Arkansas Football Report Card – Week One 

In week one of college football, we learned much from many teams across the country. In Fayetteville, Arkansas, the Razorbacks took Alabama A&M to school, dismantling the Buldogs, 52-7, on Saturday. We at Last Word unveiled three keys to success for Arkansas in pregame, and will now grade the Razorbacks. With this, we present the Arkansas report card for week one. 

Arkansas Football Report Card – Week One 

We begin with a brief recap of the keys for this week. In key one, we were looking to see if the Razorbacks used the tune-up opponent to find a main target for quarterback Taylen Green. The second key was to open the offense up using the bolstered roster. For the third key, we wanted to see the Hogs remain healthy as they begin the 2025 slate. 

Key #1 – Find A Pass Catcher

Arkansas entered the game missing a top pass catcher. In the opening game, Arkansas utilized the arm of Green, spreading the ball to 10 different receivers. Leading the group was O’mega Blake, with seven snags for 121 yards and a touchdown. The seven catches were also on eight targets on the day for the former South Carolina and Charlotte wideout. The main course of attack on the Bulldogs was the deep ball. 

In this category, Green finished the game 5-6 for 149 yards. We saw Blake and others shine against less-than-stellar competition, yet the cohesiveness is evident. Not to overreact to the win, but this receiving group may be the surprise of the team this season. With more performances such a versus the Bulldogs, this unit may surprise more than just in Fayetteville. In the end, this grade was simple to award. The opening grade of the Arkansas report card is an A+, as we have a good indication of who the main target will be for Arkansas. 

Key #2 – Open It Up

We wanted to see the offense open up in key number two. Similar to the opening key, Arkansas accomplished this against Alabama A&M. Offensive Coordinator Bobby Petrino may have seemingly only used ten percent of his playbook, as most of the 76 plays run were successful. In what was an evenly called game, with 40 runs and 36 passes, the offense averaged 7.3 yards per play on the day. 

We looked for the offense to open up, and that is what they did as Arkansas amassed 552 total yards in the dominant win. Green and backup KJ Jackson tossed for 358 yards while Mike Washington, in addition to Green, and five additional Hogs rumbled for 194 yards on 40 rushes. In all, the Razorbacks ran three quarterbacks onto the field for reps, which was refreshing to see for fans. The second grade on the key of this week, offense opening up, is also an A+. 

Key #3 – Stay Injury Free 

This week, the final key was to stay injury-free for the longevity of the season. As with any football contest, there will be players going down at times, seemingly due to an injury. In the trouncing of the Bulldogs, Arkansas remained injury-free, despite some gasps. The Razorbacks were without players who were announced through the University before the game. 

During the action, fans saw Green go down with an apparent hamstring injury, yet immediately return on the next drive. Additionally, in the third quarter, we saw offensive lineman Fernando Carmona go down. Two plays later, Carmona would rejoin the team on the field and compete for the remainder of the game. While the third key was questionable on a few occasions, the Razorbacks escaped without injury. Because of this, we will grade the final key an A in week one. 

In closing, we predicted a win for Arkansas as the roster and program are superior to Alabama A&M. The opening report card for Arkansas was one we all want to bring home to our parents, with all A’s. Will this continue?  With this said, the season kicks into gear as the Razorbacks will now face in-state foe Arkansas State in Little Rock. We at Last Word will have much more on this historic meeting soon.