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Hicks or Starkel probably starters, but only quarterbacks to play?
Chad Morris declined to name a starter for Saturday’s game with Auburn, but did say just about everything is a possibility, which could be an attempt or deception … or an opening.
Chad Morris didn’t name a quarterback for Saturday’s game against Auburn, but he created such a wide opening for anything to happen that, honestly, any guess among four could be right … or wrong.
“Everything is a possibility,” he said before practice Wednesday. “If I don’t name one until we get to the bus ride over here, then they will be well equipped and well prepared.”
It is reasonable to think Ben Hicks or Nick Starkel will start, but you get the idea that’s no guarantee they may even be out there for the second possession if they don’t do anything with the first one.
“I don’t have a problem if I put one on the field and have to bring somebody off the bench to be a reliever so to speak and get us going,” Morris said. “They both have done that.”
There are a lot of fans, though, that want to see freshman K.J. Jefferson hit the field. He does add a multi-purpose threat to the offense that neither Hicks or Starkel bring.
“We’ll keep bringing him along and see where we’re at with him,” Morris said earlier in the week.
It was interesting in both Tuesday and Wednesday practices that Jack Lindsey is wearing No. 10, which is the number Auburn freshman Bo Nix wears. He has also been working with the scout team.
Jefferson stayed with the quarterbacks during individual drills. He worked in tandem with Starkel while Hicks and John Stephen Jones were the other tandem. None of that really says much about anything.
But the questions remain why Jefferson and Jones haven’t seen the field. Auburn has one of the best defenses in the nation … maybe the best they’ve had in nearly 30 years.
“We’ve got to pick up first downs,” Morris said about the offensive approach to this one. “We’ve got to keep our defense off the field as much as possible. They’re extremely talented.”
All of that means the mobility Jefferson and Jones have could factor into the game plan. Morris has said he would like to redshirt Jefferson, but that’s usually reserved for situations where there’s an established starter and the coach can afford to develop one.
Morris may not have that luxury.
While you probably can’t find anyone giving the Razorbacks a shot on Saturday, well, stranger things have happened … especially in this series.
In 2001, Auburn came into Razorback Stadium ranked No. 17 in the country while the Hogs were a yawning 3-3 with a disturbingly close win over UNLV, a blowout of Weber State and beating No. 9 South Carolina the week before.
Arkansas kicked the Tigers sideways, 42-17.
Then there was 2006 when the Hogs went to The Plains and beat the No. 2 Tigers 27-10 and was the actual launching pad to a 10-win season.
But it’s not something you want to put money on it.
Or what quarterback plays the most.
