Arkansas football not using roster turnover as excuse ahead of Liberty Bowl vs. Kansas
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — With more than 20 players gone to the transfer portal, a handful more opting out of the postseason and two new coaches on its staff, Arkansas football will look different in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl than it did all season.
Coach Sam Pittman insisted that when the Razorbacks (6-6) face Kansas (6-6) on Wednesday (4:30 p.m. CT, ESPN), he isn't using the changes as an excuse for any drop-off Arkansas might see on the field.
"This isn't a new Arkansas team; this is just Arkansas," Pittman said Tuesday. "Everybody that's here has been on our football team all year. ... We've got enough good players on our football team that we can go out and win a football game. And that's the expectation we have and the players have."
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Ten players listed as starters on Arkansas' Liberty Bowl depth chart were not in the top spot on the depth chart at their positions for the Razorbacks' final regular-season game. That makes this game feel like more of a preview of next season than a wrap-up of this one.
For one thing, Arkansas might show a bit of a different look on defense. Coordinator Barry Odom left early in bowl prep to become head coach at UNLV. His replacement, Travis Williams, was hired just last week and will not coach in the bowl game. Pittman said linebackers coach Michael Scherer will be calling the defense in the Liberty Bowl, and the defensive staff has been preparing for Kansas "by committee."
Pittman doesn't necessarily think that's a weakness.
"We’ve had plenty of time to get ready for this game," he said. "I think the guys have been very excited about some of the new things that (Scherer) and the defensive staff have brought, maybe some different looks that we’ve brought to the table to hopefully try to confuse Kansas a little bit."
Kansas has had fewer than 10 players opt out of the bowl game or enter the portal. That, combined with the Jayhawks' level of motivation for their first bowl game since 2008, presents a stark contrast to Arkansas' situation.
The Razorbacks are coming off a regular season that didn't meet the expectations of many. While the Liberty Bowl roster will look different than it did about a month ago, a win might help make the season feel more palatable. A loss would feel like another kick to an already down team.
But Pittman doesn't think his team is all that different from Kansas, at least in terms of readiness for Wednesday's game.
"(Kansas is) going to be ready, but hell, two teams can be excited," Pittman said. "Shoot, they should be. (With no bowls since) 2008, that’s kind of like last year with us. It’d been a minute since we’d been out there. But I can promise you, we’ll be ready to play."
Christina Long covers the Arkansas Razorbacks for the Southwest Times Record and USA TODAY Network. You can follow her on Twitter @christinalong00 or email her at clong@swtimes.com.
This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Arkansas football won't let roster turnover be excuse in Liberty bowl
