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Hogs' Green with something to prove: 'I've been counted out my whole life'

Originally posted on Arkansas Razorbacks on SI
By Jacob Davis | Last updated Aug 13, 2025 10:10 AM ET

FAYTTEVILLE, Ark. — While looking from an analytics standpoint, Arkansas ranks anywhere between No. 13 to No. 15 in the SEC and just above Mississippi State or Vanderbilt.

This year's Razorbacks team is extremely hard to get a gauge on based off how its combination of transfers, former blue chip recruits and a starting quarterback ready to burst into stardom.

No, Taylen Green wasn't a highly recruited quarterback prospect out of Lewisville High School in Texas during the 2021 cycle. He signed with Boise State over a handful of Group of Five programs as an electric dual threat passer with plenty of development ahead of him.

Green has transformed his body at Arkansas while also taking in tutoring sessions with Hogs offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino each day for the past 18 months. He's ready to prove the doubters wrong at a place flying under the radar.

"Honestly, I hear some [negativity], but at the same time, I’ve always been counted out my whole life," Green said Tuesday following preseason practice. "That’s why I love Arkansas. Arkansas, of course, is not in the ranks of ‘going to win,’ or always counted out. So that’s the mindset we have of just proving ourselves right, the people that are in that facility.

"Not just the football players, but the people behind the scenes. The training staff, the training room staff, the strength staff, the EQ, the media, the media people. Just have that mindset of just being the most physical team and the smartest team."

Most sports betting sites have Arkansas' over-under for total wins set at 5.5 victories, which is exactly one game more than last season (4.5).

The Razorbacks were extremely close to shattering their 2024 win projection, but lost three games by one possession against Oklahoma State, Texas A&M and Missouri with a lead in the fourth quarter each time. Still, the Hogs managed to beat it by 2.5, giving everyone a second shot at climbing further up the ladder.

With Green's top nine pass catchers gone, potentially three starters on the offensive line who transferred in and a running back room without a player rushing for more than 400 yards back, he hears the doubters.

That noise that seems to grow louder by the day and has caused him to become a more focused individual ready to leave it all on the field.

"So that’s what I’ve always had, that chip on my shoulder of just proving people wrong, but proving myself right, and that’s what I’ve always had," Green said. "My dad is always on me to never get too comfortable and just always strive for greatness."

While he showed flashes of greatness last season, Green still struggled with his reads, oftentimes getting too comfortable with his top target Andrew Armstrong. His nine interceptions weren't alarming, but his carelessness with the football stood out after losing five out of 12 fumbles last fall.

Despite some faults in his first season under Petrino, Green still passed for 3,154 passing yards and 15 touchdowns along with 602 rushing yards and another eight scores.

He received an offensive grade of 86.6 from Pro Football Focus which ranked him No. 28 among Pro Football Focus in 2024.

Going into his redshirt senior season, Green, along with Oklahoma transfer John Mateer, are the only returning quarterbacks at the FBS level to pass for more than 3,000 yards and rush for over 600 yards in 2024.

Green is one of only 10 FBS quarterbacks entering the 2025 season who have thrown for 4,000+ yards and rushed for 1,000+ yards in their respective college careers.

Petrino has marveled at Green's development during fall camp, whether that be through criticism, maturity or physical development.

"[Green's] knowledge of defenses is way better," Petrino said Tuesday following practice. "He understands, which allows you to make quicker decisions. His accuracy has really improved. His technique helps that. He’s an unbelievable coachable young man and he works hard at his technique and that’s helped him extremely.

"He knows the offense, too, so that makes it better. That makes everything work a little quicker. It was a pretty big jump from the speed of Boise State to the speed of the SEC, so it took him a while to get used to that. Windows close fast, defensive ends are up the field like that, so I think you’ll see his maturity."