Mitchell Loewen (3), JaMichael Winston (1), Deatrich Wise (2), Bijhon Jackson (2) and Karl Roesler (3).
Advantage: Arkansas
Linebackers
The Rockets start two juniors in Jaylen Coleman (23, 1 hurry) and Connery Swift (16, 2 hurries) on the outside, flanking Chase Murdock (27, 1 sack) and Ja’Wuan Woodley (5) in the middle. Murdock is questionable (hamstring).
Arkansas got solid production from Brooks Ellis, Josh Williams and Khalia Hackett, who all had 7 tackles against UTEP. Williams and Hackett each had one tackle for loss, Williams recovered a special teams fumble, Hackett had two hurries and Ellis had one. Freshman Dre Greenlaw added 5 tackles.
Advantage: Arkansas
Secondary
Toledo has veterans across the board in senior cornerback Cheatham Norrils, who sat out last season with illness, senior strong safety Chaz Whittaker (56, 2 INTs), who had two interceptions last week before the game was declared no contest, senior corner Christian Dukes (62, 2 INT) and junior free safety DeJuan Rogers (67, 3.5 TFL).
Arkansas made an incremental move in depth with safeties Rohan Gaines (3, 0.5 TFL) and Josh Liddell (3, 0.5) joined in the rotation by Santos Ramirez (5) and Willie Sykes. Top corners Henre Toliver (4, 2 TFL, 1 INT), Jared Collins (2) and D.J. Dean (1) will face tougher coverage challenges this week.
Advantage: Toledo
Special teams
Freshman kicker Jameson Vest made a short field goal last week. Nick Ellis averaged 36.6 yards per punt last year. Ellis and Michael Julian are expected to share punting duties. Kishon Wilcher (22.0 avg.) is back as the top kick returner, and Corey Jones (6.4) is the punt returner.
Cole Hedlund went 2 of 2 on short field goals last week, and punter Toby Baker’s only work came on a pooch punt. Eric Hawkins averaged 27.5 yards on kickoff returns and Jared Cornelius averaged 6.5 on punt returns. The Hogs’ coverage units were solid.
Advantage: Arkansas
Intangibles
The Rockets have played only a half, so they are behind Arkansas in that regard. Toledo has played in SEC stadiums the past two years but is 0-3 in those games. The Rockets should be able to take a pressure-free approach.
Arkansas has more pressure with a ranking to defend, but a decided advantage with a more veteran roster and a big home crowd. The Razorbacks should be inspired with one victory in their past five games in Little Rock.
Advantage: Arkansas