Arkansas Sports 360 - ArkansasSports360.com

7/29/2010 at 12:20pm

According to ESPN, Arkansas has the worst special teams in the SEC.

And you thought the defense was the primary concern?

ESPN's Chris Low ranked the 12 teams from top to bottom and despite the fact he has ranked the Hogs third overall in the SEC, Low has little faith in the kicking game of Arkansas. Why are we not surprised?

Low writes:
"Inconsistency has plagued senior place-kicker Alex Tejada throughout his career, and it reared its head again this spring. The Hogs were also last in the SEC in net punting a year ago. The coverage units have improved with the addition of John L. Smith, the former Louisville and Michigan State head coach, to the staff. Dennis Johnson is one of the more dangerous return men in the league."

Of course special teams has been a concern for Arkansas. The kicking game was the Achilles heel for the Hogs last season, as Tejada missed crucial field goals in the Florida and LSU games that could have raised Arkansas' season to a completely different level. A field goal accuracy of 73 percent won't cut it in the SEC, especially when the top kicker, Georgia's Blair Walsh, makes more than 90 percent of his field goals.

Punting and kickoffs have also been a concern, as Arkansas' current punter, Dylan Breeding, only averaged 39 yards a punt last year. Compare that to the top returning punter, Georgia's Drew Butler, and Arkansas has nearly 10 yards a punt to make up to compare to the SEC elite.

Arkansas Coach Bobby Petrino knows special teams is crucial to his team's success and has adjusted accordingly. The most recent signing class featured two kickers in Eduardo Camara of Cedar Hill, Texas, and Zach Hocker of Russellville. Camara is expected to compete for place-kicking duties with Tejada and Hocker. Both signees have impressive resumes, as Camara is surprisingly accurate from distance and Hocker averaged 45 yards a punt as a senior.

While new blood brings new hope to the Hogs, they will have to quickly adjust to the tenacity of the SEC game. There isn't a learning curve for new players, but competition at kicking positions should give Arkansas a boost from last season.

Tagged: SEC, special teams, Alex Tejada, Dylan Breeding, Zach Hocker, Eduardo Camara, Arkansas Razorbacks