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Arkansas Football: Top 5 spring 2019 breakout candidates

By Connor Muldowney

FAYETTEVILLE, AR - OCTOBER 27: Head Coach Chad Morris of the Arkansas Razorbacks yells to the officials in the first half of a game against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Razorback Stadium on October 27, 2018 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Commodores defeated the Razorbacks 45-31. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
FAYETTEVILLE, AR - OCTOBER 27: Head Coach Chad Morris of the Arkansas Razorbacks yells to the officials in the first half of a game against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Razorback Stadium on October 27, 2018 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Commodores defeated the Razorbacks 45-31. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /
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Chad Morris didn’t have an ideal first season with Arkansas football, but the Razorbacks could get back on track with a strong spring.

Who would have thought Arkansas would have such a rough first season with Chad Morris? The former SMU head coach struggled to get his team off the mat as the Razorbacks finished with a lackluster 2-10 record and made zero noise in the SEC.

That’s how things usually go with an extreme change in personnel like going from Bret Bielema to Morris and the program should be on the rise from here on out.

The turnaround will start this spring as Morris begins to get his players in place with his second official recruiting class and early enrollees getting to campus for spring ball. Some upperclassmen, too, will have to step up in order to get the program headed in the right direction.

Things can be fixed, but not without some surprise performances from under-the-radar guys.

Which Razorback players can break out this spring?

Former Brett Bielema recruit Briston Guidry has decided to stick it out and remain with the program despite the coaching change and it could soon pay huge dividends.

Guidry, a redshirt junior, is the favorite to take over for departing defensive tackle Armon Watts who was fifth on the team in tackles last season, third in tackles for loss and led the Razorbacks with seven sacks. He has some major shoes to fill.

The former four-star recruit in the 2016 class has the size at 6-2, 292 pounds to make some noise on the interior of the defensive line. He showed flashes in 2018 with 15 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks and he even deflected two passes and returned a fumble for a touchdown.

The potential is there, but it’s up to Guidry to realize it.

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