The Bearcats know they will have to come of right away versus a very talented Arkansas team that is highlighted by their defense returning guys like linebackers Bumper Pool and Drew Sanders, the Razorbacks will have two very talented linebackers controlling the middle of the defense. Pool A 6-foot-2 linebacker was tabbed to the Preseason All-Sec Team, was named a 3rd Team All American to start the season after wrapping up a 2021 season where he recorded a team high 125 tackles a season ago. Sanders on the other hand, a transfer from Alabama who stands 6-foot-5 was a former five-star recruit for the Crimson Tide and will look to play a big part in the heart of the Razorback Defense alongside Bumper Pool in the middle of the Razorback defense look for the Bearcats to find a way to get tight ends Josh Whyle and Lenny Taylor the ball early, as the veteran tight end group will play a key part in the Bearcats success on offense. The Bearcats receivers went up versus arguably the best defensive player in all of college football a season ago in Sauce Gardner, but the Razorbacks will have safety Jalen Catalon, a preseason first team All-American, who has had a dominant career is back for his redshirt junior season, after missing the last seven games for the Razorbacks a season ago due to injury.
The Bearcats will know the gameplan whether it is Evan Prater or Ben Bryant taking the snaps as the Bearcat offense will look to unleash versus a very tough Razorback defense, but the one thing to keep an eye on ahead of this one is the battle in the trenches between the Bearcats offensive line and the veteran Razorbacks defensive line, the Bearcats are returning all five starters up front from their championship run a season ago, while the Razorbacks defensive line is returning a lot of key contributors up front from a season ago. The Bearcats have a lot of talent on the offensive ball and whoever is the starter for Saturday’s contest whether its Ben Bryant or Evan Prater, having an offensive line that is returning all the starters from a season ago is very beneficial for a new quarterback. The Bearcats have some big shoes to fill on offense losing guys like Alec Pierce, Michael Young, Jr., Jerome Ford and Desmond Ridder to the NFL, but the Bearcats have a lot of talent and experience returning amongst the likes of Tyler Scott, Tre Tucker, Jadon Thompson, Josh Whyle, Lenny Taylor and more. A great thing for a new quarterback heading into the team’s first match up of the season, although we don’t know who is going to be starting under center yet, Bearcats head coach Luke Fickell said the team knows who the starting quarterback will be.
“I don’t think there is any reason to talk about it, I don’t know if it does anything good for our team, it doesn’t do anything good for the opponents and their preparation of things. I have always kind of said that from the get-go, I don’t know that last year we announced a starter, I don’t know that it was much of a question, I don’t think the year before we announced a starter, again I don’t know if it was much of a question, for us you got to have a plan, you got to move forward with it. However, for us there is no reason for us to really announce things,” said Fickell.
The key for the Bearcats as they head into Arkansas is to stick to the game plan, in their first year with new offensive coordinator Gino Guidugli at the realm of the Bearcats offense, it will be very interesting to see what the Bearcats come out and look to do vs a very good Arkansas team, especially with how much speed the Bearcats have on offense, look for them to dial things up early to get some momentum in Razorback Stadium as all 76,000 fans will be on their feet once this one kicks off Saturday. The Bearcat’s defense is looking to come out and stop a high-powered Razorback offense, as KJ Jefferson will look to play a dominant part in that game, but look for the Bearcats to stop the run game early as they look to contain KJ Jefferson, and Raheim ‘Rocket’ Sanders, as both are very dynamic with the ball in their hands, but if the Bearcats can limit those two in the run game, and bring some pressure up front and force KJ Jefferson to throw the ball more frequently, I think the Bearcats will be in good hands if they can disrupt Jefferson early, and force Sam Pittman to make some adjustments early. There is one thing the Bearcats were good at during the 2021 season, it was playing in these hostile environments but to open up the season with a dominant SEC opponent who is projected to finish the season 10-3 in many polls, is a very tough task for Luke Fickell and the Bearcats, but they know the opportunity that is at stake, and they are embracing the challenge to kick off the 2022 season.
The Bearcats will look to get a huge win versus a top ranked Arkansas team to kick off the season this Saturday when they travel to Fayetteville, Arkansas to take on the Razorbacks, in what will be one of the best matchups in all of college football to start the season, but the Bearcats know they have to stick to the game plan heading into this contest, led by Luke Fickell who is entering his 6th season at the realm of the Bearcats, while Sam Pittman is entering his third season at the realm for the Razorbacks. Expect to see a sellout crowd at Razorback Stadium this Saturday, as the Bearcats look to make a statement to kick off the season, and Bearcat nation should be ready for this Saturday when the Bearcats take on Arkansas at 3:30 pm ET/2:30 CT.
