FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — When the SEC announced its preseason honors this week, Arkansas football saw three of its own named among the league’s best.
Redshirt seniors Fernando Carmona, Devin Bale and Cam Ball earned spots on the Preseason All-SEC teams, a testament to breakout performances that shaped the Razorbacks’ 2024 season.
Fernando Carmona, a six-foot-five, 325-pound offensive lineman, headlines the trio. The Las Vegas native anchored Arkansas’s offensive line, starting all 13 games in 2024.
His efforts helped the Razorbacks average 459.5 yards of total offense per game placing them 10th nationally. Carmona was especially strong in pass protection, where Arkansas ranked 18th in the country with 274.7 passing yards per game. The Razorbacks piled up 5,973 total yards, the fourth-most in program history, with Carmona paving the way.
Carmona’s ability to keep the quarterback upright was clear in Arkansas’s highest-scoring games.
During a 58-25 win over Mississippi State last October, the Razorbacks piled up 673 yards of offense without allowing a single sack.
Carmona’s dominance was also on display in the season opener, when Arkansas rolled to a 70-0 shutout over Arkansas-Pine Bluff, racking up 687 yards.
These performances contributed to Carmona’s selection as a Second-Team preseason All-SEC honoree, and earlier this week, he was named First-Team Preseason All-SEC by the USA Today Sports Network.
Devin Bale, Arkansas’s punter, made an immediate impact during his first season with the team in 2024. Bale punted 41 times for 1,855 yards, averaging 45.2 yards per punt.
It would have ranked in the top 15 nationally if he had met the minimum attempts. Bale showcased his precision and power by pinning opponents inside their own 20-yard line 11 times, with another 11 punts traveling over 50 yards.
His ability to flip the field was crucial in tight contests, including a 19-14 win over No. 4 Tennessee, where he launched a season-long 66-yard punt.
Bale’s knack for placing punts deep in enemy territory showed up in key moments. Against LSU, he pinned the Tigers at their own 2-yard line, and he repeated the feat against Oklahoma State, trapping them at the 1. Such performances helped earn him Third-Team Preseason All-SEC recognition from the league’s media.
On the defensive side, Cam Ball brings experience and consistency. The Atlanta native has appeared in 39 games with 20 starts, and in 2024, he started all 13 contests as a redshirt junior.
Ball tallied a career-high 47 tackles, including four tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. He added two quarterback hurries and a fumble recovery to his stat line, providing a steady presence on the Razorbacks’ defensive front.
Ball’s contributions were especially notable in postseason play. During Arkansas’ Liberty Bowl win over Texas Tech, Ball recorded five tackles and a quarterback hurry.
He capped off the regular season with a career-high seven tackles against Missouri, including one for loss. In the win over Mississippi State, Ball recovered a fumble, made three tackles, and assisted on a sack, helping to secure a decisive victory.
With the 2025 season set to begin on August 30, Arkansas will open at home against Alabama A&M at Razorback Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:15 p.m. on SEC Network.
The preseason recognition for Carmona, Bale, and Ball sets expectations for a program looking to build on last year’s offensive fireworks and defensive grit.
The Razorbacks’ offensive line, with Carmona at its core, will look to replicate last year’s production.
The team’s ability to dominate both in the trenches and through the air was a defining feature of the 2024 campaign, and Carmona’s durability and skill remain central to those efforts.
Bale’s emergence as a reliable weapon in the punting game gives Arkansas a field position advantage few in the SEC can match. His blend of distance and touch turned potential scoring drives for opponents into uphill battles, often forcing long fields. The coaching staff expects Bale to be a difference-maker in tight games.
Ball’s return solidifies the defensive front, where his experience and playmaking ability will be counted on to stifle opposing offenses. The confidence he displayed in postseason matchups bodes well for a unit intent on improvement.
