What Is Pittman’s Plan With Hogs Down To Two Scholarship Quarterbacks?

Arkansas could lack in depth at the quarterback position in 2022. Sam Pittman likely didn’t expect to see Malik Hornsby leave Arkansas so soon. Here they are less than two weeks removed from a 9-4, Outback Bowl winning season and now are down to only two scholarship quarterbacks as they head into the offseason and spring football.

Hornsby was the backup to KJ Jefferson and had elite track speed to keep opposing defenses honest. Now, without him it leaves a void in the room that many didn’t see coming.

The Razorbacks didn’t recruit a quarterback for the 2022 class due to the hope they could sign an elite one in the 2023 class.

With the departure of Hornsby that leaves Jefferson and Lucas Coley are the only two quarterbacks on the roster that currently hold a scholarship.

After tearing an ACL during bowl practices, Kade Renfro suffered a lower leg injury and will be on the sideline for the foreseeable future. Renfro came to Arkansas as a walk-on through the transfer portal after being at Ole Miss during the 2020 season where he was on scholarship.

What will the Hogs likely do during the spring? Will they do the same thing they did last season with Renfro to create more depth at the quarterback position through the transfer portal? With a lack of available scholarship spots with two or three going to the defensive back room would they offer a walk-on spot again?

There is one available quarterback right now in the portal by the name of Cam Ward. He quarterbacked Incarnate Word out of the Football Championship Subdivison. He put up a lot of offense and was certainly a prospect that was misevaluated in the 2020 class. He is currently the second best quarterback available in the portal behind former Oklahoma Sooners quarterback, Caleb Williams.

Ward was magnificent this season passing for 4678 yards, 47 touchdowns and only 10 interceptions as a sophomore. His best performance was against another former Razorback quarterback, Cole Kelley, and Southeastern Louisiana State where Ward threw for 610 yards and seven touchdowns.

It may be a pipe dream to think he could be a Razorback when he likely wants to start somewhere at the FBS level. Ward has already visited the likes of Liberty, Ole Miss and Washington State. With Arkansas needing bodies in their room it wouldn’t hurt to look in the portal.

Even if they don’t see anyone they like right now they could just roll with Jefferson and Coley until the spring if their not satisfied with the quarterbacks currently in the portal. There’s a lot of time until May and June. Let’s enjoy the ride and see how it plays out.