Year: | 2023 |
Team: | Arkansas Razorbacks |
Sport: | football |
Conference: | Southeastern Conference |
Division: | West Division |
Short Conf: | SEC |
Record: | 4–8 |
Conf Record: | 1–7 |
Head Coach: | Sam Pittman |
Hc Year: | 4th |
Off Coach: | Dan Enos (4th season; first eight games) Kenny Guiton |
Oc Year: | interim; remainder of |
Off Scheme: | West Coast spread |
Def Coach: | Travis Williams |
Dc Year: | 1st |
Codef Coach1: | Marcus Woodson |
Codc1 Year: | 1st |
Def Scheme: | Multiple 4–2–5 |
Stadium: | Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium War Memorial Stadium |
The 2023 Arkansas Razorbacks football team represented the University of Arkansas in the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) during the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Razorbacks were led by Sam Pittman in his fourth year as head coach.
The Arkansas Razorbacks played their home games at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Arkansas. They also had one game at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, Arkansas.
The Razorbacks signed a total of 19 recruits on the first day of the early signing period, December 21, 2022, all from high school for the 2023 Class. Arkansas also signed 1 recruit on opening day of the late signing period which began on February 1, 2023, and two additional recruits signed in June, for a total of 21 high school signees and 1 Jr. College signee. Arkansas has also signed nineteen transfer players from the transfer portal for the 2023 Class, although Brathwaite left the team in early August. According to 247Sports Arkansas has the #11 portal transfer class in the nation; On3.com ranks Arkansas' portal class at #7; rivals.com ranks Arkansas' portal class at #20, but their rankings are not up-to-date.
Pos. | Portal Rating | Player | Height | Weight | Former school | Year | Hometown | Note | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CB | 5☆ | Jaheim Singletary | 6'2.5" | 180 | Georgia | Redshirt Freshman | Jacksonville, FL | ||
WR | 4☆ | Andrew Armstrong | 6'4" | 200 | Texas A&M-Commerce | Senior | Dallas, TX | ||
CB | 4☆ | Lorando Johnson | 6'0" | 195 | Baylor | Junior | Lancaster, TX | ||
QB | 4☆ | Jacolby Criswell | 6'1" | 225 | North Carolina | Junior | Morrilton, AR | ||
WR | 4☆ | Tyrone Broden | 6'7" | 200 | Bowling Green | Junior | West Bloomfield, MI | ||
DT | 4☆ | Anthony "Tank" Booker | 6'4" | 320 | Maryland | Senior | Cincinnati, OH | ||
LB | 4☆ | Jaheim Thomas | 6'4" | 245 | Cincinnati | Junior | Cincinnati, OH | ||
TE | 4☆ | Var'Keyes Gumms | 6'3" | 235 | North Texas | Sophomore | Houston, TX | ||
DE | 3☆ | John Morgan III | 6'2" | 270 | Pittsburgh | Senior | Hyattsville, MD | ||
S | 3☆ | Al Walcott | 6'2" | 215 | Baylor | Senior | Wilmington, NC | ||
LB | 3☆ | Antonio Grier | 6'1" | 225 | South Florida | Senior | Atlanta, GA | ||
OL | 3☆ | Josh Braun | 6'6" | 340 | Florida | Junior | Live Oak, FL | ||
WR | 3☆ | Marlon Crockett | 6'4" | 205 | Memphis | Sophomore | Searcy, AR | preferred walk-on | |
WR | 3☆ | Isaac TeSlaa | 6'4" | 215 | Hillsdale | Junior | Hudsonville, MI | ||
DE | 3☆ | Trajan Jeffcoat | 6'4" | 280 | Missouri | Senior | Columbia, SC | ||
DT | 3☆ | Keivie Rose | 6'3" | 305 | Louisiana Tech | Senior | Henderson, TX | ||
S | 3☆ | Arthur Brathwaite | 6'0" | 180 | Western Kentucky | Senior | Hollywood, FL | ||
CB | 3☆ | Keeyon Stewart | 5'11" | 180 | TCU | Senior | Houston, TX | ||
TE | 3☆ | Francis Sherman | 6'3" | 235 | Louisville | Junior | Bay Village, OH |
True Freshman
Arkansas and the SEC announced the 2023 football schedule on September 20, 2022.[1] [2] The 2023 Razorbacks' schedule consisted of 7 home games, 4 away games and 1 neutral site game for the regular season. Arkansas hosted three SEC conference opponents Auburn, Mississippi State and Missouri at home and traveled to four SEC opponents, Alabama, Florida, LSU and Ole Miss to close out the SEC regular season on the road. Arkansas faced Texas A&M in Arlington, Texas for the Southwest Classic at AT&T Stadium. Arkansas was not scheduled to play SEC East opponents Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee and Vanderbilt in the 2023 regular season. The Razorbacks' bye week came during week 9 (on October 28, 2023).
Arkansas's out of conference opponents represented the Big 12, CUSA, MAC and SoCon conferences. The Razorbacks hosted all four of the four non–conference games which were against BYU from the Big 12, FIU from CUSA and Kent State from the MAC. The Razorbacks hosted Western Carolina from the SoCon at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Statistics | TXAM | ARK |
---|---|---|
First downs | 19 | 10 |
Total yards | 67–414 | 56–174 |
Rushing yards | 39–204 | 39–42 |
Passing yards | 210 | 132 |
Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 17–28–1 | 9–17–1 |
Time of possession | 30:33 | 29:27 |
Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
---|---|---|---|
Texas A&M | Passing | Max Johnson | 17/28, 210 yards, 2 TD, INT |
Rushing | Le'Veon Moss | 17 carries, 107 yards | |
Receiving | Ainias Smith | 4 receptions, 71 yards | |
Arkansas | Passing | KJ Jefferson | 9/17, 132 yards, TD, INT |
Rushing | Raheim Sanders | 11 carries, 34 yards | |
Receiving | Andrew Armstrong | 3 receptions, 78 yards, TD |
See also: 2023 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team.
Statistics | MSST | ARK |
---|---|---|
First downs | 10 | 12 |
Total yards | 205 | 200 |
Rushing yards | 120 | 103 |
Passing yards | 85 | 97 |
Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 8–12–1 | 19–31–1 |
Time of possession | 28:35 | 31:25 |
Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
---|---|---|---|
Mississippi State | Passing | 8/12, 85 yards, TD, INT | |
Rushing | Mike Wright | 11 carries, 60 yards | |
Receiving | Justin Robinson | 2 receptions, 40 yards | |
Arkansas | Passing | KJ Jefferson | 19/31, 97 yards, INT |
Rushing | Rashod Dubinion | 14 carries, 47 yards | |
Receiving | Andrew Armstrong | 4 receptions, 35 yards |
See also: 2023 Florida Gators football team.
Statistics | ARK | FLA |
---|---|---|
First downs | 23 | 20 |
Total yards | 78–481 | 70–394 |
Rushing yards | 47–226 | 28–112 |
Passing yards | 255 | 282 |
Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 20–31–1 | 26–42–0 |
Time of possession | 29:46 | 30:14 |
Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
---|---|---|---|
Arkansas | Passing | KJ Jefferson | 20/31, 255 yards, 2 TD, INT |
Rushing | Raheim Sanders | 18 carries, 103 yards | |
Receiving | Andrew Armstrong | 3 receptions, 103 yards | |
Florida | Passing | Graham Mertz | 26/42, 282 yards, 3 TD |
Rushing | Trevor Etienne | 12 carries, 80 yards, TD | |
Receiving | Eugene Wilson III | 8 receptions, 90 yards, 2 TD |
style= | Pregame line[4] ! | style= | Over/under |
---|---|---|---|
Florida −2.5 | 49.5 |
See also: 2023 Missouri Tigers football team.
Statistics | MIZZ | ARK |
---|---|---|
First downs | 17 | 13 |
Total yards | 370 | 225 |
Rushing yards | 258 | 127 |
Passing yards | 112 | 98 |
Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 12–21–0 | 14–22–0 |
Time of possession | 31:20 | 28:40 |
Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
---|---|---|---|
Missouri | Passing | Brady Cook | 12–20, 112 yards, 2 TD |
Rushing | Cody Schrader | 27 carries, 217 yards, 1 TD | |
Receiving | 6 receptions, 55 yards | ||
Arkansas | Passing | Jacolby Criswell | 12–20, 96 yards, 1 TD |
Rushing | Isaiah Augustave | 15 carries, 80 yards, 1 TD | |
Receiving | Andrew Armstrong | 4 receptions, 40 yards, 1 TD |
Arkansas Razorbacks coaches | ||||||||
Coach | Position | Year | Alma Mater | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
align=center | 4th | Pittsburg State (1986) | ||||||
Assistant head coach/Special teams coordinator | 4th | Samford (1988) | ||||||
Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach | align=center | 4th | Michigan State (1991) | |||||
Defensive coordinator/ Linebackers coach | 1st | Auburn (2005) | ||||||
co-Defensive coordinator/ Safeties coach | 1st | Ole Miss (2003) | ||||||
Tight ends coach | align=center | 1st | Illinois (2009) | |||||
Offensive line coach | 3rd | Southeastern Louisiana (2012) | ||||||
Wide receivers coach | 3rd | Ohio State (2013) | ||||||
Jimmy Smith | Running backs coach | 4th | Fayetteville State (2002) | |||||
Deke Adams | Defensive line coach | 2nd | Southern Miss (1995) | |||||
Deron Wilson | Defensive backs coach | 1st | Southern Miss (2013) | |||||
Strength and conditioning coach | 1st | Western Kentucky (2008) | ||||||
@ – Dan Enos was fired as offensive coordinator after the 8th game of the season.
% – Kenny Guiton was the interim offensive coordinator beginning with the 9th game of the season.