No. 3 Texas football and head coach Steve Sarkisian are preparing to face an Arkansas Razorbacks team that has some dangerous playmakers at the skill positions in a historic rivalry this week in Fayetteville.
Which players does Texas football need to worry the most about vs. Arkansas in Week 12?
When Texas and Arkansas last faced each other three years ago, it was Sarkisian's first season as the head coach in Austin. Texas was pretty much exposed for being a mediocre team on both sides of the ball when it fell to Arkansas and head coach Sam Pittman in Fayetteville, by a score of 40-21 in 2021.
Texas can now take one step closer to reaching the SEC Championship Game and the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff bracket berth with a win over the Hogs on the road this weekend. The Longhorns are back to controlling its own destiny in the SEC this regular season in November.
Getting the victory at Arkansas this weekend means the Longhorns must be prepared for the most dangerous skill weapons and the Hogs quarterback. Here's a look at three problematic Arkansas players for the Longhorns to matchup with on both sides of the ball in Week 12.
Andrew Armstrong, WR
Senior Andrew Armstrong is Arkansas' leading receiver, with 55 catches for 857 receiving yards and one touchdown catch this season. Armstrong is a big-framed 6-foot-4 and 205-pound receiver who possesses excellent size, strength, and speed for a wideout with a frame as big as his.
Arkansas utilizes Armstrong's speed and large catch radius to beat opposing defenses one-on-one on the boundary and with the downfield passing game.
It's rare to find a defensive back with the size, speed, and physicality to consistently defend Armstrong. He can outstrength and outjump opposing defensive backs for those tough one-on-one contested balls on the outside. Armstrong has eight contested catches this season, ranking second in the SEC (per PFF).
Texas's secondary has done a nice job preventing the big play this season. Limiting Armstrong will be key for Texas to continue keeping a lid on the opposing offense's passing game this weekend against the Hogs.