Arkansas Sports 360 - ArkansasSports360.com

7/11/2011 at 9:00am

Image by Mark Wagner

Bobby Petrino enters his fourth season at Arkansas having compiled a 22-15 overall record in three seasons. His third season included 10 wins and a Sugar Bowl. What does 2011 have in store?

Arkansas enjoyed one of its best football seasons ever last year. It was arguably the best of the BCS era as the Razorbacks earned a Sugar Bowl appearance and remained ranked throughout the season for the first time since 1989.

Players returning expect this year to be even bigger. As Jarius Wright explains in our 2011 ArkansasSports360.com Football Preview, a lot has changed since Bobby Petrino arrived on campus.

Even with questions, the hopes for this team are lofty. And expectations for the Razorbacks aren’t just high inside the Broyles Athletic Complex and team weight facility.

Arkansas’ spring game was broadcast on ESPN, a sign that the program is becoming highly regarded nationally. Analysts see the Razorbacks as a potential challenger for the SEC West, the division that has produced two consecutive BCS national champions and three of the last four title winners.

“It’s just different the way people talk about Arkansas now,” receiver Jarius Wright said. “When I first came in we didn’t make a bowl game. Now we’re talking about national championships. A lot has changed in three years.”

Wright, Petrino, offensive coordinator Garrick McGee and others weighed in on the lofty goals for 2011. You can read more in the preview.

Should Arkansas match or exceed its success from 2010 as Petrino coaches his fourth season here, he’ll further establish himself as one of the program’s best coaches. Even Frank Broyles, the only football coach with a national title at Arkansas, struggled in his fourth season, something explored further in the 2011 ArkansasSports360.com Football Preview.

And that’s far from the only Razorback-related story in this year’s preview. Other Arkansas stories worth reading include:

• Chemistry with teammates will be key for Tyler Wilson and Brandon Mitchell as they battle for playing time at quarterback.

• Knile Davis used an unusual method to improve some key skills at running back last year.

• Improved defensive depth will be key for the Razorbacks in 2011.

• Check the schedule for Arkansas and other state colleges here.

Additional details on the magazine and where to find it are here.

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Can’t get your hands on a copy of the print edition? We’ve got you covered with our digital edition of the 2011 ArkansasSports360.com Football Preview.

Veteran sportswriters Chris Bahn and Jim Harris and the rest of our contributors have compiled the inside information, features and commentary you want to read about Arkansas’ college and high school teams. This year we’ve zeroed in on 32 Central Arkansas high school teams to go along with our previews of 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A, 6A and 7A classifications. We’ve expanded coverage of the Razorbacks, the Southeastern Conference, the Red Wolves and Sun Belt Conference, plus preview the coming seasons at for the UCA Bears, UAPB Golden Lions, Arkansas Baptist Buffaloes and teams in the newly created Great American Conference.

Tagged: Arkansas Razorbacks, Bobby Petrino, Knile Davis, Tyler Wilson, Brandon Mitchell, Garrick McGee