the past two seasons for his opportunity and looks as though he’ s ready for the limelight.

Anton Juncaj is the key newcomer. The Albany transfer led the FCS level with 15 solo sacks and was third with 21.5 tackles for loss. After biding his time with the Great Danes and Nassau Community College, he’ s stepped into the SEC and looks to have carved a role for himself with the Razorbacks.

LINEBACKER Like the offensive line, linebacker is a position littered with questions for Arkansas. The Razorbacks lost each of their top four snap-getters from last season with Jaheim Thomas( Wisconsin), Chris Paul( Ole Miss) and Jordan Cook( Arizona State) transferring and Antonio Grier exhausting his eligibility.

Returning sophomore Brad Spence could be a starting candidate, as could Georgia transfer Xavian Sorey. Spence played the most of any returning Razorback while Sorey, though he only started for the Bulldogs twice, played nearly double the snaps Spence did.

For depth, Arkansas returns a pair of secondyear players in Alex Sanford and Carson Dean, though neither saw much time last season. The Razorbacks added Marshall transfer Stephen Dix and Jacksonville transfer Larry Worth in the spring, bringing both experience and depth to the linebacker room. Larry Worth brings valuable versatility to the position.

Pittman said throughout the spring that he had

confidence in the group. Entering fall camp, he said they were still looking at who the starters would be but that the depth in the position was better than what the coaching staff had originally thought.

The linebackers will be tested against a loaded schedule that features seven preseason top-25 opponents. Should Arkansas show the improvement needed from last season’ s 4-8 finish, the linebacker play will need to take a significant step forward and the depth in position will need to prove it is SEC quality.

DEFENSIVE BACK

The Arkansas defensive backs room consists of a mix of newcomers and returners. Both safety spots are occupied by starting returners in Hudson Clark, who started his career as a walk-on, and Jayden Johnson have combined to start 53 games, with Jaylon Braxton coming off a Freshman All-SEC campaign last season.

TJ Metcalf and Kee’ yon Stewart round out the returners, with Stewart an option to start at corner.

Florida transfer Miguel Mitchell is someone coach Sam Pittman has said he expects to play a lot. Doneiko Slaughter and Anthony Switzer, transfers from Tennessee and Utah State, respectively, provide versatility in addition to competition for the position coach and co-defensive coordinator Marcus Woodson.

South Alabama transfer Marquise Robinson and freshman Selman Bridges could be contributors, as well.

The Razorbacks were susceptible to big passing

Devin Bale Arkansas Punter File Photo

plays, despite being rated highly in passing defense. Arkansas allowed the second-most passing touchdowns in the SEC last season and allowed 7.65 yards per pass completion. The Razorbacks’ heavy schedule, which features seven teams ranked in the preseason coaches poll, will see several big-play threats in both nonconference and SEC play.

Arkansas will need to clean the big-play defense in order to keep some of those threats at bay.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Arkansas will have two new starters in the kicking units for the first time in four years following the departures of punter Max Fletcher( transfer, Cincinnati) and kicker Cam Little( NFL).

Devin Bale, who joined the Razorbacks prior to last season from Northern Colorado, won kickoff duties in the spring and is expected to be the starting punter. Coach Sam Pittman placed Bale on scholarship the same day Fletcher entered the portal.

The kicking battle is where much of the offseason focus has been focused.

Matthew Shipley and Kyle Ramsay are both newcomers to the Razorbacks— having transferred from Hawaii and Abilene Christian, respectively— and Vito Calvaruso being the returner, albeit as a kickoff specialist.

Shipley was a Lou Groza Award semifinalist for the top kicker in the country during his sophomore season and has a career-long of 51 yards. Ramsay joins Arkansas following a strong campaign with the Wildcats, hitting 14 of his 15 field goals with a long of 55 yards. Calvaruso, who spent a season at Wisconsin between his two Arkansas stints, went 7-for-7 on extra points and hit a field goal for the Badgers.

Returning wide receiver Isaiah Sategna is the Razorbacks’ top return man and is expected to assume the same role this season.

For long snappers, Pittman said Eli Stein was expected to be the short snapper with Ashton Ngo taking punting duties.